‘So you shall, in the fullness of time. Let me talk to him first.’
‘Marry,’ said Cleaton, ‘that’s the eftest way. I’ll furnish you with addresses. If such heinous crimes did take place inside Bridewell, then they must be exposed or others will be at the mercy of those two men.’
Elias put a hand on his dagger. ‘I’d like to have the pair of them at my mercy!’ he said. ‘By the time that I’m done with him, Ralph Olgrave will never be able to force himself on a woman again.’
‘Take the law into your own hands like that,’ warned Nicholas, ‘and you’ll end up in prison. Leave these men to me, Owen. I’ll move more stealthily. And as we’ve learnt this afternoon from Master Cleaton,’ he continued, smiling at their host, ‘people are more at ease in their own houses. They can be taken unawares.’
Doctor Zander stood over him as he drank the medicine. Edmund Hoode shuddered.
‘It tastes foul,’ he said, pulling a face. ‘Can you not sweeten it in some way?’
‘That would reduce its potency, Master Hoode. If you would recover, you must endure the bitter taste. Eat a slice of apple when I’ve gone and that will please your palate a little more.’ He studied the patient, who was now back in bed again. ‘You seem much better today.’
‘This morning, I was able to get up and walk around. I even dressed myself for the first time. Lawrence noticed the difference in me at once.’
‘Lawrence?’
‘Lawrence Firethorn, the actor.’
‘Ah, yes,’ said the doctor. ‘Master Grammaticus has mentioned the name to me. He reveres the fellow. But, then,’ he added, ‘he idolises you as well, Master Hoode.’
‘How can anyone idolise a man in my condition?’
‘You’ll get well in time if you do not tax your strength.’
‘I cannot stay in bed all day, Doctor Zander.’
‘Oh, I agree. A little exercise is important. What worries me, however,’ said Zander, scratching an itch somewhere on his thigh, ‘is that you are too popular. You have too many friends who feel the need to call.’
‘They wish to know how I am.’
‘Then let your landlady tell them. Visitors tire you because you make such an effort while they are here. Ask them to come less often and your health will improve.’
‘But I like to see them,’ protested Hoode. ‘If I’m left alone, I have to fight off boredom. My friends bring me such cheer, doctor.’
‘And rightly so. All that I advise is moderation.’
‘I’d not be able to stop Lawrence coming here, if I tried. The same goes for Owen Elias and Nick Bracewell. They visit me every day.’
Zander made a dismissive gesture. ‘I’ll say no more. If you would let them prolong your illness, be it on your own head. Do not blame me for a tardy recovery.’ He picked up his satchel. ‘I’ll away, Master Hoode.’
‘When will you call again?’
‘In two or three days’ time. I look to find you much improved.’
‘You will, you will,’ said Hoode. He raised a hand. ‘Before you go, doctor, there is a matter I must discuss. It has bothered me from the start.’
‘Oh? And what is that?’
‘You never ask me for payment.’
‘Master Grammaticus takes care of all the bills.’
‘But it’s wrong for him to do so. I put too much strain on his purse.’
‘He hates to see you in such a state,’ explained Zander, ‘and will pay anything to find a cure. Do not worry about his purse, Master Hoode. He is never short of money and he tells me he has sold a new play.’
‘Yes,’ said Hoode with a grin. ‘The Siege of Troy. I hear wondrous reports of it. Michael has come of age as an author.’ The grin faded. ‘But I would not have him bear the cost of my doctoring. Send the next bill to me.’
‘It has already been paid by Master Grammaticus.’
‘He takes too much upon himself.’
‘No, Master Hoode,’ said Zander, moving to the door. ‘He loves you for what you did to inspire him. No price can be set on that. Try as you may, you will not pay a penny for any treatment that I give you. I am contracted to work for Master Grammaticus alone in this matter.’ He opened the door. ‘Get some sleep, sir. Farewell.’
When he called in at the Queen’s Head late that afternoon, Nicholas was just in time to intercept Lawrence Firethorn. The actor was about to mount his horse in the yard. When he saw the book holder, he removed his foot from the stirrup.
