Page 44 of Linenfold (The Alice Chronicles #4)

She slips out of bed and makes her slow way down to the kitchen. Maureen, sitting with a mug of ale, jumps up in surprise. Alice ignores the look of guilt. ‘Do you have a knife, Maureen? A smallish one. Oh! What’s that doing here?’ Noticing the slim filleting knife lying on the table.

‘Mistress Egerton is going to send some fish over from their stewponds, mistress. I was just about to clean the table ready—’

Alice grasps the filleting knife. ‘This’ll do.’

Back in the main chamber she applies the sharp point of the knife to the linen backing, cutting thread by thread, taking care not to nick whatever is inside.

She tells herself it is probably just a small pebble, stone or wood, placed to augment the swell of the fruits on the face, but the excitement churns as she opens up a slit and pulls apart the edges.

Within are folds of white, gauzy fabric and when she pulls, out it slips, a small bag, folded over and over, protecting its contents.

She unfolds it and shakes. Into her palm falls a clear red pebble the size of her thumbnail, an oval of translucent blood.

Even in the dull autumn daylight, the huge ruby glows from within, pulsing to the drumbeat of her heart.

It cannot be the only one. She takes the knife and makes another slit, another careful cutting of threads. More gauzy linen folds poke out. Onto the sheet tumbles a blazing rectangle of greenest ice. Her gasp is involuntary. Lest, cyprus stripped, the eyes be stimulated .

Philip must be told immediately. She pulls on her loose-gown.

Clutching the ruby, she hastens to the stairs, taking them as fast as she can with her aching back, hobbling across the empty hall.

But the winter parlour, despite the fire blazing well, is empty.

The dining parlour? Out, across hall and screens passage.

The dining parlour also empty. She turns down the screens passage, pushes open the kitchen door.

Maureen stands at the window’s edge peeping out, turns at Alice’s step. Mollie, Rose and Grace are there too.

‘Where is everyone?’ Alice asks.

‘Allan’s out there,’ Rose tells her. ‘The others are out front sawing up that tree that fell. Master and Mistress Egerton went back to Freemans.’

‘Lord Hardcastle’s men?’

‘Farley and Larkin are searching for Louise and Pearce,’ Rose says.

‘His Lordship’s there.’ Maureen points. ‘In the brewhouse with Jackson.’

Alice joins them at the window. Allan stands in the kitchen court looking into the brewhouse built onto the end of the wash house. Philip and Jackson are just coming out, grim-faced, Jackson pointing within, saying something. Alice lifts the bar and opens the door, calls across. ‘What is it?’

Philip crosses the court. ‘It’ll be best to stay inside for the time being,’ he tells her. ‘Lewis is in there. He won’t be troubling anyone any more.’

‘Not smothered in the mud?’

He shakes his head. ‘His neck’s broken. Jackson says probably last night. It seems Pearce has changed his method after he failed to kill Jack.’

Maureen behind her gives a whimper ‘John wouldn’t do such a thing! Oh, I feel a swoon coming!’ Hand to head, centre of attention, the cook clutches Mollie and faints against Grace. ‘Oh, I can’t bear it! Oh, John!’ Rose steps away, a look of disgust on her face.

‘I’ll keep everyone indoors,’ Alice says to Philip. ‘Please, be careful, all of you.’ She will tell him about the Huguenot treasury later when they are alone .

With the door barred again, Alice selects a key from the chain around her waist, holds it out to Rose. ‘Take Maureen to the dining parlour and lock yourselves in, all of you. You’ll be safe there. I’ll come and tell you when this is over.’

The girls are reluctant, but Maureen needs no second bidding. The opportunity to droop between Mollie and Grace and allow herself to be led away with faltering steps is too good to be missed.

With the kitchen quiet, Alice goes to the still room, wraps a few edibles in a pudding cloth, ties the top and takes it to the accounts room. For the last time, she gathers her French and unlocks the door. Within, Honorine is on her feet, tense, listening.

‘What is it that is happening?’

‘A man is dead.’

Honorine says nothing. Looks.

