by D. K. Wilson
Inside the grounds we again split into two groups cautiously approaching the buildings from different directions. A three-quarter moon came to our assistance. I felt excited and fearful. I was not afraid of another confrontation with Black Harry’s men. The anxiety that gnawed at me was that we would find nothing; that there would be neither gang members nor hostages in this house; that the whole expedition would prove to have been a waste of time and effort; that I would be no nearer the conclusion of the wretched business by this night’s end than I had been at its beginning.
My two companions and I approached from the south side, cleared the undergrowth and reached the edge of a lawn badly in need of scything. The black bulk of the house reared before us, with not a lighted window to be seen. As we moved further round there was still no sign of life.
‘The place is deserted,’ Walt said, when we eventually met up again. ‘We’ve missed the slippery hacksters.’
‘There’s only one way to make sure. We’ll go to the stable yard. If they’ve taken the horses, you’ll be right. Either they’ll have fled or they haven’t got back yet.’
Quietly we moved to the rear of the house. The gate to the yard stood open. As we entered, no animal noises greeted us and when we looked in the stables, every stall was empty.
I sat on the edge of the water trough. ‘God’s body, what a wasted day we’ve had. The hostages aren’t here.’
‘Like enough he’s killed them,’ someone muttered. ‘God grant I get my hand on the murderous villain.’
‘Don’t let’s be too sure,’ Walt said. ‘He boasted that he’d still got them. I reckon he’ll keep them as long as they can be any use to him.’
‘Pray God you’re right,’ I said. But I remembered Ned’s analysis of the kind of man we were up against – a man who took a positive delight in causing suffering and pain; the sort of unnatural creature who would look on with fiendish pleasure while his men hacked defenceless children to pieces. ‘He’ll be angry because we made a fool of him in London. He might vent his spite on the hostages.’
The others stood around in a semicircle, waiting for me to make a decision. ‘Well,’ I said, standing up, ‘there’s nothing we can do here. Let’s go back to Tilbury and wait for the men Cranmer and Moyle are sending. Perhaps we can organise a wider search tomorrow.’ They turned, dejected, towards the gate, knowing, as I did, that the suggestion was born of despair, rather than hope.
‘Wait!’ Walt spun round.
‘What is it?’ I whispered, my hand going to the dagger at my belt.
‘I heard something.’
We all strained our ears, alert now to a possible trap.
‘Over there,’ Walt said softly, pointing to the door of the hay barn.
I motioned everyone to form a line and we moved forward, clutching whatever weapons we had. Now, I could hear the sound also – a shuffling and bumping, It was probably an animal but I was not prepared to take any chances. When the others were in place, I reached out a hand and drew back the bolt. Instantly the large door crashed open and the sharp end of a hay fork passed within inches of my stomach. I grabbed the haft and tugged. My assailant slithered and tumbled out, screaming like a pig about to be slaughtered, and fell at my feet.
My first thought was that some inmate from Bedlam had escaped and taken refuge in this lonely place. The creature was scantily clad in grimy, blood-daubed clothes. Its hair was long and tangled. Its face in the moonlight was pale and its eyes gleamed like those of a cornered animal.
It looked up, ready, as I thought, to spring at me. Then it spoke. ‘Master Treviot? Is it you?’
‘Adie!’ I gasped in relieved yet horrified recognition and helped the young woman to her feet.
‘Praise God! Oh, praise God!’ She fell into my arms, sobbing. But abruptly she stood away. ‘What am I thinking. The boys! Find the boys. They’re at the back.’
Two of my men rushed into the barn. Moments later they reappeared, each carrying one of Holbein’s sons, tied with thick cord. Walt took his knife and severed the bonds.
I stepped across and knelt beside them as they were set on their feet.‘Are you all right?’
Carl stretched his limbs and stood up straight. ‘Henry was a bit frightened,’ he said. ‘But I said you would find us.’ He looked straight into my eyes. ‘It took you a long time.’
