Courtesan of the Saints

by Marina Oliver

  Chapter 7

  Miles was able to avoid Cherry and her friends for the next week or so, until his skin had returned to its normal hue. He was busy on the work of the Sealed Knot, visiting, organizing, and encouraging.

  Then, in the middle of the month of December, the City was agog with the news that the Parliament of the Saints, as it was usually known, had been dismissed by Cromwell. Miles made his way that evening to Cherry's hoping to learn more, and he was not disappointed.

  Cherry greeted him with a calm she did not feel, for his absence, much longer than usual, had disturbed her, and she fretted to know what had become of him.

  'I wondered if you had forgotten us,' she said gaily, as she went into the parlor with him. 'Dick, here is the truant, but I'll warrant he comes only to hear what has been happening!'

  'How could I possibly admit that?' Miles asked, laughing into her eyes. 'I have been busy, for my affairs became complicated.'

  'I can hazard a guess as to their nature,' Dick said meaningly, and Miles saw Cherry glance quickly at him, then look away in slight confusion. She covered it admirably.

  'If you do not tell us your secrets, Mr. Talbot, I shall forbid you the house!'

  'Mayhap you would forbid me if you knew them!' he retorted, with truth hidden from his audience. But they merely laughed, and he was soon engrossed in a discussion of the day's events with Dick and several other men, some of them also dismissed Members.

  'It worked exactly as planned,' one of these, whom Miles did not recognize, was saying gloatingly.

  'We certainly took the others by surprise, meeting so early in the morning.'

  'But your resignation, I understand it does not apply to all of you?' the merchant Mr. Aston said.

  'There were fifty signatures. Colonel Sydenham had hoped for a few more, but the others will come when they see which way the wind is blowing. As soon as there are over half, they will take effect.'

  'What will happen now?' asked another man, a merchant by the look of him, Miles thought.

  'Ah, that we must wait and see,' Dick answered prudently.

  'It cannot be denied the people were getting restive under the rule of Barebones and his friends. '

  'True, and the resignation of the whole of us was the only way.'

  'Speak for yourself, traitor Ashford!'

  It was Faithful Denham, who had entered during the previous few remarks.

  'Do you disagree then?' someone asked him, and he spluttered with indignation.

  'It was a despicable trick they thought to play on us! If they did not fear to be defeated in open argument, why meet secretly, at such an early hour, and illegally pass this false resignation?'

  'There was nought illegal about it. The Speaker was there, as you well know.'

  'But we were prevented from entering when we arrived at the usual time!'

  'You should have risen earlier,' Dick said unsympathetically.

  'You are sly, wicked devils, and God will surely punish you for your perfidious doings!'

  'Do not bemoan your lost dignity, Faithful. This is not the end of Parliaments. Cromwell has promised there will be another one soon, and this time elected. You will be able to see whether the people desire you and your restrictions.'

  'Are you daring to complain at the rules we would impose, for the good of the people who know no better?'

  'I am saying they would not have borne it for a great while longer. Already there are murmurs against us. There have been Royalist risings and plots. They will increase in importance unless we behave with due regard for the wishes of the people.'

  'Dick Ashford, these people know not what to do!' Faithful said, anguish in his voice. 'We seek but to show them the way.'

  'So have others before us tried to go against the will of the people. It did not do King Charles much good, for he lost his head defying the people!'

  'It is all a scheme by that arch fiend Cromwell, to gain power for himself! I hear he is thinking of setting himself up as ruler.'

  'Is that true?' Mr. Aston enquired in some surprise.

  'Oh, yes, it is true,' Faithful said venomously. 'He would rule alone, and become a King!'

  'He would have my support an he did,' Dick declared, and this so infuriated Faithful he fumed speechlessly for a while, and then stalked out of the room.

  Cherry had been standing silently by during the argument, and she moved after Faithful, but either she could not persuade him to return, or had not tried, judging the mood of both Faithful and her other guests to be such they preferred to be apart, for she returned soon alone.

  There was little other talk that evening, taken up as everyone was by the strange events of the day, and full of speculations as to the outcome. The Members who had signed the resignation seemed to know something, but they were silent on the topic of the future, and despite straight questions, could not be drawn into statements or speculations.

