She raised her hand to feel the throb on the back of her head, a dull balance to the sharp pain coursing through the front.
‘Hard enough, Mr Malvern. Hard enough.’
He stood back to allow her into the hut. He had no gun to force her, but she doubted he would let her run away, and nor did she have the strength. Besides, she wanted to hear what he had to say. Needed to, more like.
The hut was simple, a table and stools, a selection of fishing tackle stacked in a corner. A single candle was set on the table, its flame lending the shelter an eerie appearance.
‘Is someone here before us?’ she asked.
He smiled. ‘Will you sit? I think you should need to.’
‘Still refusing to answer my questions, I see. But you are right about needing the stool.’ She collapsed onto the nearest. ‘And yet wrong about so much else.’
‘Why say that?’
‘Setting powder to fire an inn. The murder of innocents. I should say that was wrong, if wrong is sufficient a description.’
‘Here.’ He reached behind him for a hidden tankard, filling it from a pitcher of ale. ‘You must be thirsty.’
She took the beaker and set it on the table.
‘It is not poisoned, Mrs Blakewood. And I am as pained about the inn as you are.’
‘Curious, when it was you who set it. Or perhaps that was Cornelia? Tell me, how did you meet?’
‘In a roundabout fashion. But Cornelia is not the person you think she is. Neither am I.’
Again, the anger pulsed through her mind. She bore the pain, because she had to.
‘Then explain how the innkeeper’s son is lying dead in his father’s yard. Explain how Sir Geoffrey Allcot is pulled from his room, slain. Explain how a knife found its way into Julien Bellecour’s neck.’
He looked away. ‘Julien Bellecour was unfortunate. There is only one person we ever intended to kill. At least at the start.’
‘Then I suggest you begin there. At the start.’
‘I do not know as I can.’ He sighed. ‘But now I fear our long-held plans may be lost. It depends on what happens tonight.’
‘Tonight?’
‘At the fleet.’
‘Where you should be, should you not?’
‘I shall row the boat out soon. If it is to be the last time I serve, then I will take comfort in knowing I did my duty. I hope we may yet succeed in at least one significant part.’
‘You speak in riddles, Mr Malvern. I thought you wished to talk.’
‘I wish I could.’
‘Then let me talk for you. You said Thomas Howe worked for you, but in what? In your role as the King’s spy, or your role aiding the Dutch? Are you Gemini, or is he?’
He took in a long breath. ‘We both are.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘That Gemini is both of us. It makes sense, once you realise.’
‘Both of you?’ She closed her eyes. ‘Of course. The sign of Gemini is that of the twins. Two men, indeed. A jest as part of the deception?’
‘It was Virgo’s idea. Howe and I are not related, but she chose that name as she chose her own. I suppose in a way she bewitched us. We had our ideas, and then she came. I did not know she would take her revenge to such extremes as to destroy the inn.’
‘Wait. That was not part of your plot?’
‘Plot? I suppose you could term it that. But you should know, neither Howe nor I would betray our country to the Dutch.’
‘Then you have a peculiar loyalty, Mr Malvern. Are you a Quaker too?’
‘No. But Thomas’s beliefs are what sustain him.’
‘And Virgo?’
‘Not as such. But you can speak with her yourself. When she arrives I shall return to the fleet and face whatever judgement God might impart.’
He got to his feet and opened the door. A swift breeze rattled in, bearing the whinnying of a horse.
‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I think I see her riding now. She likes that. She says it helps her think.’
‘She could not fit in the boat with us?’
‘She was not on the beach. She had already come across.’
‘Then what of Cornelia?’ She pushed off the table, rising almost to stand.
‘All Cornelia ever wanted was to help her husband. She has no true part in this.’
‘Then why did she go to the stables in Southwark?’
‘How do you know of …?’ Softly, he laughed. ‘I meant what I said on the ship before, when we were on the Royal Charles. You are good at this.’
‘Do not seek to flatter me. Answer my question.’
‘Cornelia went because Thomas asked her to.’ He turned his head. ‘I had to kill Bellecour. There was no choice.’