At that point my relief and the lad’s bravery got the better of me. I hugged the two boys to me and wept.
‘Best be moving, Master,’ Walt said. ‘The sooner we put some country miles between us and this place, the better.’
‘You’re right. Get a couple of the others to carry the boys. I’ll help Adie.’
She was sitting on the horse trough, dipping her sleeve in the water and wiping her face. I took out a kerchief and soaked it. ‘Let me help.’ I gently bathed her brow. ‘Adie, I’m so sorry about this.’
She managed a slight smile. ‘All’s well, now, Master. I told the boys you’d come for us – and here you are.’
Once more I was on the verge of tears. ‘Are you badly hurt? We must get away. The hellhounds may be on their way here. Do you know anything of their plans?’
‘They went away to London a couple of days ago. They said they wouldn’t be back soon.’
‘That’s good,’ I said. I thought, Our skirmish might have made them change their minds.
I helped Adie to her feet and half-carried her across the long grass. It took three of us to get her and the boys over the wall. As soon as I was mounted Adie was handed up and I settled her astride before me. When Carl and Henry were similarly seated we set off. The journey was slow, uncomfortable and was made worse by a thick river mist rolling in over the marshes and obscuring the moon. At . least there was no one else on the road and for that I was thankful.
Then, when we were not far from the ferry, we heard the clopping and jingling of a group of horsemen coming towards us. My immediate thought was that this must be Black Harry returning to his lair. I softly called urgent orders to the others. I steered my horse off the road into the cover of the mist. Walt and John, who were carrying the boys, followed.
As the other travellers drew level a gruff, authoritative voice called out, ‘Who’s that? Show yourselves!’
I recognised the speaker and urged my mount forward. Sir Thomas Moyle, well-wrapped in furs, peered at me. ‘Treviot? That you? What’s going on? I got your note and came straight away. I thought I’d better come in person. What’s all this about someone called Black Harry?’
‘Sir Thomas, I’m much relieved to see you.’ I explained, in as few words as I could, the day’s events. ‘And now,’ I concluded, ‘we must get this poor woman and the children somewhere dry and warm. They’re exhausted.’
Moyle grunted. ‘You’ll find nothing of that sort this side of the river. This is a God-forsaken country. There’s reasonable lodging to be had in Gravesend. We must get you there.’
He ordered his men to turn round and we all rode back to the ferry jetty. If Moyle had not been with us that is probably where we would have had to spend the night. The ferrymen would have refused the four crossings necessary to convey us all to the Kent side. But Moyle’s bluff authority and, doubtless, his gold overcame their reluctance. By midnight we were lodged in a moderately comfortable Gravesend inn and even provided with food. Moyle sent most of his attendants home but also spent the night at the inn. ‘I want to get to the bottom of this business,’ he said.
But we both had to wait until the following morning to hear Adie’s harrowing story.
Chapter 11
Sir Thomas had procured a private room for us to break our fast and there, the following morning, while we were waiting for Adie to join us, I gave a full account of the last few days’ events.
‘If what you tell me about this Black Harry is true, the sooner we have him kicking his heels in air, the better,’ Moyle said.
‘We shall hear from Adie the sort of rogue he is and why he is a danger to the realm.’
‘She tells me it is short for “Adriana”.’
‘Adriana who?’
‘Imray – a foreign name. I know nothing about her family.’
‘So what is she exactly?’
‘A nurse employed to look after Master Holbein’s children.’
Moyle frowned and grunted.
‘Is that a problem?’
‘I was just imagining her giving evidence before a court. You tell me this Black Harry has friends – important friends – in the county. If they were to speak up on his behalf, I wonder whether a jury would believe them or a hysterical serving wench.’
I winced at his description of Adie but said, ‘Do you mean we need the evidence of more “respectable” people if we are to bring this gang to justice?’
‘What I mean, young Treviot, is that we have a long way to go yet before we can be sure of putting a stop to their activities. You tell me that they work for some highly placed patrons.’
