Page 31 of Linenfold (The Alice Chronicles #4)

M idday meal is over. Two of the pieman’s rabbit pies, some compensation for the delay occasioned by the duke’s visit, have had a cheering effect on High Stoke’s people and Hardcastle servants alike.

And the two sheriff’s men ensured they came in for a goodly share of Philip’s bounty before they left.

But Rose returns downstairs with Master Cranley’s plate untouched.

‘He said he’s not hungry, sir,’ she answers Philip.

‘I must go and see he’s all right,’ he tells Alice.

Back downstairs he beckons Alice to join him in the winter parlour.

‘Is Master Cranley well?’ she asks.

‘He’s distracted. He frets about the smallest thing and was quite overset by an audience with the duke.’

‘I thought he looked anxious when he came out.’

‘He can’t remember anything the duke said to him. The sooner I get him home to London the better.’ He draws the cloth bag from between the buttons of his doublet. ‘Are you ready to take another look at this riddle?’

When she has it, ‘Ah, yes, we found the length of a line in the middle, here, with the five points of accent. “ And robber-king’s gross desires be consummated.” So, what do I think would be the other line breaks?

’ She takes up the pen and marks various points while Philip looks on.

‘And the last one here. And I think the word ‘chained’ is probably spoken as ‘chain – ed’. So we get something like this:

The chainéd limbs thus spread … [space]

[Space] … her cruel shields on hardened raft

Lest cy… [space] …lated

And robber king’s gross desires be [consummated.]

[Space] … join with end of faith

Where lamb and raging … [space, ending in ‘aith’]

[The] bald one’s devotee awaits the screen

To stow in safety… [space, ending in ‘een’]

‘We need words that rhyme with Raft, Faith and Screen,’ Philip says. ‘Well, that’s easy enough. Aft, craft, graft, laughed, shaft. What about Faith?’

‘Wraith? I can’t think of any more at the moment,’ she says. ‘And there are so many words ending in ‘een’, we could fill a book with them. You know, we can only go so far in guessing these missing words. But I wonder if we can relate those blanks with anything in your uncle’s boxes.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I don’t know yet, I’m thinking aloud. But His Grace clearly thought there was something worth searching for in the baggage, and this riddle must surely refer to something that is valuable enough to need to be described in cypher.

That line about the robber-king. Gross desires suggests lust for riches. ’

‘Well, there were my uncle’s rings,’ Philip suggests. ‘There was no money as such, he told me that. There are two tapestries in particular that are very old.’

‘I saw silver and gold dishes in one of the boxes,’ she says.

‘Family silver, yes,’ he says, ‘No goldware.’

‘Yes, I saw gold,’ Alice says. ‘The men called the equerry’s attention to it but he told them to put it back.’

‘When was this?’

‘I think you were with the others, repacking the tapestries.’

‘He rises. ‘Which box was this gold in, can you remember?’

In the screens passage she points out the box containing the tableware. It is not large, though it is heavy. Philip manhandles it into the hall, then changes his mind. ‘It’ll be more private through there,’ he says, hoisting it once more.

In the winter parlour he undoes the straps and raises the lid.

A handsome set of pewter dishes and bowls is packed in one corner, napkins wrapped round.

Next to that, some silver incised with simple elegant patterns and the Hardcastle crest. He takes out more pewter and some wooden trenchers.

And there, underneath, gleaming gold through the thin fabric bag, ‘You’re right,’ he says, drawing out the bag and loosening the top to reveal a small platter.

‘It’s richly done,’ she says, admiring. ‘Isn’t that a fleur de lys? What are these roundels?’

‘I don’t believe it!’ Philip is staring. ‘That’s Queen Marie de Medici’s coat of arms. I didn’t know she gave my uncle this.’

‘Why would the mother of King Louis give your uncle such a platter?’

‘I don’t know. Thanks for his work on Henrietta Maria’s marriage contract, mayhap. Wait a moment, there’s another.’ He reaches again into the box, probing. ‘And another.’

Her mind delves back to a queen’s command, Jack’s lost courier sent to France. There will be four .

He sits back, loosening drawstrings, spreading out his find on his lap. ‘Look at this, Alice. Four of them!’

‘Fruit trenchers,’ she says.

‘Fruit?’ Philip grins. ‘The nearest my uncle got to fruit was Emplumeus de Pomes . It’s a sort of mush of apples in almond milk. Disgusting! I’m more of a cheese waffle man, myself.’ He holds up one of the trenchers. ‘I don’t see why cheese waffles shouldn’t be served on these.’

Except they were never your uncle’s . ‘Perhaps he was carrying these trenchers for someone else.’

