Deception (15 page)

My mind reeled. Sir Edward had shot the arrow from the Tower, and lowered the sacks of coins to Harry Stubbs! I could hardly believe it, but Sir Edward, the Mint Warden himself, was the villain behind the counterfeiting. Clearly, his dandified ways
and girlish manners were nothing but an act—but a very convincing act it had been!

“I never meant to tell my brother anything,” Harry was whining. He was pale and sweating. “Will found a coin and asked me what it was all about. I told him to mind his own business, I swear.”

“I don't believe you,” snarled Sir Edward, grinding his heel into Harry's fingers and making him howl with pain. “He came to me and announced that the two of you wanted nothing more to do with my scheme.”

“And 'e's having nothing more to do with it now,” sniggered the attendant. “I saw to that.”

I could hear Ellie's frightened breathing next to me. I was surprised that no one else could.

Sir Edward turned and struck his servant across the mouth. “Stow you, Tyler! You have served me no better. You were supposed to leave the boat where only Harry would find his brother's body. Only he was to see the coins on Will Stubbs's dead eyes—and thus know that there would be no backing out.”

Tyler shuffled and bobbed his head. “I'm sorry, my lord,” he muttered, rubbing his cheek. “I did strangle him like you told me, and put him in his own boat
and moor it by his cottage. 'Twasn't my fault the boat floated off.”

Sir Edward seemed to grow taller in his rage. “Then whose fault was it? Jack Frost's? The last thing I needed was for the body to be found in public and taken to the Queen's Coroner. It could have been the end of me. It is lucky for you no questions have been asked. But as for Harry here—”

“I—I'm your faithful servant!” stammered Harry, struggling to his knees.

“Then how did three spies come to follow you tonight? Did you show them a coin, too? Who are they, Stubbs? Are they the Queen's men?”

There was silence. I held my breath. If Harry Stubbs told Sir Edward who I was, then the Mint Warden would surely know something strange was afoot, and fear that the game was up. He would make his escape straight away. But if Harry did tell, then surely he would fear for his own life—for unwittingly leading a Maid of Honour from the Queen's Court to Sir Edward's house.

At last Harry spoke. “They are beggars, my lord,” he croaked. “They know nothing. They just chanced to be here tonight.”

I took a deep breath.

“Let me show my loyalty to you,” Harry pleaded.

“You'll still be wanting a waterman, won't you, my lord?”

“Indeed you are right, Stubbs,” said Sir Edward. “I shall be in want of a waterman … for you will be dead!”

“No, my lord, please,” Harry whimpered, trying to grab at Sir Edward's legs with his bound hands.

Sir Edward pushed him away and turned to his henchman. “Dispose of this pathetic wretch,” he ordered. “For dead men tell no tales. And I believe that cupboard upstairs is infested with vermin. You might as well get rid of them as well. We can take no chances. A quick slit of the throat will do it.”

I heard Ellie stifle a gasp.

Sir Edward went on. “But listen hard, Tom Tyler. There must be no bodies found anywhere this time.”

We were in terrible danger. Once our prison was discovered to be empty, Tom Tyler would be looking for us.

Sir Edward strode to the door and flung it open. His page was standing guard outside. “Stay here,” he told him. “I am going to the Tower. If anyone
asks, your master has been in his bed there all night. Understand?”

The page nodded and Sir Edward disappeared into the darkness. Tom dragged Harry off to the back of the house and we didn't wait to hear any more.

“We must get out of here!” I said. “Now. Before his man starts looking for us.”

“We can't go out by the door,” Ellie whispered.

“It's guarded. And I believe it's that very same thieving page I caught trying to steal the chalice. I told you he was a wrong 'un. Just wait until I get me hands on 'im.”

“Hush, Ellie!” Masou whispered, coming back into the hall. “We must be away. There is a window in the next chamber. It is not guarded and there's only a very short drop to the ground. Make haste.”

Ellie and I did not need telling twice. Somewhere in the back of the house was Tom Tyler, and he had dire plans for us.

We scrambled through the window and jumped to the ground. We knew there was no time to strap our skates on and make our escape along the river, so we kept to the Strand, and ran as fast as we could.

After a few moments we stopped to catch our breath. There was no sound of pursuit.