‘So Archbishop Cranmer believes.’
‘Has he named these influential supporters?’
‘He believes that Black Harry is in Bishop Gardiner’s pay. I’ve heard also that Dr London, Canon of Windsor, may be a link in the chain that connects to the gang.’
‘If his grace’s suspicions are well founded, you see what we are up against. I, too, am often at the royal court. I am proud to have enjoyed the support and confidence of Lord Cromwell. I saw at close quarters what happened to him; the subtle schemes of unscrupulous enemies who gained his majesty’s ear just long enough to pour in poisonous lies.’
‘Are you saying, Sir Thomas, that we should not do all in our power to bring these murderers to justice?’
Moyle looked genuinely shocked. ‘By no means, Master Treviot! No, I take your word for it that they are the kind of knaves the kingdom must be rid of. I simply counsel caution. In this matter we could find ourselves walking on political ground, and that is something that is forever shifting. If only we had evidence connecting Black Harry with his protectors – something more substantial than mere suspicion
‘I gather that is exactly the kind of evidence Master Holbein had gathered for the archbishop.’
‘You said in your report to his grace and me that this painter fellow had disappeared.’
‘Yes, he’s probably overseas by now.’
‘A pity.’
At that moment Adie came into the room. She had tidied herself as best she could and, with hair combed and face washed, she looked more like the young woman I knew, but her torn, grimy clothes were still evidence of her ordeal. She curtsied to Sir Thomas and stood mute with downcast eyes, her hands clasped in front of her.
‘Now, young ... er ... Adie,’ Moyle said. ‘We know you’ve had an unpleasant few days but we need to discover all we can about these men who abducted you. You must tell us everything you know. First of all, what is your name?’
‘Adriana Imray, Sir.’ She spoke quietly but seemed in control of her feelings.
‘And what is your father’s trade?’
‘He’s dead, Sir, and my mother.’
Ah, hmm. No other relatives?’
‘My brother Ignatius is falconer to Lord Graves, Sir.’
‘Really?’ Moyle looked impressed. ‘I’ve met his lordship through my work in the Court of Augmentations.’
I smiled inwardly. Augmentations was the royal body that handled the sale of ex-monastic property. Moyle was Chancellor of Augmentations and, as such, much courted by ambitious landowners, of whom Lord Graves was probably one. I leaned forward and whispered something to Sir Thomas.
‘What?’ he spluttered. ‘Oh, very well.’ He returned his attention to Adie. ‘You may sit,’ he said. ‘There’s a bench over there.’
After another curtsy, Adie took her seat by the door.
‘Now then,’ Moyle continued, ‘Master Treviot and I have been put to much trouble rescuing you and your charges from this brigand who calls himself Black Harry. You must tell us about him.’
‘Yes, Sir.’
‘Well, go on, then. We’re listening.’
Adie explained how she and the children had been dragged from their beds in the night.
‘They gagged the bearns to stop them screaming and one of them held a knife to my throat. He said if I caused any trouble they would kill us all. They put us on their horses and rode fast with us until it was full light. We came to a big house and they took us to a small, empty room. We stayed there all that day.’ She spoke with eyes downcast, holding her feelings in check. Her composure was extraordinary.
‘Do you know whose house it was?’ I asked.
‘No, Master Thomas, but I did see him ... in the hall, just as we were leaving. I don’t think he was pleased that I saw him.’
‘You’d recognise him again?’
‘Oh, yes, Master Thomas.’
‘What happened next?’ Moyle demanded.
‘They put me and the boys in a covered wagon, bound hand and foot. We jolted and banged about most of the night.’
‘You’ve no idea what route you took?’
‘No, Sir. Most of the time I was trying to calm the boys. At last we came to another big house and the men threw us into a barn for the whole day.’
‘It seems Black Harry has several wealthy supporters – willing accomplices in his crimes,’ I said.
