The Heretics by Rory Clements Read Free Book Online

nod.
    Head hanging on his long, uneasy frame, Mills shuffled from the room, clutching the intercepted letter. To Shakespeare, he looked a broken man. Cecil closed the door and returned to the table.
    ‘Who do we have in Seville, John?’
    ‘One man inside St Gregory’s. Real name Robert Warner. I do not know what name he is using there. Two merchants at Seville, one at Jerez.’
    ‘Nothing from them?’
    ‘Nothing unusual from the merchants. We hear of war preparations, the fitting of fleets for the Indies and a new Armada, but you have all those details. Nothing on this specific threat.’
    ‘What of this Robert Warner?’
    Shakespeare winced. ‘I have not heard from him. In truth, Sir Robert, I have fears for him.’
    ‘You think him turned?’
    ‘I fear the worst.’
    ‘I’m sorry.’ Cecil paced to the window and back. ‘And Frank Mills . . . what are we to do about him?’
    ‘You know about his wife?’
    ‘Indeed. But the slattern has been spreading her legs for years. What has changed?’
    ‘His neighbours. They know all about it now and have been taunting him most grievously. Even the children in the street call him cuckold and make lewd gestures at him. He is not thinking aright.’
    ‘No, and if it were not for this Thomasyn Jade, I would have him relieved of his duties. Yet for the present I cannot. I had dared hope that the welcome death of Cardinal Allen would give us some respite from these turbulent priests, yet this letter proves otherwise.’ The young statesman shook his head in weary frustration. ‘John, I have great fears for this year. We have left Brittany to the enemy, for our armies are needed in Ireland, which bubbles up. Tyrone is raging for a fight. Meanwhile our greatest captains-general are either dead or engaged on other matters. Ralegh has set sail on his errand to find the gold of Guiana, though unkind enemies at court whisper that he is hidden away, terrified, in a Devon cove. Drake and Hawkins have been given royal let to fit their fleets for some secret expedition. God’s blood, is this a time for such ventures? I would have them confined to home waters, but I suspect Her Majesty sniffs Spanish gold. And she needs it, for I have here the figures spent in these last two years: two hundred thousand crowns on Essex’s vain expedition to help Henri of France; forty-seven thousand, two hundred and forty-three on last autumn’s foray into Brittany. The coffers are full of nothing but air, John.’
    Shakespeare nodded. The only good news was that the King of Scotland had finally ceased vacillating and was levying armies to bolster England’s defences against Spain. But when England seemed so vulnerable, it did seem a mighty curious time for Drake and Hawkins to be embarking on foreign ventures.
    ‘I will send messages to all the ports, Sir Robert. We will double and redouble our efforts against the possibility of assassins or others sliding into England. The port searchers will hold anyone about whom they have the slightest doubt.’
    ‘Good. And John, more than ever, I will rely on you and your war of secrets. Deal with this Thomasyn Jade gibberish in short order. We have not a moment to spare on such trivial matters.’

Chapter 6
    S HAKESPEARE RETURNED TO Dowgate and remained there several hours, but Garrick Loake did not arrive. He told Boltfoot that if Loake came, he was to detain him, by force if necessary.
    Furious with himself for ever letting the man go, he rode hard to the Theatre in Shoreditch, where Loake had claimed to be working. He spoke to his brother, but Will had not seen him, nor knew where he was lodged, and neither did anyone else.
    ‘But fear not, brother, he is reliable enough,’ Will said. ‘He will come to you.’
    ‘If he arrives here today, hold him at gunpoint and bring him to me.’
    Will laughed. ‘I do believe you are confusing me with one of your intelligencers.’
    Shakespeare smiled. ‘Forgive me. These are trying times.’
    ‘For all of