“We must get to Whitehall,” I panted. “We have to tell the Queen everything. Sooner or later, Tom Tyler will find we have gone. And he might tell Sir Edward.”

“Mr. Hatton and the guards must get to the Tower before Sir Edward hops it!” Ellie agreed.

But she looked cold and tired and I wondered if she would make it home. I felt dreadful, for we had just heard a bell strike one of the clock and she would need to be up in a few hours to work in the laundry, even if she had helped foil a plot against Her Majesty's currency. I gave her a hug.

Ahead of us, the Strand widened and I could just make out the Charing Cross. “We are nearly at Whitehall,” I said. “Just past the cross, and we'll be at the Court Gate.”

I took Ellie's hand and we hurried along. As we went I started talking about the whole business, partly to sort it out in my own mind and partly to keep Ellie awake. “So Sir Edward is not what he seems,” I said. “But I can't understand why he would need to counterfeit coins. He's the Mint Warden and has high status. And he has the support of Sir Thomas Gresham. I thought him already
wealthy, for he always dresses in the most extravagant way and has an entourage of servants. And yet his great house in the Strand has nothing in it.”

“Then he is not as rich as he claims,” put in Masou.

“In truth, he would need a very big income to live as he has been doing,” I agreed. “Perhaps he has used up all his money and needs more. And we now know he is the sort of man who would stop at nothing to get what he wants.”

By now we were back at the Court Gate at Whitehall. There was no time for secret passages. I went straight to the guard.

They drew their swords as we approached. I began to shout at the top of my voice.

“I need to see the Queen. It is most urgent! I must speak to Her Majesty at once.”

One of the guards stepped forwards and took me by the arm.

“Unhand me!” I demanded in my haughtiest voice, struggling to free myself. “I am Lady Grace Cavendish, Maid of Honour to Her Majesty.”

The guard burst out laughing.

“And I'm the King of Spain!” he sneered, looking at my dirty face and torn and grubby clothes.

The other guard nudged him. “Er, Bill,” he
muttered, out of the corner of his mouth. “That is Lady Grace. I've seen her riding out—though better attired, in general.”

The King of Spain took his hands off me as if he'd been burned. “I'm sorry, your ladyship, I—”

“Stop blathering and take me to Her Majesty!” I ordered. “At once.”

“Y-yes, your ladyship,” he stammered. “Whatever your ladyship pleases. But these two”—he poked a finger at Ellie and Masou—“are staying here. I don't know them and it's more than my life's worth to let miscreants near to Her Majesty's person.”

I wanted Ellie and Masou with me but there was no time for argument. “Just take me to the Queen!” I shouted. I turned to my friends. “I will have you released as soon as I can.”

My guard then puffed out his chest and led me through the palace, roaring at the top of his voice, “Make way for Lady Grace! Important business with Her Majesty! Make way for her ladyship!” He would have awoken the dead.

The guards outside the Queen's Chamber stood to attention as we approached. We were stopped in our tracks by a roar. “What in thunder is going on?”

The Queen was standing in the doorway of her
outer chamber. She was magnificent in her brocade bedcoat, with her flaming red hair flowing over her shoulders. But she looked furious. The guard dropped to his knees.

I ran to her and bobbed a quick curtsy. “Your Majesty, I must see you without delay on a matter of State.”

The Queen ran her eyes over my dishevelled state. Then she turned to the guard. “You are dismissed. Go back to your post.” And she pushed me into her chamber.

As soon as the door closed she turned to me. “This had better be important, Grace, to bring me from my rest at such an hour—and in such a manner.”

“Indeed it is, Your Majesty!” I exclaimed, before the Queen could start commenting on my appearance. “I have found out who is behind the counterfeiting.”

The Queen's face lit up at that. “Out with it, then, Grace,” she demanded. “And he will wish he had never been born.”

I took a deep breath. “It is your own Mint Warden, Sir Edward Latimer.”

“Nonsense, child,” she said, laughing. “It is late and you are raving.”

“But it is the truth, Your Majesty,” I insisted. “I heard it from his own lips. I am afraid he has tricked us all. He is a wolf in sheep's clothing.”

And I told her the whole story.

When I'd finished, the Queen took my hands.

“You have done well, my Lady Pursuivant,” she said gently, “and put yourself in much danger on my account.”