‘Nick, dear heart!’ he boomed. ‘You come upon your cue.’
‘I hoped to catch you here.’
‘And I was equally hopeful of being caught. I’ve good news for you. Edmund is starting to rally at last. He’ll soon be chasing the landlady’s daughter around his room.’
‘I rejoice at these tidings,’ said Nicholas. ‘I’ve been too busy to call on him so far but mean to go there now. He’s well, you say?’
‘Well enough to walk around the room. Best of all,’ said Firethorn, happily, ‘that clouded mind of his begins to clear at last. He even talked of working on A Way to Content All Women.’
‘His new comedy? Then he is truly recovered.’
‘Not enough to complete it himself, alas. He needs help from a co-author.’
‘Whom did he suggest?’
‘That’s the rub. It was Michael Grammaticus.’
Nicholas was amazed. ‘But comedy requires lightness of touch,’ he said, ‘and Michael does not have that. At least, I’ve seen no evidence of it. There are scenes in his tragedies that have a comical edge to them, but they have nothing of Edmund’s deftness. What made him name Michael as his co-author?’
‘I had the feeling that the idea came from our new playwright himself.’
‘He’s certainly eager to please.’
‘But will he please an audience?’ asked Firethorn. ‘If three mirthful acts by Edmund Hoode are followed by two solemn dirges by Michael Grammaticus, we’ll content nobody, let alone the women in the title. The notion appals me.’
‘Yet the offer would not have been made without due thought. Michael must believe that he can catch Edmund’s voice, or he’d not put himself forward. There’s an easy solution here,’ said Nicholas. ‘Let him read what there is of the play and write two or three new scenes for us. We’ll soon know if he has a comic gift.’
‘Set it in motion, Nick. Though I still think his ambition outruns his talent.’
‘He deserves the chance to prove us both wrong.’ He glanced at the inn. ‘Did you manage to speak to Master Lavery? I know that it was in your mind to do so.’
‘Yes,’ said Firethorn, ‘I bearded him in his den. What a peculiar fellow he is! Have you ever known a card player who reads the Bible on a Sunday? That’s what he was doing when I called upon him. He looked more like a saint than a sinner.’
‘What did you say to him?’
‘What I planned to do, Nick. I told him that he was distracting our fellows and causing a deal of misery. His answer was that they came to his table of their own accord, and that he had no power to stop them.’
‘He said as much to me.’
‘Did you know that James Ingram won a lot of money last night?’ Nicholas shook his head. ‘It convinced me that the man was no rogue. Philomen Lavery can lose as easily as he can win, it appears.’
‘He’s no real threat to us,’ said Nicholas. ‘He’ll be quitting the city later this week so he’ll not be able to inflict much more harm.’
‘That’s why I drew back from condemning him too harshly.’
‘We’ll soon forget all about him.’
Firethorn was wistful. ‘Yes, I suppose that we will.’ His mind wandered for a moment, then he became aware of Nicholas again. ‘But why were you so anxious to catch me today?’
‘To ask a favour of you.’
‘You know that I would never refuse you.’
‘This is a big favour,’ said Nicholas. ‘I may need to absent myself for a while.’
‘But how can you do that when we rely on you so much?’
‘Hear me out. We do not play here tomorrow, and on Tuesday we present Love and Fortune. George Dart can hold the book for that with his eyes closed.’
‘George does everything with his eyes closed,’ growled Firethorn. ‘That’s why he keeps bumping into things and breaking them. But why do you need to leave us, Nick? You must have a reason.’
‘A pressing one. In brief, I must help to solve a murder.’
He gave Firethorn a concise account of what had happened and explained how he and Elias had become involved. The actor showed some compassion but he was not persuaded that his book holder should be spared to take part in an investigation.
‘This is not your quarrel, Nick,’ he argued. ‘Keep out of it. Westfield’s Men must come first. Let officers of the law look into these matters.’
