‘It was utterly shameful of Lawrence!’ she said.
‘But it was I who made the decision, Anne.’
‘That’s the most shameful thing of all. Given the choice between you and Master Hibbert, he did not even have the courage to take it. Instead, he shifted the burden to you once again.’
‘I had no objection to that,’ said Nicholas.
‘Well, I do.’
‘At least, it allowed me to make the decision.’
‘Only because Lawrence knew exactly what that decision would be,’ she said, angrily. ‘He’s such a Machiavel. Because he could not ask you to stand down tomorrow, he tricked you into offering to do so.’
‘What else could I do?’
‘Defy him and defy Master Hibbert.’
‘The company must come first, Anne.’
‘For once in your life, stop being so noble.’
‘There’s more to it than that,’ he replied. ‘I’m not moved entirely by the spirit of self-sacrifice, I can assure you. The simple fact is that The Malevolent Comedy will bring in lots of money.’
‘It’s that malevolent author who worries me. Besides, after the scares they had with the play twice before, none of the actors wants to touch it again.’
‘Lawrence does and there’s been a request from our patron. Lord Westfield is eager to see it again. That settles the matter, Anne.’
‘What of Barnaby? He was bitten by that dog.’
‘He swore he’d never go near the play again. But the injury was very minor, and he began to remember all the rounds of applause that the Clown was given for his dances. Barnaby has agreed to go on.’
‘Even without you?’
‘He’s never been my closest friend.’
‘But he knows how much they depend on you.’
‘I think he’ll be reminded of that tomorrow,’ said Nicholas. ‘I wish them well, of course, but there could be problems behind the scenes. George Dart will hold the book and it may well prove too heavy for him.’
‘George Dart?’ she said, fondly. ‘What would he do if someone is poisoned onstage or if a dog is let loose again? George would run away.’
‘The play may not be ambushed again tomorrow.’
‘What if it is?’
‘Then I may be in a better position to do something about it, Anne. Instead of being tied up with the performance, I’ll occupy an upstairs room from which I can watch the whole yard. Yes,’ he went on, ‘and I’ll place Leonard where he can receive a signal from me. Between the two of us, we may be able to ward off an attack before it even comes.’
‘That’s not the point at issue here.’
‘It is for me. I want Hal Bridger’s killer caught.’
‘So do I, but I also want justice for Nicholas Bracewell. You’ve given them years of loyal service. All that Master Hibbert has given them is one play. Yet he takes precedence over you.’
‘I’ll admit that I was disappointed by that.’
‘You’d every right to feel betrayed. This is akin to treachery.’
‘Lawrence was put in an impossible situation,’ he said, mildly. ‘I do not hold it against him.’
‘Well, I do,’ she returned with vehemence. ‘I’ll never forgive him for this — or the others, for that matter. Did nobody speak in your favour?’
‘Owen Elias did, so did Frank Quilter. And I’m sure that Edmund would have pleaded my cause, had he still been there. It was all to no avail. Lawrence overruled them.’
‘He’d not overrule me.’
Nicholas laughed. ‘I think it would take an army to do that, Anne. But do not accept defeat yet,’ he warned. ‘The situation may still change in our favour.’
‘How?’
‘Lawrence has to break the news to his wife.’
Until that day, Lawrence Firethorn had been a reluctant churchgoer, attending begrudgingly out of a sense of duty rather than because of any Christian impulse. This time, however, he could not wait to get there because it offered him the sanctuary he desperately sought. Having kept the decision about Nicholas Bracewell to himself, he had made the fatal mistake of confiding in his wife on the Sabbath. Margery’s wrath knew no bounds. People six streets away heard her red-blooded condemnation. In full flow, she could even make as strapping a man as her husband quail with fear. Firethorn fled to church with alacrity and prayed that she might forgive him his trespasses.
On the walk back to Old Street, Margery was quiescent but he knew that it was only the presence of their children, and of the apprentices who lived with them, that held her back from a display of public excoriation. She was saving herself until they were behind closed doors again. The fact that her voice penetrated wood, stone and any other intervening material with ease did not hold her back. Neighbours were compelled to listen to the latest piece of marital discord.
‘You made Nick Bracewell stand down?’ she howled.
‘It was his decision.’
‘You forced him into making it.’
‘I could do little else, my angel.’
‘Angel me no more,’ warned Margery, ‘for you are on the side of the devil. Only a fiend from Hell could treat Nick the way that you did.’
‘He upset Saul Hibbert,’ said Firethorn.
‘By rescuing his play from disaster twice in a row?’
‘Saul does not see it like that.’
‘But you should, Lawrence. You know the truth of it.’
‘Nick did handle him very roughly on Thursday.’
‘I’m surprised that he did not tear the fellow apart,’ she yelled. ‘Any other man would have done so. One of your lads was murdered and all that Master Hibbert can do is to complain that it spoilt his play. Is human life worth no more than that? God’s mercy! In Nick’s place, I’d have strangled him with my bare hands.’
‘There’s no point in arguing over it,’ said Firethorn, trying to assert himself. ‘The decision is made and we all have to abide by it.’
‘Well, I don’t.’
‘You’re not a member of the company.’
‘No,’ she retorted. ‘If I had been, this villainy would never have taken place. Remove your book holder to please this testy playwright? I’d sooner get rid of you.’
‘Margery!’
‘They’ve managed without Lawrence Firethorn before.’
‘And very poorly.’
‘How much worse has it been when Nick Bracewell was absent? Your enemies set a proper value on him. Have you forgotten the time they had him put in prison?’ she demanded. ‘It was not you or Barnaby they sought to impair. They knew they could cause more damage by taking your book holder away from you.’
‘Do not remind me,’ begged Firethorn, hands to his head.
‘Somebody has to, Lawrence. Had I not got him released from the Counter, with the help of your patron, Westfield’s Men would surely have foundered. True or false?’
‘That was a long time ago, Margery.’
‘True or false?’ she shrieked.
‘True, all true, utterly and completely true.’
‘And is this how you repay Nick for his service to the company?’
‘It’s only while Saul’s play holds the stage.’
‘That could be a week, perhaps two. What is your book holder supposed to do in the meantime? Sit quietly at home with Anne?’ She gave a grim laugh. ‘I’ll wager that you’d not dare to face her. Nobody understands Nick’s true worth more than Anne. She’ll be disgusted with you, Lawrence, and I share her disgust.’
Firethorn began to sweat. He felt that he was being roasted on the spit of his wife’s anger. Having married her for her vitality, he had long ago discovered that there was a severe drawback. Turned against him, the zest and vigour that had made Margery such an appealing woman was a potent weapon. He was tempted to run back to church again to hide.
‘Well?’ she asked, folding her arms. ‘What do you have to say?’
‘Nothing, my love.’
‘There’s no love here for you, sir.’
‘Running a theatre company is a difficult business.’
‘A nasty, scurvy, double-dealing business in your hands.’
‘We’d be fools to turn Saul Hibbert and his play away.’
‘And knaves to part with Nick so cruelly.’