Then she let go of my hands and strode to the door. “Fetch Mr. Hatton immediately!” she ordered the guard.

I suddenly remembered poor Ellie and Masou, and told the Queen about them.

Her Majesty called the guard back. “And then release the two honest servants who are detained at the Court Gate,” she told him.

As soon as Mr. Hatton appeared, bleary-eyed with sleep, Her Majesty ordered him to take his Gentlemen of the Guard and go to the Tower to arrest Sir Edward Latimer and his conspirators for counterfeiting and murder.

If Mr. Hatton was surprised at what he heard and saw, he showed no sign of it, but started to make his preparations.

“Let me go with them, Your Majesty,” I pleaded.

“Certainly not,” snapped the Queen. “You have been in enough danger for one night.”

“But Your Majesty,” I dared to argue, “I am the only one who you know can distinguish the real coins from the counterfeit—apart from Sir Thomas Gresham, that is—and surely you will not send him to the arrest of his own protégé.”

The Queen hesitated. “Very well, Grace, you may go.” She turned to Mr. Hatton. “Lady Grace will accompany you and I charge you with her safety.”

Mr. Hatton tried not to look as if he thought that the Queen was mazed. He bowed. “My lady shall have two of my best men to guard her.”

I was about to protest at that but the expression on Her Majesty's face silenced me.

And then I had hardly time to breathe as we descended to the main courtyard, where horses were being saddled. I had not even had time to wash my face or change my clothes, but now I had a guard's red cloak around my shoulders. I confess I did have a moment of doubt about going when I thought how I would have to ride all the way—and it would not be a slow trot! But to my relief I was handed up to ride pillion behind one of my guards, and for my safety I was told not to ride side-saddle as I usually did, but
to sit astride the horse. My other guard rode close by so I felt quite safe.

It was quite unlike the slow progress we had made with Sir Edward when we had visited the Tower before. The drumming of the horses' hooves in the night brought people to their windows as we passed and I felt very important! Safe in my pocket was a true silver coin. I had asked the Queen to give me one of her six precious new coins so I could prove the others to be counterfeit.

We dismounted a little way from the Bulwark Gate and Mr. Hatton gave his men instructions to charge in, being as loud and terrifying as possible, in order that Sir Edward and his men might be scared into giving themselves up.

I had my doubts about this plan, so I ran over to speak to Mr. Hatton. “I know the real Sir Edward,” I said. “He is not a man to cower in the corner when he hears your guard on their way. May I suggest we take him by surprise? I think that way you will have a better chance of taking your prize back to Her Majesty.”

Mr. Hatton nodded. He had a whispered conversation with the yeoman warder at the gate, and then we hurried silently over the moat, and on to the Byward Tower.

Everywhere I went I was flanked by my two shadows. I felt sorry for the Queen, never stepping out without guards.

My guards and I followed Mr. Hatton and four of his guard stealthily up the stairs of the Byward Tower towards Sir Edward's rooms.

It was all very quiet. The guards slipped their swords from their sheaths; then Mr. Hatton broke down the door of the bedchamber and the guards rushed in.

But the chamber was empty and the bed had not been slept in. There was no sign of any coins, counterfeit or otherwise.

“I think our bird has flown,” Mr. Hatton muttered.

I wasn't giving up that easily. Sir Edward could not have had time to get far. He might have only just escaped. I rushed to one of the windows and looked out over the Thames. Perhaps he had taken a boat.

But there was no sign of any craft leaving the Tower. I went to another window. This looked out over the battlements. Nothing here apart from the gleam of the cannons in the moonlight. There was one more window which gave over Mint Street. I peered eagerly into the darkness through the mullioned glass. Nothing was moving in the shadowy street.

I felt weariness overwhelm me. After all we'd done, we were too late. Then, in one of the buildings on Mint Street, I saw a brief flicker of light. “There's someone at the mint!” I gasped. “Sir Edward may yet be there!”

With their swords still drawn, the guards led the way back down the stairs. The whole company crept along Mint Street. Mr. Hatton motioned for the guards to check the windows of each workshop as we passed. They shook their heads at every one.

Finally, we came to the gold and silver Press House. We could see a dim light inside. Mr. Hatton held up his hand for us to stop. Then he nodded and the guards burst into the room. I followed with my trusty guards.