Chapter 27
CHAPTER 27
L ondon, 1536
The dreadful stench instantly alerted Cara to her arrival in Tudorville. Her years of study at the University of York hadn’t adequately prepared her for the reality of Tudor filth. The smell of acrid urine was rank. It was a normal part of the daily routine for Londoners to toss the contents of their chamber pots out of the windows. It was pure luck if a pedestrian escaped being doused in urine as they navigated the cobbled streets.
Ew. She wrinkled her nose in an attempt to block the odour. It took her sensitive nostrils a few minutes to adjust before her senses settled and the urge to heave, abated.
Cara spotted Edward waiting on the corner. As he turned and walked towards her, his smile lit up his pensive features, and he reached out to hold her in a warm embrace.
‘Thank goodness, here you are,’ he said. ‘I’ve been willing you to turn up. It’s difficult to make any progress with the other Cara. She hasn’t a clue what’s going on.’
‘How did you know it was me?’
‘I’m not sure. I had a feeling you would be back today. I just knew.’
‘Talking of which, where the heck were you the other day? What on earth happened when we were waiting on the river to rescue you and George from the Tower? I’ve been dying to find out. I was so agitated to have to travel and not know what was going on.’
‘We couldn’t get out. We were chaperoned from the second I was admitted.’
‘Were they suspicious?’
‘I don’t think so. They’re just accustomed to observing closely when a new visitor arrives, that’s all. Unfortunately, we couldn’t move. I wanted to talk it through with you, but of course, you’d disappeared.’
‘Sorry about that. I know it’s tricky as hell when you go off. What’s she like then? Is she very slow?’
‘Who, Cara?’ Edward laughed and shook his head.
‘Slow? No, of course she’s not slow. She’s you. But she has no idea of the implications of her past or future actions, so it’s of no use to discuss our plans beyond the immediate time. It only confuses the present. She’s got enough to deal with. I can’t unload our calculations and deliberations onto her; it would blow her sixteenth-century mind.’
‘I do envy her. How wonderful to be a simple wife, living a simple life,’ Cara sighed.
‘Well, I think you forget the reality of it. Life is not exactly simple. George is under threat of execution, remember?’
‘That’s true. How could I forget? How’s she coping with George being locked in the Tower, by the way?’
‘Not well. When I came out, I told her what I’ll tell you; he’s in a low state of mind. We can’t leave him there much longer. The Tower is a hellhole, as you know.’
Cara’s eyes welled up, and a wave of emotion blocked her throat. She swallowed. ‘I must go to him.’
‘Yes, that’s exactly what she said.’
‘That’s good. I couldn’t bear it if she didn’t adore him as I do.’
‘Oh, you need have no fear on that score. They’re crazy about one another.’
‘Edward, you’re not helping.’
‘Oh, I thought I was. You said it was good.’
‘I know what I said. Don’t you know that a woman sometimes says things she doesn’t actually mean?’
‘Um, oh dear, I’m on shaky ground. I’m not very up on the ways of the fairer sex.’
‘Scientists!’ Cara rolled her eyes.
‘It’s as though he’s with another woman. It’s not as gut-wrenching as him being married to Joanna or even Kate, but it’s still horrid,’ she said.
‘Trust me; she is just like you! He’s not fallen for another woman. But who the hell is Kate?’
‘I’ll tell you later. I can’t believe I’m jealous of myself. How absolutely ridiculous! Let’s talk about something else, or I’ll go mad. What’s been happening since the morning of the aborted rescue?’
‘If we plan another rescue I think we’ll be better to have Swifty in the Tower with my lord, and me down below with you. They’re used to the boy. He blends in, and as long as we get word to George via Swifty, he’ll know when we’ll be waiting.’
‘Yes. Makes sense. That way we won’t alert them to anything out of the ordinary.’
‘There’s something else, though. Don’t get your hopes up too high as it could be complete nonsense, but Swifty heard a rumour from a guard, who heard it from a courtier, who heard it from someone at the Tower, that the king is going to pardon George.’
Cara stopped. ‘Good lord. Why didn’t you tell me earlier?’
‘You weren’t here! Anyway, it’s only a rumour. We can’t rely on it being true until we get some kind of solid indication it’s really happening. You know the palaces are always awash with whispers, and most of it never comes to anything. The servants love to gossip.’
Cara hardly dared to hope it might be true.
‘I still want to see him as soon as possible. It feels like forever since I’ve seen his face.’
‘Okay. What do you propose?’
