‘What I mean, young Treviot, is that we have a long way to go yet before we can be sure of putting a stop to their activities. You tell me that they work for some highly placed patrons.’
‘So Archbishop Cranmer believes.’
‘Has he named these influential supporters?’
‘He believes that Black Harry is in Bishop Gardiner’s pay. I’ve heard also that Dr London, Canon of Windsor, may be a link in the chain that connects to the gang.’
‘If his grace’s suspicions are well founded, you see what we are up against. I, too, am often at the royal court. I am proud to have enjoyed the support and confidence of Lord Cromwell. I saw at close quarters what happened to him; the subtle schemes of unscrupulous enemies who gained his majesty’s ear just long enough to pour in poisonous lies.’
‘Are you saying, Sir Thomas, that we should not do all in our power to bring these murderers to justice?’
Moyle looked genuinely shocked. ‘By no means, Master Treviot! No, I take your word for it that they are the kind of knaves the kingdom must be rid of. I simply counsel caution. In this matter we could find ourselves walking on political ground, and that is something that is forever shifting. If only we had evidence connecting Black Harry with his protectors – something more substantial than mere suspicion
‘I gather that is exactly the kind of evidence Master Holbein had gathered for the archbishop.’
‘You said in your report to his grace and me that this painter fellow had disappeared.’
‘Yes, he’s probably overseas by now.’
‘A pity.’
At that moment Adie came into the room. She had tidied herself as best she could and, with hair combed and face washed, she looked more like the young woman I knew, but her torn, grimy clothes were still evidence of her ordeal. She curtsied to Sir Thomas and stood mute with downcast eyes, her hands clasped in front of her.
‘Now, young … er … Adie,’ Moyle said. ‘We know you’ve had an unpleasant few days but we need to discover all we can about these men who abducted you. You must tell us everything you know. First of all, what is your name?’
‘Adriana Imray, Sir.’ She spoke quietly but seemed in control of her feelings.
‘And what is your father’s trade?’
‘He’s dead, Sir, and my mother.’
Ah, hmm. No other relatives?’
‘My brother Ignatius is falconer to Lord Graves, Sir.’
‘Really?’ Moyle looked impressed. ‘I’ve met his lordship through my work in the Court of Augmentations.’
I smiled inwardly. Augmentations was the royal body that handled the sale of ex-monastic property. Moyle was Chancellor of Augmentations and, as such, much courted by ambitious landowners, of whom Lord Graves was probably one. I leaned forward and whispered something to Sir Thomas.
‘What?’ he spluttered. ‘Oh, very well.’ He returned his attention to Adie. ‘You may sit,’ he said. ‘There’s a bench over there.’
After another curtsy, Adie took her seat by the door.
‘Now then,’ Moyle continued, ‘Master Treviot and I have been put to much trouble rescuing you and your charges from this brigand who calls himself Black Harry. You must tell us about him.’
‘Yes, Sir.’
‘Well, go on, then. We’re listening.’
Adie explained how she and the children had been dragged from their beds in the night.
‘They gagged the bearns to stop them screaming and one of them held a knife to my throat. He said if I caused any trouble they would kill us all. They put us on their horses and rode fast with us until it was full light. We came to a big house and they took us to a small, empty room. We stayed there all that day.’ She spoke with eyes downcast, holding her feelings in check. Her composure was extraordinary.
‘Do you know whose house it was?’ I asked.
‘No, Master Thomas, but I did see him … in the hall, just as we were leaving. I don’t think he was pleased that I saw him.’
‘You’d recognise him again?’
‘Oh, yes, Master Thomas.’
‘What happened next?’ Moyle demanded.
‘They put me and the boys in a covered wagon, bound hand and foot. We jolted and banged about most of the night.’
‘You’ve no idea what route you took?’
‘No, Sir. Most of the time I was trying to calm the boys. At last we came to another big house and the men threw us into a barn for the whole day.’
‘It seems Black Harry has several wealthy supporters – willing accomplices in his crimes,’ I said.
Moyle grunted. ‘Go on, girl, what happened then?’
‘Next evening we crossed by the ferry and ended up in the place where you found us, Master Thomas. I was never more glad to see anyone.’
I laughed, wanting to lighten the atmosphere. ‘You very nearly skewered me with that pitchfork, Adie.’
‘I’m right sorry for that, Master. I thought you were-’
‘Yes, yes,’ Moyle interrupted. ‘So you arrived in that Essex place, when? Must have been Tuesday, three days ago?’
‘I suppose so, Sir. It seemed a lot longer.’
‘How did they treat you?’ Moyle asked.
Adie looked away. She raised a kerchief to her eyes. ‘I’d rather not say what they did to me, Sir. You’re a respectable gentleman but I expect you can imagine-’
I interrupted. ‘Do we need to press her on that matter, Sir Thomas?’
He ignored me. ‘And they all used you thus?’
Adie nodded, biting her lip to hold back the tears. ‘Most of them. They said they’d do things to the children if I didn’t … I was more concerned for the bearns.’ This time she failed to stern the tears. ‘The poor dearlings!’ she muttered between sobs.
Sir Thomas pressed on regardless. ‘Now, then, girl, all the time you were with them did you hear anything of their plans?’
‘Do you think we might take a break, Sir Thomas?’ I asked. ‘Mistress Imray is obviously distressed.’
He scowled. ‘I don’t have all day, Master Treviot. If we’re to track down these criminals we need information and we need it now.’
‘’Tis all right, Master. I can answer your questions. We didn’t see much of our captors because we were locked in a room by ourselves.’
‘Are you saying these monsters never talked to you, even when they were … using … you?’
‘Oh, they talked to me, or, rather, they tried to make me talk. They wanted me to tell them where Master Holbein was. They beat the boys in front of me. They said they would go on beating them till, I told them what they wanted. Only I couldn’t because I didn’t know. I couldn’t tell them, not even to save the children. I couldn’t … I couldn’t … I couldn’t.’ She began sobbing again.
‘God in heaven, Sir Thomas, what sort of monsters are we dealing with here? What drives them to such evil?’ My mind went back to Marbeck’s story.
I went over and laid a hand on Adie’s shoulder. ‘You did all you could to spare the boys’ sufferings. Of that we’re sure. I swear to you that these villains will pay ten times over for everything they’ve done to you and the children.’ Trembling rage swept over me. ‘Jesus, Mary and all the saints, I will make them pay, whatever it costs.’
Adie recovered a little. It was between sniffs that she continued her story. ‘They came to our room very early on Wednesday – before dawn. They’d come to fetch Annie. I asked what they were going to do to her. Black Harry just laughed. “We’re going to do something terrible to her,” he said. “We’ll leave you to imagine what.” Then he stood by the doorway talking to one of his men … well, arguing, really and I listened as hard as I could. Black Harry said they were meeting Master Treviot in London and he hoped you’d managed to find Master Holbein … He really is desperate to find my master. He said, “We’ll take the girl just to put extra pressure on him.” The other man said, “What about the woman and the boys?” and Black Harry replied, “We’ll kill them before we go.” That’s what the argument was about. The other man didn’t want to do it and Black Harry got very angry with him. In the end, he said, “Since they mean so much to you we won’t cut their throats. We’ll tie them up and leave them here. That way they’ll starve to death slowly instead of having a quick end. No one will find them here.’”