‘He lives close to Walmer?’
‘So it seems.’
‘Then it must be Sir Roger Penhallurick.’
‘That’s a Cornish name.’
‘He lives a long way from Cornwall now.’
‘Where is the house?’
‘Not three miles distant from the town. Sir Roger has a large estate.’
‘I may pay it a visit.’
‘Do not waste your time watching Conway’s Men perform. It would be a tedious exercise. They have nothing to teach you, Nick.’
‘My interest is in their manager, Tobias Fitzgeoffrey.’
‘Now, he does have talent,’ confessed Frant. ‘Master Fitzgeoffrey is a true actor, worthy enough to appear with any company in the land.’
‘And on close terms with his patron, I believe.’
‘The two are hand in glove.’
‘Where is Lord Conway now?’
‘Staying with Sir Roger, I daresay. If his company is playing at the house of a dear friend, I doubt very much if he would miss the occasion. The chances are that Tobias Fitzgeoffrey and his patron will be under the same roof.’
Nicholas was pensive. ‘How would I find the house?’ he asked.
Barnaby Gill was so pleased with the success of the performance that he was in a benevolent mood for once. As they supped at the Lion that evening, he bought wine and ale for the actors, and even rewarded George Dart for taking on the thankless task of wheeling him around. What delighted him most was that the play chosen for their second appearance at the Guildhall was A Trick To Catch A Chaste Lady, a drama that held a particular significance for him. It was during the performance of the play at the Queen’s Head that he had sustained his broken leg. When the comedy was staged in Maidstone, fatigue kept him away from it but everyone praised the way that Giddy Mussett had taken the role of the clown. Gill now had the chance to reclaim the part of Bedlam for himself. While he could not dance any of his celebrated jigs, he was still confident that he could win over an audience from his wheelbarrow.
Inevitably, some alterations had to be made to the play. Nicholas retired to a room with Edmund Hoode so that they could discuss the changes needed and see how best to promote the character of Bedlam. Much of the comic action that had been used in The Foolish Friar could easily be transposed to a different play, as could some of the songs. The real problem lay in creating a new role for Owen Elias, who would once again be in charge of the wheelbarrow on stage. Hoode sharpened his goose quill in readiness.
‘Fate works against me, Nick,’ he said with a sigh of resignation. ‘I had hoped to write scenes for my new play, but I spend all my time cobbling old ones instead.’
‘You’ve been a master shoemaker, Edmund. Without your skills, Barnaby would never have been able to appear with us. The wheelbarrow may have got him on stage but you were the one whose words gave him a fresh purpose in each play. Does not that bring you satisfaction?’
‘Great satisfaction.’
‘You helped to save us,’ said Nicholas. ‘And by making it possible for Barnaby to act again, you’ve turned a peevish spectator back into a wondrous clown. When we set out from London, he did nothing but carp and bicker. Look at him now. He is so pleased to be back in harness that he showed true generosity this evening. Can you remember the last time when that happened?’
‘No, Barnaby is apt to keep his purse to himself.’
‘He’s doing what he does best once more. That’s the cause of this happiness.’
‘But how long will it last, Nick?’
‘As long as you can provide plays in which he can act.’
‘We cannot stay in Kent forever,’ argued Hoode. ‘What happens then? Return to London and we have nowhere to play. Barnaby and the rest of us will have to look elsewhere for work. This tour may be the death of Westfield’s Men.’
‘Someone certainly intends that it should be.’
‘That’s my other fear. Will we all live to get back to the capital?’
‘Yes, Edmund.’
‘Our enemies may have other ideas.’
‘Then we must keep one step ahead of them,’ counselled Nicholas. ‘As to the Queen’s Head, all is by no means lost. Alexander Marwood drove us out but he may be just as eager to lure us back once the takings in his taproom fall. Westfield’s Men bring in much of his custom. The landlord may hate us but the promise of money will make him smile upon us once more.’
‘That may be a vain hope.’
‘I reason from experience. He has exiled us before, only to welcome us back with open arms. But I’ve asked Lord Westfield to lend his influence as well. When I wrote to advise him of our arrival in Dover, I requested him to make overtures to the testy landlord on our behalf. He may bring cheering news on that account.’
‘The one man who could charm Alexander Marwood is our patron.’
‘Let’s pray that he’s done so.’
‘He may bring other news from London,’ said Hoode. ‘While we have been on the road, the law has been looking closely into the murder of Fortunatus Hope. Who knows? It may even be that the crime has been solved.’
‘No, Edmund, put away that thought.’
‘Why?’
‘Because the man who killed Fortunatus Hope — and, I believe, Giddy Mussett — is not in London at all. We are the only ones who can catch him,’ said Nicholas, ‘for he is somewhere close at hand.’
Rehearsal of A Trick To Catch A Chaste Lady began in earnest on the following morning with special attention being paid to the new scenes written for the character of Bedlam. Lawrence Firethorn was delighted with the changes made to the play. Barnaby Gill took every opportunity to seize attention as Bedlam but he posed nothing like the threat to Firethorn’s dominance that Giddy Mussett had offered. Lackwit was in command of the stage and the actor-manager exploited the fact. For most of the cast, however, the play revived unpleasant memories. Gill had been seriously injured when he took the role of Bedlam and the man who replaced him had been murdered. In spite of soothing words from Nicholas Bracewell, they were bound to be wary of that particular drama. George Dart made the mistake of voicing the opinion, within earshot of Firethorn, that the piece might be cursed.
Firethorn exploded. ‘Any play that contains you is cursed.’
‘It was only a suggestion, Master Firethorn.’
‘Keep your suggestions to yourself. They offend my ear.’
‘Yes, Master Firethorn.’
‘They also insult the intelligence of any sane man. A Trick To Catch A Chaste Lady is a fine play. We’ve staged it before without the slightest trouble, even though you have been in the cast. No more of these wild accusations.’
‘I withdraw them at once,’ said Dart, wilting before his anger.
‘Dover deserves to see my Lackwit and so they shall.’
‘It’s a role that’s worthy of you, Master Firethorn.’
‘Yet the name is more worthy of you,’ said Firethorn, glaring at him. ‘Who in the company lacks wit so painfully as George Dart? You lack wit, wisdom, common sense and everything else that separates man from beast.’
‘That’s unjust,’ said Nicholas, stepping in save Dart from further abuse. ‘George made a foolish remark and I’m sure that he regrets it bitterly.’
‘Oh, I do, Nick,’ said Dart. ‘I do, I do.’
‘Then no harm has been done. I think that we should remember all the valuable work that George has done for us instead of picking on his one incautious comment.’
‘Keep the idiot away from me,’ grunted Firethorn. ‘That’s all I ask.’
‘Off you go, George,’ said Nicholas, easing him away. ‘You have to wheel Master Gill back to the Lion. We’ll be close behind you.’
‘Yes,’ said Dart, glad of the excuse to get away from the Guildhall.