‘I’ve given this some thought. It’s all I had to focus on in the present day to keep myself from going around the bend. You won’t believe what’s happening now, by the way. The new George is a complete arse.’
‘Oh, dear. Is this something to do with the Kate you mentioned? Could there be some misunderstanding? It wouldn’t be the first time you two have tripped over your crossed wires. The earl is a good man; surely even in an alternative timeline, he couldn’t be a wrong-un.’
‘Trust me. It’s just as well he’s married to someone else, and I won’t make the same mistake again. It must be the time travel lucky dip; sometimes you get a bad egg in the gene pool.’
‘Goodness. So he has married again?’
‘Yes, indeed. How many times must that romantic fool marry? He’ll be giving the king a run for his money at this rate,’ Cara ranted. There was a note of hysteria in her voice. ‘In fairness, he doesn’t even know what happened. He’s unconsciously trying to repeat our whole story, and this time it’s even worse. He’s with this fantastic woman, but he still propositioned me. At least when he was married to Joanna, I had some compassion for his situation. This time he’s just an out and out philanderer.’
Eddie shook his head, doubtful. He knew better than to say any more, but secretly he bet there was more to it. His mistress wasn’t in a benevolent mood, so the less said, the better. He might not understand the fairer sex, but he knew when to shut up.
‘How will you get in to see George?’ Edward deftly changed the subject.
‘I’ll disguise myself as his mother, and petition to see him before his death. It’s perfectly reasonable for his mother to be desperate to see him one last time. It’s harsh that they banished his wife and children. I think in the circumstances, even Cromwell, may show mercy.’
‘Yes, I hope you’re right. What about the rescue? Shall we wait and see what happens—in case the pardon isn’t a rumour?’
‘I think we better had. I keep remembering the warning from Angel Gabriel about things not being as they seem, and the risk of doing irreparable damage by taking the wrong action. If the rescue were to succeed and Henry had planned to pardon George, he would be furious. He hates being outwitted. That’s when he’s at his most dangerous. I saw it with Anne. She knew how to play him like a fiddle until she lost his trust. He’s like a child; he detests being thwarted. We must let him be in control, or George will die. The king loves to be admired as the benevolent king so let’s play him at his own game.’
‘Yes, agreed. Although we still have the sixty-seven to thirty-three percent ratio to consider. If we don’t rescue him, we have no way of knowing what the ultimate compound effect will be. Just because George is alive now, as someone else, doesn’t mean he would be if we hadn’t rescued him.’
‘The whole thing makes my head throb. I’ve thought about nothing else. I go back and forth on the pros and cons and can’t decide whether it’s best to rescue him or not. I think given the possibility of a pardon, combined with Angel Gabriel’s warning, and your prediction of a thirty-three per cent chance of a bigger mess, we’d better wait.’
‘If in doubt, do nowt,’ said Edward.
‘Yes, absolutely. It’s the best way. When we know, we’ll know, and we won’t take action to break him out until then, no matter how tempting it may be. It’s a gamble, but we’ll take it until we have reason to do otherwise.’
‘Yes, my lady.’
‘Edward?’
‘Yes, my lady.’
‘Please stop yes my ladying me!’
‘Yes, my lady.’
She raised an eyebrow. They giggled. The humour touched Cara’s sore heart as they made their way to the London lodgings.
‘You know the king well. Holding off makes sense, but I also think if we haven’t heard anything positive about a pardon in a couple of days, we should reevaluate. We need to get George out of the Tower,’ said Edward.
‘Yes, of course. I can’t wait to get away from the city but is there something you’ve not told me?’
‘Only that Henry’s council is hunting down all who could be suspected of any remote sign of allegiance to the pope. It’s like a reverse inquisition. Meanwhile, the priests inform me that all hell is breaking out on the continent.’
‘Oh, my God. Of course. How dense of me to not have thought of the trouble brewing. Sometimes I forget we’re witnessing history and we already know how it turns out. It’s May 1536. The Spanish inquisition is about to hit Portugal. Pope Paul authorises the inquisition to root out the thousands of Jews who settled there, following their expulsion from Spain when they refused to convert to Christianity in 1492,’ said Cara.
‘Yes. And the people here are resentful,’ Edward nodded.
‘They don’t know who or what to believe in anymore. They’ve lost two queens in such a short period, the monasteries are being dissolved, and they can no longer pray to their effigies. There’s a sickness at the heart of the nation, and his name is Henry. He’s more power-hungry each day that passes without a newborn son in the nursery,’ said Cara.
