The Tudor Secret - C. W. Gortner [77]
“I have not,” he replied. “Her Grace left Urian here with us, so we could track you. He’s the best tracker in her kennels, she said. She knows her beasts. He was the first to smell you on the riverbank.” He paused, his nose crimping. “What is it with you and water? You’ve done nothing but get wet since we met.”
I burst out laughing. It felt wonderful. I took Peregrine’s hand, made my slow but steady way to the dinner table. “Unrepentant as always,” I said, easing onto a stool. “I’m glad of you, my friend.” I looked at Kate. “And you. I thank God for both of you. You saved my life. It’s a debt I can never repay.”
The sheen in Kate’s eyes might have been tears. She brushed them aside with her sleeve, and Peregrine perched next to me as she started to serve.
“I’m not helpless,” I said, as Peregrine handed me my plate. “I can feed myself.”
Kate wagged her finger. “He’s not here to feed you. You’ve had quite enough pampering. Peregrine, either you tell that dog to get its paws off the table or you can both go eat in the kitchen.”
Amid laughter and candlelight, we dined and spoke of innocuous matters. Only after we’d wiped up the last of the sauce with our bread and Peregrine had recounted for the hundredth time how he and Barnaby employed Urian’s olfactory skills to track me did I breach our camaraderie. Leaning back in my chair, I said as casually as I could, “And where is Fitzpatrick?”
The rustle of Kate’s skirts as she stood broke the sudden silence. She began stacking the empty platters. Peregrine reached down to caress Urian.
“The king is dead, isn’t he?” I said.
Kate paused. Peregrine nodded sadly. “It’s not been officially announced, but Master Walsingham told us he died yesterday. Barnaby returned to court as soon as we found you, to be at his side. It’s said that at the hour of Edward’s death, heaven wept.”
The rain. I had heard it.
As the memory of that youth rotting away in a fetid room surfaced in me, my gaze went to the sword on the bed. My voice tightened. “And the herbalist? Did Walsingham say anything about her?”
Kate said quickly, “Brendan, please, let it be. It’s too soon. You’re still weak.”
“No. I want to know. I … I need to know.”
“Then I will tell you.” She sat at my side. “She is dead. Sidney told Walsingham. Someone took her body away. No one knows where. The Dudleys threatened to kill Sidney for helping you, but by then word had gotten out that Elizabeth had escaped and the palace was in an uproar. Brendan, no. Sit down. You cannot—”
I came to my feet. Resisting the dizziness that came over me, I paced to the window to stare into the night. My stalwart Alice was dead. She was gone forever this time. Lady Dudley had slashed her throat as if she’d been some barnyard beast, and left her to bleed to death.
I couldn’t think of it. I couldn’t. It would drive me insane.
“What about Jane Grey?” I said quietly. “Has she been declared queen?”
“Not yet. But the duke removed her and Guilford to London. And there are rumors he will send men after the Lady Mary.”
“I thought he already had. I thought he sent Lord Robert after her.”
“It seems he had to delay. We think that after he discovered Elizabeth had fled Greenwich, he wanted to first get Lady Jane somewhere safe. She is all he has now.”
I nodded. “Peregrine,” I said. “Can you leave us, please?”
The boy rose and left, Urian padding behind. Kate and I faced each other from across the room. Then she stood and turned to pick up the tray. “We can talk tomorrow.”
I stepped to her. “I agree. Only … don’t leave.” My voice broke. “Please.”
She came to where I stood helpless and put her hand on my bearded cheek. “It’s so red,” she said. “And thick. I wouldn’t have thought you’d have such a thick beard.”
“And I,” I whispered, “never thought you’d care.”
She regarded me steadily. “Neither did I. But there you have it.”
I brought her to me, held her close, as though I might meld her to me forever.
“I’ve never done this before,” I said.
“Never?” She raised her eyes to me in genuine surprise.
“No,” I said.