Heartstone

'Sir,' she said at once. 'Have I done something wrong? Father—'

'Shut your face, Jojo,' Coldiron told her warningly. 'Keep quiet.'

I said, 'Josephine, you are not in trouble. But I know William Coldiron is not your father. Coldiron is not even his real name.'

Josephine had been shifting nervously from foot to foot but now she became very still, her face watchful, eyes narrowed. And I realized her stupidity and clumsiness were largely an act. A part she had grown used to playing for Coldiron over the years, as Emma Curteys had learned to play the part of her brother. No doubt that was how Coldiron liked her to be—silly, clumsy, dependent.

'When I was in Portsmouth,' I continued. 'I learned some things about Master Coldiron. How he really got his injury—'

'It was at Flodden, sir,' she said.

'Lies. And he deserted from his company years later, when he took you.'

She looked at Guy. He nodded. She turned to Coldiron. 'You said you had to leave, Father, the men were going to do bad things to me and you wanted to protect me—'

'I said shut up,' Coldiron hissed, 'you stupid clumsy French mare.'

She stopped speaking at once. 'I am going to let you go, Coldiron,' I said. 'I will not report your crimes—I would not have your disgrace visited on Josephine. Go now. But you, Josephine, I would like you to stay and work for me. If you want to.'

Her lip trembled. 'But sir, you know—Dr Malton knows—how useless I am.'

'You are,' Coldiron said hotly. 'You need me to look after you, stop you messing everything up.'

I turned to her. 'That is not true.'

'We will look after you, Josephine,' Guy said gently. She looked between us, then her face crumpled and she raised her hands to her face, sobbing. Guy walked over and patted her shoulder.

'Leave her alone, you brown shit!' Coldiron shouted out. 'And you, you crookback bastard! You've always been against me; you hate soldiers, any real men, that aren't weaklings and cripples and cowards—'

Suddenly I lost all reason. I ran at him. Coldiron jerked away in surprise as I grasped him by the shoulders, turned him round and marched him into the hall. Simon and Timothy had heard the raised voices and were standing in the kitchen doorway, open-mouthed.

'Tim!' I shouted. 'Open the door!'

Coldiron howled, 'No, not in front of the boys! No!' He struggled as Timothy ran and threw open the door. I propelled Coldiron through it. He went flying, landing face down on the ground at the bottom of the steps. He howled like a stuck pig, then turned and stared up at me. As I slammed the door in his face the best thing was that just behind me Coldiron saw Simon and Timothy laughing and clapping their hands.

Chapter Fifty-two

I RETURNED TO the parlour. Josephine sat at the table, calmer now, Guy beside her. She looked up at me, a direct look rather than her usual averted gaze. 'Is he gone, sir?' she asked tremulously.

I breathed hard. My shoulders were hurting now. 'Yes, he is.'

Guy asked gently, 'Do you remember your last name, Josephine, from when you were small?'

'No.' She bowed her head. 'But I remember the village, the house burning.' She looked up at me. 'I remember some of the soldiers in the camp were kind. But then he took me away.' Then she gave a deep sigh. 'How will I manage without him?'

Guy said, 'Do you wish to? You could still follow him.'

'But I am nobody, nothing.'

'We do not think so, or we would not have asked you to stay.'

Josephine jumped violently as a loud knocking sounded at the front door. She grabbed Guy's hand. 'He has come back! Sir, he will be angry, help me please—'

I strode out and opened the door. Simon and Timothy were still standing beside it, their faces gleeful. I threw it open. Coldiron stood on the step. He quailed for a moment at my expression, then said, 'My things, sir. The money in my chest, my clothes, my little mementos—you can't keep them!' His voice rose to a shout. 'It's not legal! And I'm due wages! Keep Jojo, keep her, but I want my wages!'

I turned to the boys. 'Go to Coldiron's room, put everything in his chest, bring it down and put it outside. No need to be too careful in packing it.' Coldiron had stepped forward, he was trying to get back in, but I slammed the door in his face once more.

'Yes, sir!' Timothy ran quickly away up the stairs. I thought, I am setting a bad example to these boys. As Simon turned to follow I put a hand on his shoulder. 'Wait,' I said.

'Yes, sir?'

I looked into the thin face beneath the untidy blond hair. He was as tall as me now. I asked quietly, 'Do you still want to be a soldier?'

He hesitated, then said, 'After you left, sir, I came to realize—Master Coldiron told many lies, didn't he?'

'Yes, he did. But Simon, if you still think of going for a soldier, come to me first, and I will see if I can find some men who have done real fighting for you to talk to. Then if you still want to do it I will not stand in your way.'

'Sir, I was thinking. Before you left, you spoke of helping me to an apprenticeship—'

I smiled. 'Yes. I will, if that is what you want.'

He looked round. Guy and Josephine were standing in the parlour doorway. Josephine was trembling and her face was streaked with tears. She had heard Coldiron saying we could keep her. Simon looked at her, then back at me, a blush coming to his face. 'Is Josephine staying?' he asked.

'Well, Josephine?' I asked quietly.

She answered, tremblingly, 'Yes, Simon. I am staying.'

Shortly after the boys bumped and banged Coldiron's little chest down the stairs. I opened the door. He was sitting morosely on the steps. I watched him drag the chest out through my gate and off down Chancery Lane. My last sight of him was when he turned and shook a skinny fist at me.

* * *

EVENING WAS drawing on. I stood in the parlour, looking out at the garden. Guy had been with Josephine in the kitchen, easing her back into her life, getting her to prepare dinner with the boys. He came back looking thoughtful. I smiled. 'I will need a new steward now. How would you like the job?'

He raised his eyebrows. 'I think going back to medicine may be easier.' He hesitated, then said with unexpected diffidence, 'I thought of returning to my house next week.'

'I will get the boys to clean it out first. They and Josephine.' I looked at him seriously. 'Will she be able to manage without Coldiron?'

'It will not be easy. If you could get some kindly decent old fellow to take Coldiron's place, that might help, give her a sense of order. She will need that, for a time at least. And you need a man in charge of the household, otherwise there may be gossip about you and her.'

I nodded, smiling. 'I think young Simon is the one with an interest there.'

'I have noticed that. I think you should tell him she needs help, but peace and quiet too. He is a good lad, I think he will understand.'

I sat down. I was silent a minute, then said, 'Well, I have seen to Coldiron. But there is something else I have to deal with.'

'Ellen?'

'While I was away I discovered what happened to her. She was raped. One of the men involved is dead, the other now in a position where he can do her no harm. And the Queen is taking over payment of her fees.'

He gave me a long, steady look. 'What happened in Hampshire, Matthew?'

'It is a long story. I may have a new patient for you if you want him, by the way, a sad unhappy boy, badly injured by an arrow.' I looked at Guy. 'He did a terrible thing, it preys much on him. He is—well, he is very sick in his mind. But he was injured trying to save my life, and Barak's.'

'Is it Hugh Curteys?'

'No. His name is David Hobbey. Guy, I will tell you everything, but first I must go to the Bedlam, tell Ellen she is safe. And free.'