Fair Blows the Wind (1978) (20 page)

He glanced at the paper, then looked up at me. Carefully, I explained my situation, as Jacob Binns had instructed me. He listened, and I would have wagered all I possessed that he could have repeated my story word for word when I was finished.

"Leckenbie, is it?" He lifted a finger and a man from the nearby table joined us. Very concisely, Greene explained, "This be Cutting Ball. He is about when needed."

"You know Rafe Leckenbie?" Ball demanded. "You have actually met him?"

"Aye, but far from here. We fought then."

"Fought? And you live?"

"We fought, and I seemed to hold my own for a time, then he had all the better of it. I think he was about to kill me when I stepped back over a steep bank. I fell ... very far. We were in the mountains, you see. To reach me was a long way around and I escaped him."

"It is said he never failed to kill a man once he began it."

"I was fortunate. Soon he will know I am here, and when he does he will come seeking me. We will fight again."

"What do you need from me? What can I do?"

"Keep the others away."

"But what of him? You confess he had you bested. What then?"

"I am older now, and I have learned much. Perhaps he cannot beat me now."

"Don't wager a penny on it," said Ball. "I have seen him fight. I think I have never seen better, although I hate the man and would gladly see him dead."

Greene smiled wryly. "Ball does not like him because he has usurped power that Ball once had, and such a lion leaves little for the jackals."

"Nonetheless," I insisted, "I will fight him if need be. I have learned much since last we met, and I am older and stronger."

"So has he, and so is he." Ball studied me cynically. "Who did you learn from?"

"Fergus MacAskill."

Cutting Ball whistled. "MacAskill, is it? A great fighting man, perhaps the greatest. I do not know how much he can teach, for some of the greatest cannot explain how it is done. You fenced with him?"

"For months."

"You must be good then, but that is not enough. It is not enough to be brave, and to have skill, for you must know what the other man might do. Such a man as I am, for example," he smiled, revealing broken teeth, "I would not fight as the gentry do. There are foul and evil tricks ... I know them all."

"Teach me, then."

"I am no teacher, but there is another who is. He is skilled in the art of fence, but he knows the other things, too. He is Portuguese, and was twenty years in India, China, and the Indies."

My attention returned to Greene. "It is an honor," I said, "to speak with you. It is said you are the greatest writer in London."

He stared at me, his old truculence returning for a moment. "I? No." There was an edge of bitterness in his tone. "Perhaps once ... I do not know. There are others now." He paused a moment. "Too many others. Writers come from under every rock, from behind every village wall! Bah! Most of them know nothing! Are nothing!"

I started again to speak, then thought the better of it. Let him have his say. The last thing I should mention was that I, too, thought of writing, although I did not think of myself as a writer.

He railed at English readers, at the playhouses, the managers, and at the Stationers' Company and their grip upon publishing.

Finally, I made my escape and Ball followed me outside. For a few minutes he talked, warning me of places to avoid, and suggesting I make myself small in London until I knew more. It was good advice, and I fully intended to take it.

The streets were crowded with people, sweaty, struggling people, open-faced innocents from the villages nearby, the wise and the tough from the city, the proud in their velvets and laces. Yet often the laces were not too clean, and the velvets were stained. Many carried burdens on their backs and shoulders. Occasionally a rider came through the streets, scattering the walkers, heedless of their safety. I kept close to the buildings as I went along the street, seeking my way back to the inn.

Yet even as I was aware of all that went on around me I was wondering about the odd effect of the name of Jacob Binns on Greene. Robin Greene was a bitter, scoffing man, yet the name of Binns had suddenly made him an attentive listener. I wondered why. There were secret societies in Europe, some of them very powerful, and I suspected Binns was a member of such a group. Back at the inn all was quiet, yet I was uneasy. Was I afraid of Rafe Leckenbie? I considered that, and decided I was not. I was worried about his followers, men of whom I knew nothing, and the thought of that bitter night upon the mountain returned to taunt me. I had been beaten then, saved by an accident ... There would be no cliff to fall over in London! Nor any to save me here. The fight was my own, and by the gods, I must win it myself. Yet if I had become a better swordsman, had not Leckenbie also? And he had fought ... I had not. My training was from a master, yet it was training only. A sham fight remains a sham fight, no matter what. It is another thing when men draw the sword for blood.

Doubts would come. They thronged my mind despite orders I gave them to leave. I told myself I would win, yet I had not won before. And then, too, I had believed myself a skilled swordsman.

I held to my room. I slept, awakened, read and ate, then slept again. For not only was there thought of Leckenbie and all his dark crew, but of the need to find a place for myself in the world. I had money, but money idle is money soon departed, and I needs must find some way of rebuilding my fortunes.

When the hour was late I went below to the common room and Tosti Padget was there. He waved a hand and I crossed to his table.

"Ha! You are here! I was afraid Leckenbie had you spitted on his blade! Have you seen him then?"

"I have not. Nor do I wish to. I shall fight when the time comes. Until then I have much to do. Know you a printer named Richard Field?"

"Aye, he is new in the town but lately has set up for himself. He is a good man I think. What is it you plan?"

"I've the need to earn a penny or a pound. Even two. Money does not last forever and it is little enough that I have. I am no writer, no playwright or poet, but I know a few words and my father often wrote and inspired me to try. Perhaps there is a bit of something I could do until I can find a place, somewhere."

"A place? Forget that. Unless you have friends who will speak for you there is no chance of preferment. There are too many seeking, and too few places for those who seek." He shrugged. "You might turn a penny with your pen, God knows there's little enough of talent in most of the ink spilled around now.

