The Forest - Edward Rutherfurd [192]
‘Yes. All is well.’ Albion looked at his new-found brother-in-law with affection. It really was an infernal pity that things could not have been otherwise. ‘There is something I must show you, brother,’ he said quietly and drew his sword. ‘On the blade. See.’
Don Diego leaned forward to look.
Then, very suddenly, Albion ran him through.
Or nearly. For the sword point struck the golden chain under the Spaniard’s shirt. And while Don Diego offered a cry and stared in wide-eyed astonishment, Albion, wincing, had to lunge again, several times, until he was successful. It was a messy business.
He waited until the body had finished shuddering, then removed the gold chain, which weighed nearly four pounds, and covered Don Diego as well as he could with sandy soil, before going to his horse. Mercifully his mother had vanished again. She’s probably trying to raise a rebellion in Lymington, he thought grimly.
He glanced back at the place where Don Diego lay. He felt guilt, of course. But sometimes, it seemed to him, you could hardly say whether a thing was good or bad. It was a question of survival.
But now he must hurry. There were things to do.
‘Silver? You are sure?’
Gorges and Helena were alone with him in the big chamber in Hurst Castle. They had kept him waiting there some time while he gazed over the Solent, but now they had both come to join him.
‘I questioned him closely. At sword point. I think he was telling the truth.’
‘And this Spaniard – he was alone?’ Gorges enquired.
‘He said he was. He was trying to scuttle the vessel and got left on board by mistake. I saw no others,’ Albion continued, ‘so I think he was. No one’, he said carefully, ‘knows about this silver except ourselves. I came straight to you.’
‘But you killed the Spaniard.’ Gorges was looking thoughtful.
‘He suddenly drew on me. I had no choice.’
‘Shouldn’t we get the body?’ Helena asked.
There was a long pause. Gorges looked carefully at Albion and Albion looked back.
‘Perhaps not,’ said Albion helpfully.
‘The wreck’, Gorges said firmly, ‘belongs to the queen. There’s no question about that. I shall hold it in her name.’
‘I was wondering,’ Albion suggested. ‘The queen is very fond of you, Helena. She might grant you the wreck. I mean, she’s granted prizes to Drake and Hawkins, and Thomas has held Hurst for her even if he hasn’t been to sea.’
‘But Clement.’ Helena looked doubtful. ‘I don’t think she’d part with all that silver.’
Gorges was looking at her silently.
‘What silver?’ said Albion very softly.
‘Oh.’ She got the point at last. ‘I see.’
‘I shall report the wreck to her at once. You could write a letter too. Ask her if we may have the salvage. Say it’s only a hulk. Any ammunition will go to the fort, but if there’s anything else of value, may we have it. You know the sort of thing. She knows’, Gorges confessed drily, ‘that I am somewhat in need at present.’
‘But what’ll she say when we find all the silver?’ Helena asked.
‘Luck,’ said Gorges firmly.
‘We don’t know that there is any silver,’ Albion added. ‘Even my information may be incorrect. Your conscience should be quite clear. There may be something, that’s all.’
‘And the Spaniard?’
‘What Spaniard?’
‘I will go and write the letter at once, Clement.’ She gave her husband a glance. ‘We are grateful.’
There was silence in the room for a few moments after she had gone.
Then Gorges spoke. ‘Did you know that just before you arrived here your mother was arrested in Lymington?’
‘No.’
‘We had a message from the mayor. It seems she was trying to persuade the people there to rise. For the Spanish.’
Albion went pale, but kept his composure. ‘I wish I could say I was surprised. She went mad last night. But I didn’t know she’d got out.’
‘That’s rather what I thought. She said that you would lead the rising, Clement.’
‘Really?’ Albion shook his head. ‘Last night she told me that since I didn’t seem to want to, she’d do it herself.’ He smiled ironically. ‘I’m grateful for her new faith in me.’
‘She said you always planned to join the Spanish.’
‘Is