‘They would not bother to do so. Who cares about the death of a vagrant? Whether from disease, starvation or violent assault, beggars like Hywel Rees end up in the morgue all the time. Murder a wealthy man,’ said Nicholas, ‘and a hue and cry is set up. Kill a poor one and he vanishes into oblivion.’
‘My fear is that you and Owen will vanish into oblivion.’
‘You lose me alone. Owen will be here to play in Love and Fortune.’
‘But Edmund will not,’ said Firethorn. ‘That means we shall have to rehearse someone else in his part. I want you there to do that, Nicholas.’
‘A moment ago, you said you’d grant me any favour.’
‘To my dear friend, I’d grant as many favours as he sought. But I’ve no obligation to a street girl who was arrested for begging. This favour is for Dorothea Tate, let’s be clear about that.’
‘Are you not moved by her plight?’
‘Why, yes,’ said Firethorn, defensively. ‘I’m moved by the plight of any vagrant. I often toss them a coin as I pass them by. That’s Christian charity. But I’d not turn my back on the company in order to help one of them arraign a man for stealing her virginity. The wonder is that she kept it so long.’
Nicholas was annoyed. ‘Can you treat murder and rape so lightly?’
‘No, Nick. Both are dreadful crimes. Those that commit them should be punished. But I still do not see that you should take it upon yourself to find the malefactors. To put it more plainly,’ he said, ‘why do you bother?’
‘Because I gave my word.’
‘And is that more important than your duty to Westfield’s Men?’
‘Yes,’ said Nicholas, firmly. ‘It is.’
Dorothea Tate had been so shocked to hear of the murder of Hywel Rees that she had been unable to speak for a long time. Sobbing quietly, she rocked to and fro on her seat as she contemplated a future without her dearest friend. Anne Hendrik sat beside her with a consoling arm around the girl’s shoulders. Sharing her sorrow, she tried to offer words of comfort but Dorothea did not even hear them. She was consumed by her grief. At length, the girl sat up and made an effort to pull herself together. She used a hand to brush away the tears that had coursed down her face.
‘I want to see him,’ she announced. ‘I want to see Hywel.’
‘No, Dorothea.’
‘It may not be him. Nicholas said that he could not be certain.’
‘He and Owen were as certain as they could be.’
‘But they might have made a mistake.’
‘For your sake,’ said Anne, ‘I hope that they did. In that case, Hywel is still alive and he’ll come looking for you. But you must prepare yourself for the worst.’
‘That’s what I’ve been doing.’ She straightened her back. ‘I’m ready for anything now, Anne. I want to visit the morgue. I want to see his face.’
‘You heard what Nicholas said. He’d been in the water for days. That distorts the body horribly and changes the face.’
‘I’d know him anywhere.’
‘Spare yourself the horror.’
‘It’s my right,’ insisted Dorothea. ‘Hywel was my friend.’
‘Then ask yourself this. Would he have wanted you to see him in that condition?’
The question made her pause. Doubts began to form in her mind. The girl brought a hand to her mouth as she searched for an answer. It was minutes before she turned back to Anne. There was a pleading note in her voice.
‘I have to know the truth.’
‘I fear that you already do,’ said Anne, gently.
‘What if it is not Hywel?’
‘How many young men have that scar on the nose that Nicholas described? He recognised it at once. We know that Hywel was discharged from Bridewell. There’s a record of that. Where did he go?’
‘If only I knew!’ exclaimed Dorothea.
‘From what you’ve told me about him, Hywel was loyal and loving.’
‘He was like a brother that I never had.’
‘Then he would never dream of leaving you,’ said Anne. ‘However long it took, he would have waited until you were let out as well. Is that not so?’
‘Yes. He swore he’d look after me.’
‘Only one thing would stop him from doing that, Dorothea.’
The girl stared unseeingly ahead of her as she tried to fend off the truth of what she had just heard. She clung to the hope that Hywel might still be alive but her grasp was slowly weakening. In the end, after a long interval, her body sagged as she accepted the fact that her friend must be dead. She turned to Anne.
‘I think that I’m ready to sleep now,’ she murmured.
Edmund Hoode was also ready to sleep but the arrival of Nicholas Bracewell helped him to shake off his drowsiness at once. He sat up in the bed with a smile of relief.