‘Why not?’
‘I fear because of you. When your man went into the whorehouse, Bellecour realised he was being watched. When you gave me the papers Wildmoor found, I thought a disaster had been averted. But when you had gone, I searched again for Bellecour, fearing what he had seen. But he was waiting in the shadows, observing. There was a … confrontation. I panicked, I suppose. Me. But there was no time to remove the corpse. I had to make it look like a common murder.’
‘And Cornelia?’
‘Thomas made her go back a few days after to find out if anyone had seen. He never told her why, but she did it all the same.’ He shrugged. ‘She loves him, Mrs Blakewood. They argue and they fight, but she loves him, as he loves her.’
By now she could hear the rider reining in her horse. ‘What of tonight? Why did Cornelia lead me to you?’
‘Because you had found her husband out. You told me you suspected he was Gemini. And more, I was wary of what … Virgo had planned. I was waiting as long as I could, and I asked Cornelia to do the same. When the explosion happened, I knew my fears had been realised, and that in time you might deduce it all. I wanted to speak to you first. And so I sought Cornelia’s help.’
‘So she is not Virgo. Then who?’
‘Can you not guess?’
Falling back in her seat, she clutched at her aching head: if anything, the pain was getting worse.
‘I thought she was one of five, but … not Lady Herrick, or Lady Cartwright, for I saw them in the inn after it was fired. Not Lady Allcot, nor Lavinia Whent, because Bellecour’s final message to the Dutch spoke of them as separate. Not Cornelia Howe, because you say not.’
‘Because I say not,’ he repeated. ‘As I said not about another before.’
She rubbed at her forehead, trying to think. Then she jerked up her head and regretted it.
‘God’s truth! It was you, was it not, who gave me the translation of Bellecour’s final note?’
He nodded. ‘It was my role to follow Bellecour and collect whatever notes he left. My role as the King’s spy, that is.’
‘An expedient role, all told. I cannot imagine that was chance.’
‘No doubt. But in the plot, as you term it, things were similar. Virgo gave him a wealth of information, to convince him she was sincere. He left his summaries at the whorehouse, thinking a Dutch spy would come to take them. But instead it was me. I took his notes and burnt them, leaving a shortened account for his true associate, with enough detail so the Dutch would not suspect. You must understand, we never wanted to aid them as much as to use them for ourselves.’
‘But why go through Bellecour at all? Why not simply pass the information straight to the Dutch?’
‘To cover ourselves if ever we were found out. We knew Bellecour had spied for them before. So we used him for our own ends, ensuring he would be the one to take the blame if things went wrong … until he realised the truth.’
‘My God.’ She looked up. ‘Then I know who Virgo is.’
‘I do not doubt it. And now, come to greet her. She is here.’
A figure passed behind him, pausing in the doorway. A woman, familiar, whom she had not seen for some days.
‘Good evening, Mercia,’ she said. ‘It is pleasing to see you again
.’
‘I am not so sure.’ For that instant, all the pain besetting her counted for naught. ‘I am not so sure … Lavinia.’
‘Do you like my new rooms?’ Lavinia Whent walked into the hut, dropping onto a stool as she set the gun she was carrying at her feet. ‘I found this shelter unused. It is not quite the palace, but it provides a dry place to hide – and now to talk. Did you really not guess until now?’
‘Your deception fooled me,’ Mercia replied. ‘Or Mr Malvern’s did. For a moment, at the house in Harwich, when he showed me the door to the cellar, I thought he might be involved. I should have listened to my instinct.’
‘But me?’ Lavinia was looking on with interest. In contrast to the fine attire she always wore at the palace, her outfit tonight was simple and black. ‘You never guessed about me?’
‘Thanks to Mr Malvern’s ruse. You have a good ally, Miss Whent.’
‘I told you before to call me Lavinia.’
‘I am not certain I can. It was you who set the explosion at the inn?’
She remained silent.
‘Answer her, Lavinia,’ said Malvern. ‘I should like to know more of what happened myself.’
