Then I stopped, for I knew that I had detected something of the utmost importance, but could not instantly place in my mind what it could be. But I had a presentiment of the greatest danger which would not leave me, however much I thought and tried to discover what idea had been raised in my mind. It was a beautiful morning, I remember, and I had decided to revive my spirits by walking from Mr. Bennet’s quarters across Cotton Garden, then through a small passageway into St. Stephen’s Court to get to Westminster Stairs. It was in this little passageway, enclosed by heavy oak doors at either end, that the worry came upon me first, but I shrugged it off and continued to walk. Only as I stood on the quayside and was about to get into my boat did the understanding come to me, and I immediately made my way as swiftly as possible back to the nearest guards.
“Sound the alarm,” I said, once I had established with him my authority. “There is an assassin in the building.”
I gave him a swift description of the Italian, then returned to Mr. Bennet, and burst in on him without, this time, waiting for any formalities. “He is here,” I said. “He is in the palace.”
Mr. Bennet looked skeptical. “You have seen him?”
“No. I smelled him.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I smelled him. In the corridor. He wears a particular perfume, which is quite unmistakable, and which no Englishman would ever use. I smelled it. Believe me, sir, he is here.”
Bennet grunted. “And what have you done about it?”
“I have alerted the guards, and they are beginning to search. Where is the king? And the chancellor?”
“The king is at his prayers, and the chancellor is not here.”
“You must place extra guards.”
Mr. Bennet nodded, and straightaway summoned some officials and began giving orders. For the first time, I think, I understood why His Majesty held him in such high regard, for he acted calmly and without any show of disturbance, but moved with the greatest dispatch. Within minutes, guards were surrounding the king, the prayers were brought to an early conclusion—although not so hastily that any alarm was given to the attending courtiers—and small parties of soldiers fanned out across the palace, with its hundreds of rooms and courtyards and corridors, searching for the intruder.
“I hope you are right, sir,” Mr. Bennet said, as we watched a small party of officials being stopped and scrutinized. “If you are not, then you will not have to answer to me.”
Then I saw the man I had sought for so many days. Mr. Bennet occupied a set of rooms on the corner, with one pair of windows giving out onto the Thames, the other onto the alleyway leading to Parliament Stairs. And down this, walking calmly from Old Palace Yard past the Prince’s Lodgings, I saw a familiar figure. Without any shadow of a doubt, it was Cola, as cool as ever, though dressed less conspicuously, looking for all the world as though he had a perfect right to be there.
“There,” I shouted, grabbing Mr. Bennet by the shoulder. It took him a long time to forgive the action. “There he is. Quickly now!”
Without waiting, I ran from the room, down the stairs, shouting for guards to follow me as swiftly as possible. And I stood, like Horatius Codes himself, barring the way to Parliament Stairs, the waiting boats and Cola’s only chance of escape.
I had no notion of what to do next. I was quite unarmed, perfectly alone and without any means of defending myself against a man whose murderous skills were well attested. But my desire and my duty impelled me forward, for I was determined he should not escape me, and the revenge I was bound to seek.
Had Cola pulled his weapon and lunged at me the moment he saw me standing in front of him, his escape would have been certain and my death equally assured. I had only surprise in my armory, and I was quite aware that it was but a feeble weapon.
It worked, nonetheless, for when Cola did see me, he was so astonished that he did not know how to react.
“Dr. Wallis!” he said, and even managed a smile of what could almost have passed as pleasure. “You were the last person I expected to see here.”
“I am aware of that. Might I enquire what you are doing?”
“I am seeing the sights, sir,” he replied. “Before beginning my journey home, which I plan to do tomorrow.”
“I think not,” I said with relief, for I could see soldiers approaching over the courtyard. “I think your journey is already at an end.”
He turned round to see what I was looking at, then his face frowned with puzzlement and dismay.
“I am betrayed, I see,” he said, and I breathed a great sigh of relief.
He was taken, with no fuss or disturbance, to a room off Fish Yard, and I went with him. Mr. Bennet went to find His Majesty that he might be informed of events and also, I believe, to inform Lord Clarendon that the danger was at an end. For my part, I felt dizzy with my success and gave thanks that I had discovered the man before, rather than after, he had caused any damage. I saw him locked in, then began to question him closely, although for all the information I collected, I might as well have saved my breath.
Cola’s bravado amazed me, for he affected to be delighted at the sight of me, despite the circumstances. He was pleased, he said, to see an old face.
“I have felt myself very solitary since I left your fine town, Dr. Walk’s,” he said. “I do not find the people of London greatly welcoming.”
“I cannot imagine why. But you were hardly a popular figure in Oxford when you left, either.”
He looked distressed at the comment. “It seems not. Although I am quite unaware of what I did to deserve such churlishness. You have heard of my dispute with Mr. Lower, I imagine? He mistreated me very badly, I do not mind telling you, and I am at a loss to explain why. I shared all my ideas with him, and was sorely treated in return.”
“Maybe he learned more about you than your ideas, and was not pleased to be harboring such a person. No man likes to be deceived, and if he was too gentlemanly to challenge you openly, it is not discourteous to indicate annoyance.”
A crafty look of caution came over his bland, wide face as he sat down opposite and studied me with what seemed to be vague amusement.
“I suppose I have to thank you for that, do I? Mr. Lower told me you were forever burrowing your nose in other people’s business, and occupying yourself with matters that were none of your affair.”
“I may claim that honor,” I said, determined not to be drawn by his offensive tone. “I act for the good of the country and its legitimate government.”
“I’m glad to hear it. So should all men do so. I like to think of myself as equally loyal.”
“I believe you are. You proved that in Candia, did you not?”
His eyes narrowed at my demonstration of knowledge. “I was not aware that my fame had spread so far.”
“And you knew Sir James Prestcott as well?”
“Oh, I see,” he replied, a false understanding dawning. “You had it from that strange son of his. You must not believe everything you hear from that young man. He has the most bizarre of delusions about anything and anyone connected to his honored father. He is quite capable of inventing any tale about me in order to reflect glory on that poor man.” “I can hardly think of Sir James as a poor man.” “Can you not? I met him under different circumstances, when he was reduced to selling his sword for hire, and with scarcely a penny to his name. A sad fall, that, when no one of his fellows would reach out a hand to help him. Can you really condemn him so much? What loyalty did he owe anyone by then? He was the bravest of men, the most courageous of comrades, and I honor his memory as much as I lament his end.”