Page 181 of A Column of Fire

Ned said nothing.

Margery said: ‘Years ago, Susannah Brecknock told me she had a lover half her age. It was you, wasn’t it?’

Ned was amazed by the accuracy of her intuition. ‘How did you guess?’

‘It just seems right. She said he didn’t love her, but she didn’t care, because he was such fun to lie with.’

Ned was embarrassed that two women had discussed him in this way. ‘Are you angry?’ he said.

‘I have no right to be. I lie with Bart, why should you be celibate?’

‘But you were forced to marry.’

‘And you were seduced by a woman with a warm heart and a soft body. I’m not angry, I just envy her.’

Ned raised her hand to his lips.

The door opened and Ned hastily pulled his hand away.

The housekeeper came in with a jug of wine and a plate of nuts and dried fruits. Margery said kindly: ‘This is a sad day for you, too, Janet.’

Janet burst into tears and left without speaking.

‘Poor thing,’ said Margery.

‘She’s worked for my mother since she was a girl.’ Ned wanted to hold Margery’s hand again, but he restrained himself. Instead, he brought up a new topic. ‘I need to talk to Bart about a small problem.’

‘Oh? What?’

‘The queen has made me lord of Wigleigh.’

‘Congratulations! Now you’ll be rich.’

‘Not rich, but comfortable.’ Ned would collect rents from all the farmers in the village. It was how monarchs often paid their advisors – especially penny-pinching rulers such as Elizabeth.

Margery said: ‘So now you’re Sir Ned Willard of Wigleigh.’

‘My father always said Wigleigh traditionally belonged to our family. He thought we were descended from Merthin the bridge-builder. According to Timothy’s Book, Merthin’s brother, Ralph, was lord of Wigleigh, and Merthin built the watermill that is still there.’

‘So you’re descended from nobility.’

‘Gentry, at least.’

‘So what’s the problem you need to discuss with Bart?’

‘One of my tenants has cleared some of the forest beyond the stream, on land that belongs to you. He had no right, of course.’ Tenants were always trying to increase the size of their holdings surreptitiously. ‘But I don’t like to punish enterprise, so I want to work out some agreement that will compensate Bart for the loss of a couple of acres.’

‘Why don’t you come to New Castle for dinner one day next week, and talk to him?’

‘All right.’

‘Friday at noon?’

Suddenly Ned felt happy. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘Friday is fine.’

*

MARGERY WAS ASHAMEDof how excited she felt about Ned’s visit.