‘You and Lewis were in touch with Pearce all along, weren’t you?’

‘Pearce is dead?’

Is she fretful because he is dead, or in case he isn’t? ‘No. Lewis. By Pearce’s hand.’

Honorine crosses herself. ‘I said to Lewis, you cannot trust him, but he said we must work with him.’

Alice sighs. ‘You let me believe it was Lewis who killed Lord Hardcastle didn’t you? So that John Pearce would not be suspected. Why didn’t you tell me about Pearce yesterday? We could have prevented this, locked him up.’

‘I thought Lewis or Pearce would come for me, we could get away. Lewis and Pearce, they told me milord had died when they took him outside. I wanted to believe it.’

‘Pearce tried to murder Justice Egerton last night. We stopped it in time, but Pearce escaped. He found Lewis last night and broke his neck.’

Honorine winces. Her heavy sigh confirms for Alice that the French girl recognises her last hope of escape is gone.

‘But I do not understand why,’ Honorine says. ‘Pearce was le duc’s man. We did as he said.’

‘Pearce had no further use for Lewis because Lewis could betray him if caught,’ Alice says. ‘Do you imagine he will spare your life if he finds you? He knows you are somewhere in the house.’

Honorine has had the night hours to think about her position. Now this news of another killing. There is a fatalism in her response. ‘Either he will kill me, or your judges will.’

Alice weighs in her mind, looking at this woman preparing to face the inevitable. ‘Why did you come, Honorine? A dangerous task, and you seem so unfitted for it.’

Honorine plumps down, hunching the blanket close around herself.

‘I was a maidservant to the Linenkeeper in the house of the Comtesse de Tillières, who is a close friend of your Queen. I was summoned to the comtesse. She said I must go on a journey with a man called Lewis Cargill, who would travel as Louise de Kergyle. You do not say No to a comtesse.’

Alice cannot but pity her. A pawn in the games of kings and queens. Is it right to do wrong? Is it wrong to do right? Honorine will go to the stake for two murders she did not commit.

‘Stay in here and wait until it is quiet,’ Alice says.

‘I carry the keys to this room. They all think it is locked but I shall “forget” to lock it. Go out to the woodshed. At the back you will find the garments that Louise … Lewis hid in the woods. Become a man as he became a woman and make your escape. Here is bread and cheese, some ham, apples.’ She hands the girl the cloth-wrapped bundle. ‘You have money?’

Honorine nods. She cannot believe her luck, her face says.

‘But remember, as soon as your escape is discovered I must demand your recapture. Do not go by the southern ports, they are sure to be watched. I suggest you go east, wait a while and then take ship to the Low Countries.’

‘I have some Flemish. The Linenkeeper was a Fleming,’ Honorine whispers. ‘Madame, why are you kind to me?’

‘You are not like either of them,’ Alice tells her. ‘You deserve another chance.’ She turns to leave. Turns back. ‘And get rid of that rosary.’

Alice returns to the kitchen. Out in the courtyard, Philip is closing the brewhouse door and beckons Jackson and Allan to follow him out of the kitchen court and away in the direction of the barn and the track to Guildford.

For a few moments all is quiet in the kitchen court.

Alice has just resolved to return to her chamber to cut some more gems from the bed-hanging when from beyond the woodshed comes the sound of cantering hooves rapidly slowing.

Just like the first time, Juliana surges into the kitchen court at the same moment a figure soars out of the woodshed, launches himself and drags her from the saddle.

If Pearce thought a woman would be easy prey, he is quickly disabused.

She twists in his grasp, ‘Let go of me, oaf!’ but her protest does nothing to change his hold.

Juliana is not the woman to use diplomacy against the determined.

She squirms a hand free and scores her nails down his face, knees him hard but just misses felling him, though it makes him stagger and his grip falters.

She swings a kick and he gives her a great clout to the side of her head that sends her reeling. He grabs her in a neck hold.

As Philip and the other two charge back into the kitchen court, ‘Listen to me, all of you!’ Pearce shouts. ‘I’ll tell you what I want and you will get it or this one follows that one in the brewhouse!’

