'I see.'

Her face was red now too, with embarrassment and anger. I felt ashamed.

'But truly, Master Shardlake, there are some who are not fit to rise above their station and Marchamount is one.' Her voice trembled. 'He is an ambitious boor under all his smoothness. I have refused him, but he will not give up his designs. Oh, he is full of plans.' She lowered her head a moment, then returned her gaze to me, her eyes bright. 'But I have never mentioned looking at the Greek Fire papers to him. I would not be such a fool. And he has never mentioned them to me.' The nerve in her face trembled again and she turned to the window, looking across the courtyard to the banqueting hall. I half-rose, then sat down again. I was ashamed of humiliating her, but there remained another question I must ask.

'I overheard something else at the banquet, Lady Honor. The Duke of Norfolk muttered to Marchamount that there was something he would have you do, but that you would not.'

She did not turn round. 'The Duke of Norfolk covets land, Master Shardlake. He would be the greatest landowner in the realm. My family still has some left and the duke would have part of it in return for advancing my cousin at court. But I have advised Henry's father not to give away what little we have left, whatever advance Norfolk might seem to promise. Henry is not cut out for the role of saviour of our family.'

I stared at her rigid back. 'I am truly sorry to expose these private sorrows,' I said.

She turned round then and to my relief she was smiling, if ironically, making those engaging dimples at the corners of her mouth that showed her age and yet were somehow charming.

'Yes, I believe you are. You have done your work well, Master Shardlake. Some charged with the task you have been given might have come here bullying and blustering, and perhaps I would not have told them all I have told you.' She thought a moment, then crossed to the little table and picked up a Bible. 'Here, take this.'

Puzzled, I rose and took the heavy book. She laid her hand on it, the long fingers pressed flat against the leather cover, and looked me in the face. Close to, I saw she had the lightest of down on her upper lip, making a momentary flash of gold as it caught the light.

'I swear by Almighty God,' she said, 'that I have never discussed the contents of the papers relating to Greek Fire with any living soul other than you.'

'And the duke has made no request to you to do so?'

She met my eyes firmly. 'I swear he has not.' She took a deep breath. 'Will you tell the earl that I made this oath freely and of my own will?'

'I will,' I said.

'And though you must tell him everything, I ask you to keep these – these difficulties with Gabriel and the duke secret.'

'I will, my lady. I know the reputation lawyers have as gossips, but I promise to tell no one but the earl.'

She smiled, her old warm smile. 'Then we may be friends again?'

'I would like nothing better, my lady.'

'Good. You caught me in an ill humour earlier.' She-nodded at the gold cup. 'That arrived, together with an invitation to the bear-baiting tomorrow. Gabriel is making a party of it and I feel obliged to go.' She paused. 'Would you care to come as well? He said to bring whoever I chose.'

I inclined my head. 'Would you really wish me to come? After my interrogation of you?'

'Yes. To prove there is no ill feeling?' Her look had something flirtatious in it again.

'I will come, Lady Honor, with pleasure.'

'Good. We meet at noon, at Three Cranes-'

Lady Honor broke off as the door opened and her young nephew came in. His face was red and angry. He was dressed for company, a purple slashed doublet and a wide cap with a peacock feather. He took off his cap and threw it on the cabinet.

'Cousin Honor,' he said petulantly, 'please do not send me to such people again.' He broke off as he saw me sitting on the cushion. 'I am sorry, sir, I did not mean to intrude.'

Lady Honor took the boy by the arm. 'Master Shardlake has called for a brief visit, Henry. Now come, settle yourself. Have some wine.'

The youth plumped down on a cushion opposite me as

Lady Honor fetched him wine. She gestured me to sit again.

'Henry has been visiting Mayor Hollyes's family,' she told

me. 'I thought it would be useful for him to meet his children.' She gave him a goblet of wine and returned to her chair, smiling at him encouragingly. 'Well then, Henry, what has happened?'

'Those children are common rogues.' The boy took a long draught of wine. 'By God they are.'

'The mayor's daughters? What on earth do you mean?'

'I had looked forward to meeting the girls, I heard they were pretty. There are three of them. Mayor Hollyes's wife was there and the conversation was pleasant enough at first – they asked about life in Lincolnshire, the hunting. But then Madam Hollyes was called away and I was left with the girls. Then they-'

'What, Henry? Come.'

He looked down at the floor, running a hand over the pustules on his face. 'The moment the old woman left the girls became cruel. They – they began to mock my – my spots, asking if I had the pox. One said even a pocky whore would not have me.' His voice shook. 'Cousin Honor, I hate it in London. I want to go back to Lincolnshire.' He hung his head again, greasy hair falling over his face.

'Henry,' Lady Honor said with a touch of impatience, 'these things happen. You must be more robust-'

'They should not happen!' he burst out. 'I am a Vaughan, I am entitled to some respect.'

'It is a cruel thing to be mocked,' I said.

Lady Honor sighed. 'Go upstairs to your room, Henry. I will come and talk to you in a moment.'

Without a word the boy got up and, without looking at me, went out and slammed the door behind him. Lady Honor leaned back in her chair and smiled sadly.

'You can see now why I fear Henry does not have the robustness to make his way in London. It was a mistake to bring him here. But he is the Vaughan heir. We had to try.' She sighed. 'Poor boy.'

'Some boys feel slights greatly at that age. I did.'

'Young girls can be cruel.' She smiled ironically. 'I could, myself.'

'You, madam? I find that hard to be believe.'

'You know how girl children are told how to behave down to the last detail? How to walk, how to sit, when to smile.' She smiled sadly. 'I wonder how many scream with frustration inside, as I did. And how many turn to cruel thoughts beneath sweet rosy faces?'

'It takes a woman to understand such things.'

'I shall send Henry back. There is another Vaughan cousin. He is young, but perhaps in a few years -'

I rose, conscious time was passing. 'I fear I must go.' I was reluctant to leave her, glad my questioning had not broken the beginning of friendship, but I wanted to get Guy's opinion on those books before I saw Cromwell.

'And I must try to console Henry. I will see you out.' Lady Honor led me downstairs.

In the hall I turned to her. 'I am sorry for your troubles,' I said again. 'And for raking them up.'

She laid a hand lightly on my arm. 'You were doing your duty even though it was uncomfortable. I admire that.' She studied me. 'But you look tired. You are meant for finer, gentler things than work like this. You demean yourself, Matthew.'

'I have no choice.'

'For now, perhaps.' She took my hand. 'Until tomorrow. Remember, Three Cranes Wharf at noon.'

As I walked to the stables to fetch Genesis, I felt warmed and soothed by her care. Yet still my sceptical brain worried away at the thought she might only want to keep me on her side in my dealings with Cromwell. She had sworn on the Bible, but the dark thought that she might be an atheist returned to me. To such a person, a Bible oath would mean nothing.