‘I told you I would do it,’ she said, looking away. ‘Why so surprised?’
‘Because we ordered you not to. We hoped you would have learnt the sense to behave.’
Lavinia laughed. ‘See how he speaks to me, Mercia, as if I am not a woman, but a thing to coerce. Giles, why do you think I joined you in the first place? I told you I would get what I wanted, as you will get what you want later tonight.’
‘If you have not ruined the whole business.’
‘Giles. And here I was thinking you cared.’
‘I do care.’ His eyes quivered. ‘You know I do.’
Mercia looked from the one to the other, at the unspoken messages passing between them. ‘Do not tell me you two are together?’
‘Scarcely,’ said Lavinia. ‘We have shared a bed, that is all.’ She rested an elbow on the table, her long fingers dangling down. ‘Poor Giles thinks it should be more than that. But he is married and so … that is that.’
Mercia looked at him. ‘I did not know you were married. All that talk in the eating house … that was a pretence also.’
He managed a smile. ‘It was no pretence to call you beautiful.’
‘You called her that?’ said Lavinia. ‘Well, you are right, she is. I hope I look the same when I reach her age.’
‘I am scarce ten years older, nothing more. But you will not reach it if you have killed those innocents tonight.’
‘Innocent?’ She narrowed her eyes. ‘What is innocence?’
‘Lavinia.’ Malvern came round to her. ‘I must return to the fleet. Already I have spent too long away. You will have to keep Mrs Blakewood company until all is over.’
‘And then?’ she said.
‘We will see. It may not matter that she knows.’
‘I agree, but … she is the only one who knows of my part. The only one who knows of yours.’
‘Of our part, yes. The conspiracy could have held, but … damn it, Lavinia! Why did you have to fire that inn?’
‘I did not. Not directly. Something must have happened when those men were storing the barrels in the cellar. I was not even there when the explosion occurred.’
‘A nice distinction,’ said Mercia. ‘Which men?’
‘There were two of them, I think. They took some powder that had been left for them on the shore. A lot of money, besides. I think because their master was always demeaning them. Still, their incompetence sealed their fate.’
Malvern stared. ‘They could only have gotten that powder from Thomas. He assisted you in this?’
Lavinia glanced at Mercia. ‘Then she knows about …?’
‘About Thomas, yes.’
‘Oh. Then yes, he left the powder.’
‘But he said he would not! Hell’s teeth, why?’
‘Because he agreed with me, Giles. Because he was fed up with you … giving him orders.’
He set his face. ‘If ordering is striving to keep the plan intact, then yes, I ordered.’
‘Giles, you worry too much.’ She shooed him away with a flap of her wrist. ‘And you will be late back to the fleet. I will oversee matters here.’
‘Will you?’
‘Yes. And Giles. Do not fret. All will be well.’
He took a long look at her and sighed. Then he reached his lips towards her cheek, but she shook her head. Pulling back, he smiled sadly at Mercia and left without further word.
‘Finally,’ said Lavinia. ‘Why do men think they must be needed?’
‘That depends on the man,’ Mercia replied. ‘It seems Mr Malvern is needed by you.’
‘He will get what he wants. Thomas will ensure it.’
‘He means to kill the Duke of York?’
‘Very good, Mercia.’ Her animated face appeared pleased. ‘So you know.’
‘Some of it. I do not know why.’
‘You seem quite calm about it.’
Renewed pain throbbed through her head, but she was battling to hide it. ‘Lavinia, there is nothing I can do. I must leave preventing that to others.’
‘Like your man?’ She laughed. ‘Rest assured, Mercia, no one is in danger of Thomas save the Duke. And even he need do nothing if the Dutch play their part. Either way, the Duke will not return from the battle alive.’
‘The Dutch play their part?’
‘Virgo – that is, I, have told them precisely how the fleet will assemble. Which ship will line up next to which, and on which the Duke will serve. Where he will stand on deck as the Dutch cannonball flies across to strike him dead.’