‘Don’t be a fool, boy,’ Jackson calls. ‘Give yourself up and ask for mercy.’

‘Shut up, old man! Aagh!’ as Juliana stamps her heel down on his foot. ‘Hold still, woman!’

‘Pearce, fight me!’ Philip says. ‘Fight me like a man instead of hiding behind your hostage.’

‘Why would I bother?’

‘Whoever wins goes free. No interference, they will agree to it, I give you my word. Make it an honourable fight.’

‘Don’t you dare, Philip!’ Juliana shouts.

‘Any weapon you choose, Pearce.’

‘Think I believe you? Two things. First, I want horses. Good ones, not the jobbing sort. I’ll have the girl’s, and Your Lordship’s. You, boy, saddle it. Now!’

‘Do it, Allan,’ Philip says. ‘And the second?’

‘Hardcastle was carrying valuables. Bring them to me.’

‘We have found no valuables,’ Philip tells him.

‘You’re lying. There’s a whole treasury. Get it!’ Pearce tightens his arm. Juliana gasps, pulling against his strangling hold.

‘We don’t have them!’ Philip cries. ‘We were looking for them but we never found them.’

‘You have ten seconds. Nine …’ Juliana digs an elbow at him but she is pinned too close to hurt him.

‘If they were secreted somewhere, we know not where that was. You must believe me!’ Philip pleads.

Alice quietly lifts the bar from the kitchen door. If I can just distract him for a moment …

‘Eight, seven …’

‘We couldn’t find anything!’

‘Six … stand up!’ as Juliana tries going limp and becomes deadweight in his hold.

‘Please! If we had, we wouldn’t still be here, would we?’

Pearce’s eyes are like flint. ‘Five, four …’ with her knees now bent, Juliana levers herself backwards, nearly knocking Pearce off his feet. He pulls his knife from its sheath, presses it to her neck. ‘Keep still!’

Alice opens the kitchen door. Holds out her hand, palm up. ‘Is this what you’re looking for?’

Roughly hauling Juliana, his glance flicking between Alice and the others, Pearce takes a step towards the doorway. A tight silence grips Philip and Jackson, impotent in the kitchen court. At the stable door, Allan stands frozen, open-mouthed.

‘Drop it down here.’

Alice tosses the ruby. It lands a pace from his boot. Watches his eyes widen, his glance flick to Philip and Jackson. Watches how the ruby draws his eyes back. Even in the mud of the kitchen court it glows.

‘That’s just one of them. There’s more,’ he says. ‘Bring them to me. Three seconds. Two…’

‘I know where the rest are!’ Alice cries. ‘They don’t. You can see they don’t. But you must first let her go unharmed.’

‘Tell me now!’ he orders. He pushes the point of the blade and Juliana jerks as it draws a bead of blood.

Alice steps cautiously out, reaches to retrieve the ruby, eyes all the while on his. ‘Let her go unharmed. Take me in her place, and—’

‘Alice, don’t!’ Juliana shouts.

‘How many of us are you going to kill before you tire of butchery?’ she demands.

Pearce nods at the ruby. ‘Give me the rest, now!’ A whisper of blood dribbles down Juliana’s neck.

Alice holds up the ruby. ‘You have a chance. Harm her more and you will lose the real prize.’

Before she is aware, he shoves Juliana away and grabs herself.

A fast but fumbled move. Pearce hooks his left arm round Alice’s neck and pulls her facing him.

Her back is bowed painfully. The pressure is squashing the baby.

She can see the white of his knuckled fist, feel the blade’s tip under her jaw.

Her fingers curl and tense. Out of the corner of her eye, beyond his reach, she sees Juliana get to her feet, just that trickle of red under her jaw.

Pearce’s grip tightens. He grasps Alice’s left hand. ‘Show me it again.’ She opens her palm and his eyes speak his greed for the gem. He glances in smiling triumph at the group arrayed before him, addresses Alice. ‘So where’s the rest of my prize then?’

‘Right here,’ she says and thrusts the filleting knife up to the hilt between the ribs of the man who tried to kill Jack.