He laughs. ‘Do you know something I don’t?’

‘What would I know of gold dishes?’ Which means each of us is keeping a secret, except that I know what you are holding back.

She urgently wants to ride to Freemans to get a message sent to Jack in London, but she must not arouse Philip’s suspicions, to cause him to connect the trenchers with the information Jack gave her in strict confidence.

The Queen’s page Lewis Cargill. Spy for His Grace of Buckingham.

Missing. How is it that the trenchers he was sent to collect are lying in a Hardcastle box?

‘I’m going to go over to see Sam again,’ she tells Philip. ‘I shall be back before it’s dark.’

She has forgotten that Philip will view this as an opportunity. ‘Then I shall accompany you. No, it’s no trouble,’ as she demurs. ‘My horse is in urgent need of exercise. She’s been eating her head off these past days and will be uncontrollable if I leave her much longer without a good run.’

‘I wasn’t planning to gallop over there,’ she tells him. I feel like a ripe pea pod, as though I could burst at any moment.

‘No, no. But while I wait for you, I might have an opportunity to give my horse her head for half an hour or so.’

She gives him a carefully bland look. ‘Or possibly lend her to Juliana for a ride.’

‘Very well, Alice. Yes, I want to see Juliana.’

At Freemans, to Alice’s great relief, she learns that Jack is just now back from London. They are shown into the hall where Jack and Olivia are poring over a map of the Freemans estate. Before Alice can introduce Philip, Jack moves to greet him.

‘You are Lord Hardcastle’s nephew are you not?

Olivia has just given me the news about your uncle.

’ Commiserations are offered, Jack taking his lead from Philip as to the detail he wishes to give.

Philip seems inclined to avoid discussion of the matter and Alice, sensing the need for a change of conversation, asks for Sam’s whereabouts.

‘They were all outside earlier,’ Olivia says. ‘Juliana was playing pirates with them, running here and there ever since midday meal. By rights Cicely should find they’re ready for bed when the time comes.’

While Jack offers to help find Sam, at Olivia’s invitation Philip remains in the hall. Alice leaves him enquiring after the health of Juliana.

As Jack closes the hall door, ‘I need to talk with you,’ she says. ‘Before we find Sam. I have news for you about the Queen’s fruit trenchers.’

‘Why do you say that?’

‘I’ve seen them. Philip and I unearthed them in Lord Hardcastle’s baggage this morning, packed with other tableware.’

Jack has opened the door to the winter parlour but stops, gives her a keen look. ‘What do you know?’

‘I know that Philip has never seen them before, assumes they were a gift to his uncle for his work on the negotiations for the royal marriage. Whereas I think Lord Hardcastle met your courier.’

‘For all we know, they could have been any gift, and nothing to do with Her Majesty.’

‘Gold plates,’ she says. ‘Four of them. Small enough to be fruit trenchers. Beautifully made.’

‘That doesn’t mean—’

‘And crested with the de Medici arms, five coins and three fleur de lys.’

‘Ah.’ He is silent for a space, thinking. ‘I believe we may have to bring Philip in on this,’ he says. ‘Tell me, how does he strike you? How were his relations with his uncle? Does he seem honest, straightforward?’

‘Both those last, I believe,’ she says. ‘Though not incapable of keeping a secret, even to his own disservice.’

‘How so?’

Alice tells him of Philip’s nocturnal foray from High Stoke on the night his uncle was murdered, his reluctance to divulge where he went.

‘I believe I know where he went,’ she finishes.

‘His silence, if I am right, is understandable, but it leaves a question mark. Fortunately, he didn’t mention it to Sir Malcolm.

But I prefer that he explains himself. He is likeable, pleasant, informed.

His remorse at having left the kitchen door unbarred is real, I believe. ’

‘Well,’ Jack says. ‘He’s going to have to explain himself if we are to take him into our confidence. You didn’t say anything to him about the trenchers?’

‘Nothing.’

‘Who else has seen these trenchers?’ he asks more urgently.

‘I don’t know. His Grace of Buckingham’s men came across them when they searched the Hardcastle baggage yesterday.’

Jack stares. ‘Buckingham’s people came?’

‘And the duke himself and his equerry. They were with us over two hours and the duke had his men search every box and our guests’ chambers.

He said there might be things that needed to be kept safe.

The trenchers were in with the tableware, as I said.

When his men came across them, they called the equerry across. He shook his head.’

‘He must have been puzzled that they were in those boxes. Unless,’ Jack goes on, thinking, ‘unless he and the duke knew Cargill was to use Hardcastle as courier across from France.’

Alice waits while he ponders, jutting his lower lip as he does when he is in thought. ‘What were they really seeking, Jack?’