  Miles felt he had learned all he could, and he found himself tense with desire for Cherry. He was almost resolved to ask her whether he could stay that night, when he noticed her many attentions to John Taunton. He watched jealously, scarcely able to conceal his emotions, but she seemed to be paying unnecessary attention to Taunton, and Miles was unable to do no more than exchange a few words with her. She seemed to be avoiding private conversation with him deliberately, and he rejected the idea of attempting to outstay the other guests, as he had done in the past. It was not only his caution that told him he was running into danger, but the fear he might find out for certain that someone else, most likely Taunton, was more favoured. So he left fairly early, not able to tell from Cherry's manner as she bade him farewell what her feelings were.

  She was in fact thoroughly confused. She desired him as keenly as ever, but his sudden reappearance at such a time strengthened her convictions that there was an ulterior motive for his visits. If he truly was a spy she feared that in her state of desperate longing she would be incapable of guarding her tongue, and would unwittingly provide him with the information he sought. Exactly what that was she still could not decide, but thought it likely the master spy, Thurloe, would be anxious to know the reactions of the dismissed Members, and discover any plans of retaliation or rebellion amongst them.

  Miles spent the next few days haunting the taverns Dick Ashford and his friends frequented, and found them constantly there, and ready to talk of the recent events. They were in general moderate men, unlike Faithful Denham, and regretted that the extremists had gained control.

  'It was not what Cromwell intended,' one of them said to Miles. 'He hoped for sensible reforms, but they made things impossible.'

  'Such as abolishing the Court of Chancery?' Miles suggested.

  'Indeed yes, when there was no other court for the cases to be sent to! Then the last refusal, to accept the report of their own committee and abolish tithes, meant no church could be state endowed! This was something Cromwell desired greatly. He could not be expected to countenance such foolishness.'

  'What is he like to do now? I hear rumours he might be set up as King.'

  'There have been such rumours for a good many months. When his portrait was put up in the Royal Exchange in May, surmounted by three crowns, many thought that was what he intended, but I would take my oath he does not wish for the Crown.'

  Dick Ashford was listening. 'Aye. The Army have long advocated it. And now Lambert favours it, but not Oliver!' he declared.

  'I thought Lambert desired an elected Parliament?'

  'Yes, he still holds that view, but now wants a King also. Oh, not one with supreme powers such as the Stuarts tried to wield, but one that would be subject to the power of Parliament,' Dick explained.

  'And he has the support of the Army for this?'

  'Indeed yes. They want to see Cromwell in power.'

  'And no one can exercise power without the support of the Army,' Miles said musingly. 'Has no one else that support?'

  'No. Cromwell has tried to renounce the power he held,
but he will take it up again when he sees the country depends on him,' Dick said confidently.

  'But not as King?'

  'There are other titles,' Dick said, and Miles nodded in agreement.

  Soon after this the talk switched to the anger of the Members who had not been in the dawn resignation, and had found themselves locked out of St Stephen's Chapel by the soldiers.

  'You were at Mistress Weston's house the other night, were you not, when Faithful Denham was displaying his anger?' Dick asked.

  'Indeed yes. I have frequently seen him roused to great passion, but never so much as then,' Miles said.

  'The others of his kind are equally furious.'

  'What can they do?'

  'Nought but fume and rant against us. But we need some more signatures to the resignation. They are coming in slowly, but Denham and his friends are having some effect, causing some of the uncommitted Members to hesitate.'

  'You do not fear they will deter too many from signing?'

  'No, there will be a majority for us. It but delays matters. But beware Denham's malice. He would revenge himself on any he thinks against him,' Dick warned.

  'Even those who are not Members?' Miles asked curiously.

  'Aye. Denham does not regard such niceties. If he considers you do not support his views, and your friendship with me is sufficient to convince him of that, he will do his utmost to wreak vengeance on you. Try to ignore him, not provoke him to anger. He is powerful, being very wealthy.'

  'I will heed your warning,' Miles said, smiling gratefully at Dick, though in his heart he did not think he stood in any danger, and that Dick exaggerated the venom of Faithful, and the risks he himself stood in by his slight friendship with Dick Ashford.