‘That is your plan?’ scoffed Mercia. ‘How can they know where on deck he will be? They have some special telescope?’
‘He will be encouraged to stand in a certain, exposed place. His pride will compel him.’ She stood and mocked a salute. ‘All hail glorious James, splendid Admiral of the fleet!’ She smiled. ‘He will wear the sash he is given, because he trusts the man who will give it, the gleaming, new sword, and when the Dutch are in place, they will recognise his vain decorations, they will aim and they will strike.’ She jiggled her head. ‘Of course, the Dutch think we mean to help them win the battle. Whereas all Giles wants is to eliminate the Duke, by making his death appear an accident of war.’
‘Meaning no one in your group need be blamed.’ She found herself nodding. ‘Most ingenious, if it works.’
‘And if it does not, your man Wildmoor will turn his gun on the Duke before he is gunned down himself. I hope it does not come to that, but … he has been prepared.’
‘What?’ Mercia leapt to her feet, and a horse seemed to ride through her head. ‘Nicholas will not do that.’
‘That depends how loyal he is to you. I should say just about now Thomas is letting him know you are captured and threatened with death if he does not comply.’
‘Captured?’ She looked at the door. ‘I could walk outside now and take your horse.’
‘I do not think so.’ She took a swig of the ale Mercia had refused. ‘There is a man on the beach. If you leave, he will shoot.’
‘I am supposed to believe that?’
‘Try it, if you wish. I should rather you live, but I can hardly prevent you from seeking your own death.’
Mercia opened the door and looked out. She could no longer see as far as the bay, let alone the town opposite. It was possible a shooter could be lying in wait.
‘It matters not,’ she said. ‘Nicholas would never kill the Duke, not even for me.’
‘I think he would. He most certainly would for his daughter.’
‘No! You have not taken …?’
‘Of course not. But he only knows what he has been told.’
‘Let us both hope that is true.’
She shrugged. ‘Thomas said he saw you on the ship together. He listened at the door when you were talking. He took your boat to row t
o Giles to get him to go over and … restrain your enthusiasm, shall we say. He says he told him to lock you away, but he obviously did not. Giles is, above all, a man of deep honour. A strength – and a weakness.’
‘Then you must know I was accompanied by Henry Raff. What happened to him?’
‘I would not be concerned for that preening jackanapes, Mercia. He is often in the Duke’s displeasure for the way he behaves, not to mention he has certain secrets he would rather remain unknown. All Thomas had to do was suggest the Duke might not take kindly to his presence, and that his means off the ship was about to be taken away.’
‘But he is safe?’
‘On his ship, I should wager. He has no idea about any of us.’ She got to her feet, rubbing her arms to ward off the descending chill. ‘You may not think so, but this is a noble endeavour. We want to free the country from the tyranny of the Duke. If aught happens to the King, he inherits the throne. We want to prevent that.’
‘Mr Malvern has said something similar. Why?’
‘For Giles and Thomas, it is because they are convinced the country will prosper without the threat of his rule.’ She inclined her head. ‘Who is next in line, after?’
‘His son, the Duke of Cambridge, who …’ She nodded, ignoring the flash of pain. ‘I see. The baby in whose nursery your own duties fall.’
‘They believe that, over time, the young Duke can be raised to be the King his father could never be.’ She shook her head. ‘Can you imagine England under the Duke of York? A land that countenances despotism, Catholicism … the abhorrence of the trade in slaves. If his son were to take in any of his father’s bigotry, nothing will change for a generation. But if the child is raised a true Protestant, a believer in the rights of men to live free, then England will thrive.’ She smiled. ‘That is their argument. Kill the Duke and save the nation.’
‘And the current King?’
‘Giles is too innocent, but the King profits from the foulness of slavery in the same way his brother does. Only a child untainted by such horrors can end it when he accedes. And so yes, I intended to blow up the King. I intended to blow up the whole vile council. If I did not kill the King, it seems I killed Sir Geoffrey Allcot, the worst of that foul breed. There, at least, I have my revenge.’
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