‘I want to see us safely away from the city before the unrest kicks off. London is like a powder keg waiting to be lit, and I don’t want us still here when it explodes.’ Edward spoke his treasonous words in a whisper, looking about him as he talked. ‘Don’t you have Jewish blood?’
‘Yes, my mother was Jewish, which makes me officially Jewish, but we kept it quiet. I was raised a Catholic, and in Henry’s new England, we became Protestant like everyone else. What he and Anne did was a scandal, and all just to arrange an annulment so they could marry and remove queen Katherine. Mind you, Katherine of Aragon was the fruit of evil parents, Isabella and Ferdinand. They instigated the Spanish Inquisition and have thousands of innocents’ blood on their hands. What goes around comes around. But still, the king tossed Katherine aside like an old shoe, and poor Anne fared even worse,’ Cara said.
‘What happens to Jane Seymour? I know I should remember, but I’m afraid I don’t, and as I haven’t any internet access right now, I can’t pretend otherwise just to impress you. He still has three more wives to get through, so I do know it’s not a happy ending,’ said Edward.
‘Poor Jane Seymour dies next year, after giving birth to a son: Edward.’
‘It’s coming back to me now. But as I say, I want to get us away as quickly as possible. When there’s unrest, the Jews are the first to be targeted. I’m surprised they didn’t dredge that up to add to the list of charges against you.’
‘I expect they know that charges of treason and witchcraft are enough to warrant burning me at the stake, should they so desire. Don’t worry Edward. We’ll be safe in the city for a while longer.’
‘How can you be so sure?’
‘For the same reason, you knew how to calculate the sixty-seven to thirty-three percent odds. I’m a historian and a bloody good one.’
Seville, 1840
‘Isn’t the Cathedral breathtaking?’ said George, as they wandered hand in hand through the nave. The afternoon sunshine infused the beautiful old building with light, and a sense of peace washed over Cara.
‘I’m relieved we were able to leave Madrid so quickly. I didn’t like it there at all,’ she said.
‘If someone was watching our movements since we arrived, there’s nothing to arouse suspicion. I made it known that the purpose of our visit was primarily to research the whereabouts of a British manuscript, so it’s fortunate indeed that Carlos was able to get us a lead so quickly,’ said George.
‘Yes, I wonder how he managed that.’
‘Turns out he has a close friend who specialises in that kind of thing so as soon as he mentioned it, the friend knew exactly who to ask.’
‘When will we meet this brilliant friend?’
‘I’m not sure. The Spanish clock is notoriously unreliable, so we need to go with the flow and see what happens. It can be quite frustrating—the Spaniards are in no rush.’
‘What about the villa? Shall we go and see it before we move in?’
‘No, Carlos accepted it on our behalf. He said it’s a splendid place and if he hadn’t taken it immediately, someone else would have snapped it up. I do hope you like it, though.’
‘I’m certain it will be perfect. How could it possibly not be? You and me, together in a villa in the Sevillian sunshine, doing just as we please, whenever we please, however, we please. It sounds splendid, indeed.’
‘Yes, it’s a rare treat for us to be able to spend all of our time together. It’s a relief to be away from the routine and the rain of London for a while.’ George squeezed Cara’s hand.
‘I’m looking forward to having a break from the dreary ladies’ society functions. You have no idea how dull it is listening to them droning on and on about the latest fashions and gossip.’
‘I can only imagine. Although the men’s conversation over brandy and cigars isn’t particularly scintillating.’
‘I suppose so, but I find it immensely irritating that we women must always be excluded. You’re privileged as a man, so you don’t understand what it’s like. It would be nice to be given the option to join you gentlemen once in a while. Society’s rules make me feel quite rebellious.’
George laughed. ‘The old-fashioned rules are stifling. It is a wonder that women put up with them for so long.’
Cara studied George’s face, curious to learn more. ‘Whatever do you mean, old fashioned?’
‘Oh, you know. Things change. Anyway, we’ll be back in London soon enough so let’s make hay while the sun shines— it’s certainly shining here.’
‘When will we move into the villa? I can’t wait to see it. It will be fun to be at your side for your business affairs too.’ Cara bubbled at the possibilities of her newfound freedom.
‘I do love it when you bob up and down with excitement. It’s most adorable.’ George kissed the top of her head.
‘Well, women should be allowed more freedom. It’s positively dreadful how we’re cast aside while you men have all of the adventures.’