  The Parliament of the Saints had been dismissed on Monday, the twelfth of December, and it was very shortly afterwards, on the Friday, that the situation was resolved. Miles had hoped the Royalists could take action to benefit from the state of confusion, but in the event there was little confusion. As Dick had predicted, there was soon a majority of Members who had signed the resignation, and Lambert's plan was in part adopted. Cromwell became Lord Protector of England.

  Once again Miles made his way to Cherry's house, and found the usual people there, and many of the less frequent visitors who had come to hear about the events of the day.

  'His Highness took the oath in Westminster Hall,' John Taunton was explaining. 'It is in accordance with the Instrument of Government, which lays down the way we are to be governed, from this day on.'

  'Will there be no Parliament?' someone asked.

  'Indeed there will. The first one is to meet on September third next year, and from then on every third year.'

  'The third of September?' It was Cherry who spoke.

  'Aye, 'tis said to be Cromwell's lucky day.'

  'Indeed yes. The battle of Dunbar,' Dick said.

  'When my husband was killed,' Cherry murmured, but so softly that only Miles, who was standing next to her, heard. He looked down at her, but could read nothing from her expression, which was blank.

  'Also Worcester,' another guest reminded them, and Miles frowned as he recalled the day, with its bitter fighting and final defeat of the King, and his own wound.

  'Will it be another nominated Parliament?'

  'No, it will be elected. There will be four hundred for England and Wales, and thirty each for Scotland and Ireland. They will sit for the counties and the main towns.'

  'Free elections?' Mr. Aston queried.

  'All who have estates worth two hundred pounds a year, apart from Papists, and those who have rebelled against Parliament here or in Ireland.'

  'How long will it sit?'

  'Not less than five months in every three years.'

  'And in between sessions?'

  'There will be a Council to help the Protector rule. Both they and he are appointed for life, and together will fill vacancies as they arise. Thus we will have the advice of the best men in the land for all our business.'

  'You know much about this new system, Mr. Taunton,' Mr. Aston commented.

  'It is but the result of long deliberation. Lambert has advised on such a document for some time, and those of us in his confidence have often discussed such ideas. It is no hastily prepared document, for the ideas have been tested by argument.'

  'Now they are to be tested in practice.'

  The discussion then became general, as the guests began to talk together of the new system. Miles noted that Faithful Denham was not present, and he wondered whether the man would accept the situation, or attempt to overthrow the new ruler.

  Miles circulated amongst the many guests that night, noting their views, and considering what effect the changes might have on his own work, and the chances of his master recovering the throne, He found general satisfaction that the Barebones' Parliament had been dissolved, and some relief that the strong man Cromwell was again at the head of affairs. But there was some disquiet too.

  'I mislike this 'Highness' in his title,' Mr. Aston was saying to some fellow merchants. 'It smacks of royalty, and I suspect Cromwell to be aiming for the crown.'

  'You would dislike that?' Miles asked.

  'Aye. We did not get rid of one King merely to set another in his place.'

  'But he would be chosen by the people,' another man pointed out. 'A very different affair.'

  'How long would that last? He has pride in his family like all of us. He would not wish to see his sons passed over for another.'

  ''But he is not King. We have had Protectors before.'

  'And never done well out of them. All this change is bad for trade.'

  'I trust we shall see the end of the Days of Humiliation,' a youngish merchant said. 'We cannot afford to close our shops as often as they would have us do.'

  Miles felt a light touch on his arm, and turned to see Mistress Anne Aston simpering up at him.

  'Well, Mr. Talbot, I have seen little of you the last few months,' she whispered, casting a wary glance at her husband.

  He was still deep in the discussion of trading prospects under the Protector's rule, and unaware of his wife's activities.

  'You have not always been here when I have,' Miles countered.

  'No. My husband does not care for too much visiting. He does not realize that I need young company. But I invited you to visit me, and you have not been. I take that ill of you.'

  She pouted, peering up at Miles through her lashes.

  'I have been out of London a great deal,' Miles excused himself.

  'Fie, sir, that is a poor excuse. You are here often enough. I begin to think you do not like me as well as you like Cherry Weston!

  'You have a husband who might object to my visits,' he told her, laughing to himself at her inept approach.

  'I have said, he does not object to my entertaining my friends. But I cannot entertain in the evenings as Cherry does, for he prefers to be alone then.'