‘I feared that you’d forgotten me today.’
‘I could never do that,’ said Nicholas, lowering himself on to a chair beside the bed. ‘I remembered you in my prayers at church and I came as soon as I could.’
‘You must have had a busy day, then.’
‘It has kept me occupied, Edmund.’
Nicholas gave no details. Hoode was a sick man who should not be burdened with additional anxieties. If he told his friend about the investigation on which he had embarked, Nicholas knew that the softhearted playwright would worry incessantly about what became of Dorothea Tate. He was not strong enough to cope with such tidings.
‘Lawrence tells me that you were up and about this morning,’ said Nicholas.
‘Yes, Nick. I felt better than I had for a week or more.’
‘And now?’
‘I was fading badly when you came,’ said Hoode. ‘Doctor Zander warned me that the disease would ebb and flow like the sea.’ He laughed grimly. ‘Perhaps that is why I feel seasick most of the time.’
‘I think the time may have come to seek another opinion on your health.’
‘But that’s already been done. Doctor Rime examined me and was able to identify the malady. Two doctors are in agreement here, Nick. How many more do we need?’
‘Did either of them tell you how you first caught the disease?’
‘That remains a mystery, though Doctor Rime felt that it must have been caused by something that I ate. The poison got into my blood.’ His gaze switched to the papers on his table. ‘Did Lawrence talk to you about A Way to Content All Women?’
‘Yes,’ said Nicholas. ‘He mentioned that you might consider a co-author.’
‘Not willingly, I admit. I have my pride and would not easily share the credit for a play of mine with someone else. But these are unusual times,’ he went on. ‘Illness keeps me from lifting my pen and I know how much a new comedy is needed. That being the case, I listened to Michael’s offer.’
‘The notion came from him, then?’
‘Oh, yes. I’d not have thought of him at first. Other playwrights are much more well versed in the rules of comedy than Michael. But he was so persuasive, Nick. He said it would be an honour to work with me.’ Hoode chuckled quietly. ‘How the fellow has changed! When he first came to us, Michael Grammat
icus was so shy that he could not even look us in the eye.’
‘Success has emboldened him, Edmund.’
‘I’ve half a mind to accept his offer.’
‘Hear my device first,’ suggested Nicholas. ‘Lawrence has given it his blessing so it needs only your approval. Before we engage Michael to finish the play, let him see what you have already written before adding a couple of new scenes to show us what he can do. That way, we do not commit ourselves too far too soon.’
‘I’ll happily agree to that,’ said Hoode, ‘on one condition.’
‘What’s that?’
‘My plays are my progeny, Nick. I do not like to let them out of my sight. If Michael would read the new comedy, he must do so here where I can watch him. Do not tell him to take it away with him.’
‘Nor will I,’ said Nicholas, crossing to the table and picking up the sheets of parchment. ‘You are right to guard your new child like a watchful parent.’ He looked down at the Prologue, written in Hoode’s neat hand. ‘You give advice that every man longs to hear – A Way to Content All Women.’
‘Lawrence boasted that he had already mastered the art.’
‘I beg leave to doubt that. I’ve seen him enrage Margery a dozen times.’
‘She’s a choleric woman, Nick, and it is not easy to calm her when she’s roused.’
‘Then the secret is not to rouse her in the first place.’
Hoode laughed. ‘You’ve hit the mark, Nick,’ he said. ‘That’s the very moral of my new comedy. Why do I need Michael Grammaticus? You should be my co-author.’
The first two people to enter the room that evening were Frank Quilter and James Ingram, the first hoping to repair his losses while the second intended to exploit his good fortune. Philomen Lavery gave them a warm welcome and poured each a glass of wine. The cards were waiting on the table but there was no sign of the Bible now. While the visitors took their seats, Adam Crowmere ambled into the room.
‘Do you come to join us?’ asked Lavery.
‘I’ll watch a little before I play,’ said the landlord. ‘After bearing such losses last night, I’ll be more cautious today. I want to study the cards first.’
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