"Greene had it but wasted it with drinking, and Marlowe also, who has lately come from France. There is whispering that maybe he was a spy. Don't accuse him of anything, however, for he is quick with a blade, and handles himself well. They've lately had to put him under bond to keep the peace, for he has several times beaten a constable on his way home."

"I aspire to nothing but something with which to buy bread. I shall go into trade when I can. I have had a bit of that already."

"Why not? It was once only the ladies and gentlemen who wore the fine feathers, but now any tradesman's wife can preen herself about in silks and furs with the best of them. Times are changing, Tatt, but for the better or worse, who can tell?"

Across the room I saw a man with eyes upon me which he hastily averted when mine met his. He was a sorry, ratlike fellow with yellow cheeks and some lank strings for hair. He looked at me again, and I mentioned it to Tosti.

"Aye, he is likely one of Leckenbie's runners! He has them sneaking about everywhere, listening for what he can use or to hear of something to steal."

When I looked again the man was gone. Inside me I felt a queer lightness, and an urge to get up and go, yet I would not. Stubbornly I ordered another ale for each, and sat where I was.

It was not long, either. The door opened suddenly and there he stood. It was Rafe Leckenbie all right, and a broad, big man he was. Larger and stronger even than before, but with a set of expression on his face that had changed. There was no more of the boyishness that had somehow remained when I came upon him first. Now there was arrogance and a brutal power.

He looked quickly about and his eyes met mine. I stood at once, gesturing to the empty bench at our table.

He crossed, staring hard at me, to frighten me I think, but I was not frightened. I was a fool, maybe, but not a frightened fool. My toe nudged the chair toward him.

"Sit you!" I spoke more cheerfully than I felt, yet there was a lightness and a daring in me, too. "This is a far piece from the moors of Galloway! I hear you have become a greater scoundrel than ever, gone from attacking lonely wayfarers to raping and thieving. Is that it?"

He stared at me, but was not angered. He looked at me with contempt. "You talk too much," he said. "I may slit your tongue."

"You once tried that," I replied cheerfully, "but though I held back and gave you every chance for exercise, nothing came of it but a little dust and sweat."

"Youheld back?" He motioned for a waiter. "I should have killed you then."

"Aye," I agreed, "for you cannot do it now unless you set some of your thieves upon me."

"I'll not do that," he replied. "You I want for myself. It is a pleasure I have long promised myself."

The ale came and quickly. The waiter's eyes were round and frightened. He had no doubt with whom he dealt, I could see that.

Leckenbie drank, ignoring Tosti. "What do you here?" he asked.

"Like you," I said, "I came seeking my fortune
. M
y fortune," I added, "not somebody else's."

It bothered him not at all, so I desisted. Taunts meant nothing to him, for as I was to learn, he simply did not care.

"A poor place to seek a fortune unless you have one," he said. "But they be recruiting men for the sea, if you've the stomach for it."

"Another time," I said. "Now I am for London. I shall find a bit to do around here and see what comes."

We talked then, quietly and easily as though we had not been enemies, although I had no doubt of what was in his mind, nor was he trying to ease my fears or entrap me. He was, I suddenly realized, hungry for talk of his own country, and so I spoke of it, and of Scotland.

He listened, his eyes wandering the room the while. "Will you have something?" he said suddenly.

"Of course," I agreed, "as I do not mind eating with a man I mean to kill."

He laughed, with genuine humor. "Ah, I like your nerve!" He looked at me closely. "Or is it bravado? Are you putting a face on it?" He looked again, and seemed surprised. "You know, I really believe you think you can do it. I really do! And after what happened back there." He motioned the lad over again and ordered for us three, and ordered well. "I was about to run you through," he said, "when you backed off the hill. I was sure it was an accident, but mayhap it was a trick, a device to escape me."

"Escape you?" I spoke lightly. "Rafe, I simply did not wish to kill you. I like a fine bout with the blades and you afforded me the best exercise I'd had in a long time. I had no wish to kill you then. I was saving you for another bout. Soon, I hope. I grow rusty."

He chuckled. "I almost like you, damn you," he said. "Well, eat up. It will not be tonight, and not here." He looked across the table at me, one thick hand resting on its edge. "Odd, that you should choose this one. The one place where even I dare not kill you."

I was puzzled. Why not in this place? I wondered. What was there about this special place that made him draw back? Yet I did not ask the question. If he was mystified I wanted him to remain so.

"It is comfortable," I replied cheerfully. "They do be most friendly here."

"Aye, they would be. There must be more to you than it seemed that day on the moors when I took you for a mere vagabond.

"Not many come here, you know, and fewer are allowed to stay. I wish I knew why!" His tone was petulant. "It is a mystery, yet the word is all about. No trouble here! None!"

"You could chance it," I suggested.

He shook his head. "No, I'll not. There is a power here, and I've a wish to command it. But first I must know from whence comes the power.

"Is it the Queen herself? I think not. Some secret papist group? Again, I think not. Nor is it a place sponsored by some great noble. I've worked out that much, but every thief and cutpurse in London knows to leave this place untouched. I must find out why."

He looked quickly at me. "If you tell me, I will pay, and pay well." He grinned with thick lips. "I might even let you live."

"Perhaps," I said, and unwittingly hit upon it, "they do not want attention. Perhaps they wish to exist quietly and without notice, content to be as they are."

He glanced at me. "That might be it ... but why? That is what I must know ... why? And I must know, too, who comes here. And also how it is that you yourself are here.

"And you could tell me if you wished," he said, irritably. "How does it happen that you who are just come should be allowed here, and I who am known to all London am not?"

His doubts aroused my own. Why was I here? Who was Jacob Binns?