Chapter 20 #2
Trumpets announced the arrival of the first course as the lords hurried to serve Anne, laying the first dishes before her.
Soon, plates were set down before Thomasin too — dishes of roasted swan and peacock, dressed in their feathers still, capons in saffron sauce, larks in honey, roasted pork, venison in red wine, far more than even that amount of people might consume.
Thomasin tried to remember the taste of each one, in order to tell Lettice and Giles later.
As she ate, a sound came from the tapestry behind her.
No doubt one of the servants’ corridors ran behind it, but this sounded more like a scuffle than the hurrying of feet.
Opposite, Sir Thomas caught Thomasin’s expression and sent her a quizzical look.
She listened again, and the sound persisted, as if someone had fallen, followed by the clink of metal on stone.
It sounded like more than a clumsy server dropping a plate.
Sir Thomas was on his feet at once, and Thomasin was minded to follow as he called for guards stationed nearby and fumbled for the gap in the tapestries.
It revealed an archway behind, leading to the kitchen passage, dark save for the line of flickering torches that lit the way for those carrying food.
“Help!” cried a muffled voice. “Help, treason!”
The words were enough to galvanise them, with Sir Thomas stepping into the corridor.
In the gloom, they could make out two figures on the ground, with smashed plates around them. One young man lay heavily across another, who was struggling to escape his grip.
“What in God’s name…?” Sir Thomas tried to keep his voice down, mindful of the feast on the other side of the wall.
“He has a dagger! I head him boasting of getting close to the queen.”
“Search them both!”
Sir Thomas stepped aside to allow the guards to separate the figures and drag them into a narrow waiting room opposite, where spare trestles and benches were stacked against the wall.
“Here!” One guard produced a sharp-handled knife from the breeches of the second man.
“It’s for carving,” he protested dully. “Let me be about my business.”
“That is not true, Jenkin!” said the other, turning to Sir Thomas. “I heard him speak of harming the queen, saying that she has bewitched the king and corrupted the court. He said it would be better if she was removed.”
Sir Thomas took the knife and turned it over in his hands. It was most definitely not the sort of instrument used to carve meat, but rather an ornamental piece made for display that should belong to a lord of the realm.
“Where did you get this?”
“He stole it from a lord’s chamber when we were building the fire. I can show you the chamber.”
They all looked at the accused man. He had a plain face, with lumpish features and brown hair and eyes.
“Is this true?” asked Sir Thomas. “You stole this weapon and planned to harm the queen?”
The man was trembling before him, his two large hands rising and falling like pale birds in the gloom. His mouth stammered open and closed.
“What is your name?”
“He’s Jenkin Brown,” said the other. “And I’m William Knott.”
“Take them both to be questioned, away from here,” said Sir Thomas. “Inform Lord Cromwell. Report back to me.”
Both men were led away by the guards, disappearing into the darkness of the passage. Thomasin looked down at the smashed plates underfoot, thinking how narrow an escape that had been, and how lucky it was that the days had passed without similar events.
“Well done,” said Sir Thomas, standing close beside her. “But do not mention this.” He took her by the elbow. “You hear me? Do not tell Anne, or anyone else. It is dealt with, and no one else need know. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I understand.”
“We are almost there. She will always have to face this kind of attack. I thank you for your vigilance.” His eyes lingered on her face as if he would say more.
“We should return.” Thomasin removed her arm from his grasp, which brought him back to his senses.
“Yes. If they ask, we will say a rat had been caught.”
The truth then, thought Thomasin, following him back into the hall.
Musicians were now playing and the feast was underway, their absences barely noted.
At the far end, Anne was looking radiant.
Thomasin looked around for Rafe. Part of her wanted to confront him about what she had learned from Isabel, but he was seated beside his wife, eating solemnly.
What would be achieved by bringing all that up again now that they were both happily wed?
All that mattered was that she had learned how truly duplicitous he had been.
Then, to the sounds of pipes and flutes, the final course was brought out: gleaming custards and coloured jellies, rich gingerbread and gilded marchpane, baked tarts and wafers, syllabubs with cream and sticky, candied fruits.
Thomasin had left a little space so that she might taste each.
She ate slowly, with enjoyment: this was to be her last meal at court, after all.
“This is too much for me,” said Lady Elizabeth, sucking on a piece of candied orange peel, “and it will make my teeth ache. I think my time is up here.” Thomasin could not help but agree as she looked down at her own empty plate.
With a few words of explanation to the rest of the table, Lady Elizabeth rose to her feet and took Thomasin’s arm.
They made their way behind the diners, down the side of the hall as discreetly as possible.
Their carriage was already waiting by the time they reached the yard, leaving the noise and bustle behind.
“Ah,” said Lady Elizabeth, sinking into her chair. “It is done. I can rest easy now.”
Thomasin took the seat beside her and gave the signal to the driver to pull away. It was a relief to see Westminster vanishing behind them, with its glittering lights, pillars and carvings dissolving in the distance.
“It was my dearest wish to see her settled,” said her companion after a while. “I am not getting any younger, and I had to see her married. And now crowned.”
“You are not that old, surely.”
“Not so much in years, perhaps, but I am unwell. I have known it for a while; it has aged me faster than other women.”
“I am sorry to hear that. You have seen doctors?”
“Many of them. They say there is nothing that can be done beyond eating a sparse diet, bland food and white meats. And I mustn’t consume too much wine. They think it is some wasting disease or cough, or phthisis, depending upon who you ask.”
“I would not have known.”
“I try not to show it.” Her smile was taut and quick. “But things creep up on me. I must rest now. Here.” She removed a long strand of priceless black pearls from around her neck — thick, dark orbs that gleamed with an opalescent sheen. “Take these. I want you to have them.”
“Oh, I couldn’t!”
“I insist. You have made these past few days bearable for me. You have given me the time and patience that no one else can, and I am more grateful than I can say.” She placed them into Thomasin’s hands, heavy and still warm from her skin.
The carriage pulled into Durham Place and came to a halt. Lady Elizabeth patted her hand.
“Just see me up to my chamber, my dear. That will be all.”