Moyle grunted. ‘Go on, girl, what happened then?’
‘Next evening we crossed by the ferry and ended up in the place where you found us, Master Thomas. I was never more glad to see anyone.’
I laughed, wanting to lighten the atmosphere. ‘You very nearly skewered me with that pitchfork, Adie.’
‘I’m right sorry for that, Master. I thought you were—’
‘Yes, yes,’ Moyle interrupted. ‘So you arrived in that Essex place, when? Must have been Tuesday, three days ago?’
‘I suppose so, Sir. It seemed a lot longer.’
‘How did they treat you?’ Moyle asked.
Adie looked away. She raised a kerchief to her eyes. ‘I’d rather not say what they did to me, Sir. You’re a respectable gentleman but I expect you can imagine—’
I interrupted. ‘Do we need to press her on that matter, Sir Thomas?’
He ignored me. ‘And they all used you thus?’
Adie nodded, biting her lip to hold back the tears. ‘Most of them. They said they’d do things to the children if I didn’t ... I was more concerned for the bearns.’ This time she failed to stern the tears. ‘The poor dearlings!’ she muttered between sobs.
Sir Thomas pressed on regardless. ‘Now, then, girl, all the time you were with them did you hear anything of their plans?’
‘Do you think we might take a break, Sir Thomas?’ I asked. ‘Mistress Imray is obviously distressed.’
He scowled. ‘I don’t have all day, Master Treviot. If we’re to track down these criminals we need information and we need it now.’
‘’Tis all right, Master. I can answer your questions. We didn’t see much of our captors because we were locked in a room by ourselves.’
‘Are you saying these monsters never talked to you, even when they were ... using ... you?’
‘Oh, they talked to me, or, rather, they tried to make me talk. They wanted me to tell them where Master Holbein was. They beat the boys in front of me. They said they would go on beating them till, I told them what they wanted. Only I couldn’t because I didn’t know. I couldn’t tell them, not even to save the children. I couldn’t ... I couldn’t ... I couldn’t.’ She began sobbing again.
‘God in heaven, Sir Thomas, what sort of monsters are we dealing with here? What drives them to such evil?’ My mind went back to Marbeck’s story.
I went over and laid a hand on Adie’s shoulder. ‘You did all you could to spare the boys’ sufferings. Of that we’re sure. I swear to you that these villains will pay ten times over for everything they’ve done to you and the
children.’ Trembling rage swept over me. ‘Jesus, Mary and all the saints, I will make them pay, whatever it costs.’
Adie recovered a little. It was between sniffs that she continued her story. ‘They came to our room very early on Wednesday – before dawn. They’d come to fetch Annie. I asked what they were going to do to her. Black Harry just laughed. “We’re going to do something terrible to her,” he said. “We’ll leave you to imagine what.” Then he stood by the doorway talking to one of his men ... well, arguing, really and I listened as hard as I could. Black Harry said they were meeting Master Treviot in London and he hoped you’d managed to find Master Holbein ... He really is desperate to find my master. He said, “We’ll take the girl just to put extra pressure on him.” The other man said, “What about the woman and the boys?” and Black Harry replied, “We’ll kill them before we go.” That’s what the argument was about. The other man didn’t want to do it and Black Harry got very angry with him. In the end, he said, “Since they mean so much to you we won’t cut their throats. We’ll tie them up and leave them here. That way they’ll starve to death slowly instead of having a quick end. No one will find them here.’”
‘They weren’t planning to return, then?’ Sir Thomas asked.
‘No, I’m sure of it. They tied us up, threw us in the barn and left us. I spent two days stmggling to get free.’ She held out her hands to show us the bruises and deep rope burns. ‘I worked at it on and off till I felt my strength failing. Then I rested and started again. I only succeeded by gnawing through the cords. I’d just got free and started to untie the boys when I heard voices outside. I thought the gang had come back after all. I was terrified. I couldn’t believe it when I saw Master Treviot.’