‘I couldn’t agree more, my love. You’re ahead of your time. I have a feeling women will have their day too.’
‘Do you really think so, or are you just trying to make me feel better?’ Her eyes met his, searching, wanting to believe what he predicted would come to pass.
‘Well, you know I always like to try to make you feel better, but I’m also sure it won’t always be this way. Women will be able to go out unchaperoned and even do business independently in the future.’
‘I’d like to see that! You’re such a visionary,’ said Cara, in awe of her husband’s foresight.
‘Us visionaries pay a high price, my darling,’ he said in a self-deprecating tone as if he was the most carefree man in Seville. Inwardly he rued the high price he paid for the dangerous gift of seeing into the future.
He hadn’t travelled to the present day in a while, and he liked it best that way because he was with Cara all of the time here. It was difficult when he kept going back and forth. He didn’t want to think about what was happening with Joanna; last time he was there, the atmosphere was awful.
He did his best to enjoy every precious moment in Victoriana. Still, he noticed he often slipped into a state of anxiety at the prospect of being pulled into the vortex without warning. He had no control over it. The feeling of helplessness winded him.
After a couple of hours of admiring the Cathedral and exploring the neighbouring streets, they set out in the direction of Carlos’s house.
A young woman sobbed on a low stone wall near the Cathedral, as they passed by. Cara smiled, attempting to offer some small solace, grateful for her own bliss. The woman looked away, unable to meet her eyes. She was envious of the carefree lovers.
Carlos said, ‘Edward, these are my very good friends, Cara and George Cavendish. They’re on business from London and will be staying locally for a while.’
‘Cara and George, please meet Edward, my dear friend who managed to pick up the trail of the manuscript you’re so interested in.’
They greeted one another and became better acquainted over drinks. The conversation soon turned to the manuscript, and it was agreed that the next day, Edward would introduce them to the dealer who had more information of its whereabouts.
‘It’s lovely to meet you, Cara. I’ve heard so much about you that I feel as though I’ve met you before.’
Cara looked at Edward and wondered if he was flirting with her. Always an astute judge of character she concluded that he wasn’t.
‘What do you make of that Edward fellow?’ she whispered to George, later, when they were alone. ‘He acted as though he knew me. It was rather odd.’
‘I thought he seemed like a fine fellow. It looks as though we may not have very far to go to find this manuscript, after all.’
‘That’s good news. I can’t wait to hear more about it. I’m fascinated by history. Did you say it was a Tudor manuscript?’
‘Yes, that’s right. It used to belong to my family. My ancestor, George Cavendish, commissioned it in honour of Henry VIII and before the birth of his long-anticipated firstborn son. It’s called the Tudor Kings’ Manuscript. Unfortunately, Henry’s only legitimate son, Edward, died young and was the end of the male line.
The manuscript was tossed aside, but Queen Victoria recently read about it in the Tudor archives, and it piqued her interest. She wants us to locate it while we’re here on our mission, and bring it home.’
‘How very romantic. You’re so lucky to have such an impressive family tree. It must give you a wonderful sense of pride to know you carry the name of your ancestors, and you’ve served the royal family for hundreds of years. I wish I had such a claim to fame.’
‘Funny you should say that, but by some strange coincidence, my ancestor George’s wife was also named Cara. Cara Cavendish, so you see, you also have an impressive lineage.’
‘That is rather lovely, although she’s not my blood, so it’s not really the same, but thank you.’ Cara kissed George’s cheek.
‘What’s mine is yours. Anyway, I told you about her before.’
‘No, you didn’t,’ said Cara.
‘I’m certain I did.’
‘I’m sure I’d remember if you had.’
‘All right, you win. I won’t argue with your freakish memory! I’ve lost before I begin.’
George had a vivid recollection of telling her. It must have been in the present day. It was easy to get confused; he must be more careful. Just as well she was accustomed to his unreliable memory, or she’d be interrogating him at every turn. He had no answers for the bizarre circumstances he found himself in, so it was better he continue to keep his secret for now.
Edward bid Cara and George goodnight and began to meander home, his spirits high on one too many glasses of sherry. He pondered on what was surely about to happen now that his long time travel buddies had joined him in Victoriana. How exciting.
Neither of them seemed to recognise him, which was a bit of a disappointment. For a minute he’d thought Cara showed a glimmer of recognition, but it quickly faded. It was lonely without a confidant. Carlos was his lover, but Edward didn’t share any of the strangeness of time travel with him.