  'If you are certain he would not object, I will call, but I have to leave London again soon, and cannot tell how long I shall be absent,' Miles told her, and with this she had to be content, as at that moment her husband declared it was time to leave.

  Cherry had been watching this exchange, and was startled to discover how strongly she was resenting the attentions, innocuous though they seemed, that Miles was paying to Anne Aston. After she had seen her guests out, several of the older ones leaving with the Astons, she found herself sitting beside Miles, with no clear recollection of how she had come to be there.

  They chatted for a few minutes on general matters, and Cherry did her utmost to concentrate on what they were saying. But the effort was too great. She suddenly interrupted Miles.

  'Will you stay behind tonight, Miles?'

  He looked at her steadily for a moment, during which she cursed herself for being so abrupt, and almost panicked that he was about to refuse her. He nodded slightly, however, and continued with what he had been saying, and somehow she recovered her poise,
and was able to smile, and leave him to talk with other guests.

  Miles sat where she had left him, wondering whether he had been wise. He knew the question was academic, for he could no more have said no to such a direct request than he could have flown. Gradually all the other guests departed, and at last they were alone.

  Cherry had half regretted her impulse, but had been unable to prevent herself from uttering the invitation. She determined to avoid all political subjects, and for a time this was possible. But as they lay side by side she asked Miles whether he had yet found an estate.

  'Not yet. I have seen one that might be possible, but I have to visit more. I will be leaving London within a few days.'

  'Oh! How long will you be gone this time?'

  'I cannot tell. If I hear of other properties I will go to see them.'

  'If you become a property owner, you will be able to stand for the new Parliament. You said once you might do that.'

  'I might indeed. Once I have bought my property, I can offer myself to the electors of that county.'

  'Where is it likely to be? You have not said what area you have a preference for.'

  'The midlands or the west, methinks,' he told her. 'But I wonder how like the old Parliament this new one will be?'

  'In what way?'

  'The desire of its members to impose religious ideas on the people.'

  'That will depend on the men elected. It is why men who are not bigoted must be elected!'

  He looked at her quickly, and saw she was ill at ease. He knew she had suddenly realized she had been incautious in expressing such an opinion, if she still thought he might be trying to trap her.

  'I mean some of the men like Faithful, who are so anxious to forward their own ideas that they do not stop to see whether they are acceptable,' she explained hurriedly.

  'Aye. Where was Faithful tonight?'

  'I know not. He does not usually miss these evenings, but he may have decided there would be too much argument if he were here, and been desirous of avoiding that. He means well, even though his manner is disagreeable at times.'

  'I find it more comfortable when he is not here, I confess,' Miles said with a laugh.

  Cherry merely smiled, and hurriedly went on to talk of less dangerous topics.

  Reluctantly, their desire for one another having increased once they had given way to their longing, they parted. Miles promised he would send to tell Cherry when he returned to London, and while she was urging him to do so, she was telling herself that she must restrain her weakness for him, and not put herself into a dangerous situation again. Miles was thinking very similar thoughts as he slipped quietly out of the house, and he did not see the figure in the dark passage opposite.

  As he walked away, keeping close to the wall under the overhanging eaves, this figure moved cautiously after him. Faithful Denham had had an exceedingly long wait, and he was numb with cold, despite his fur-lined cloak that was wrapped tightly about him. He had taken up the position late in the evening, and watched most of the guests leave Cherry's house. He had for some time been suspicious she entertained a lover, and in his fury and frustration over the events of the last week, he hoped he would discover that this lover was one of his erstwhile fellow Members. Then, he had thought gleefully, he would be able to obtain revenge on at least one of the renegades who had ruined his work.

  When the man he expected appeared, he was unable to see in the darkness who it was, for the broad brimmed hat shielded the man's face, and the long cloak disguised his figure. Faithful therefore followed at a distance, but to his intense anger, lost his quarry in the maze of alleys and streets round St Paul's. After a fruitless search he made his way home, but determined he would not be defeated. He shuddered at the thought of spending yet more nights in the freezing cold watching the house, and decided he must employ someone to do this for him. He had briefly considered using his apprentices for the task, but concluded they might be able to use the knowledge they gained against him. Planning to seek the aid of strangers, he went home to bed, and Miles, unaware he had been followed, did the same.