The Sweet Smell of Decay by Paul Lawrence Read Free Book Online

my father’s kindnesses, I suppose. Which was strange enough.’ I shook my head. ‘Why should he concern himself with my father’s affairs now that he is rich and famous?’
    Shrugging and looking away at last, Hill blew out his cheeks so his head looked like that of a pig. ‘Shrewsbury sits on the Privy Council, Harry. He was loyal to Charles Stuart and diverted funds to his war on Scotland, and he helped Monck, indeed was a member of the Sealed Knot, those that planned the Restoration while Cromwell was still Lord Protector. Shrewsbury was one of those that went to Holland to bring Charles back.’
    ‘Then I don’t understand why he gives off such an air of things politick. I barely understand what he says half the time. If he’s so close to the King, I would expect him to be sitting pretty at the Palace, wouldn’t you?’ I spoke quietly, despite the covering din.
    Hill shifted his chair awkwardly so that his mouth was close to my ear. ‘Aye, well you are artless of the workings of the Court. There is room for the whole of London in all the secret passages that worm their way between the Palace walls. Some of them are not so secret neither. I myself have been down the one between the King’s quarters and Lord Arlington’s rooms. The whole of London knows about the passage from the King’s bedroom to the quarters of the maidsof honour, it is a sign of the way things are down at Whitehall. Once you find a secret passage then it is no longer a secret, it loses its worth, but when a spy is found he can be replaced, and Whitehall swarms with them. I would wager that Charles sets up his games just to keep the Court busy.’
    ‘The King shows no gratitude to those that put him where he is?’
    He turned away to drink from his mug. ‘I didn’t say that. The King is mindful of the fate that became his father. Parliament cut off his head because they said he was waging war upon his own people and soliciting support from France. Charles knows what happens when a king lifts his chin too high. Many complain that we wage war with the Dutch when Holland resists popery with such resolve, and say he is plotting with the Spanish, who are the natural harbingers of the papists. Others say that the war with Holland is a wall of smoke that causes the French and Spanish to be lax. None really know his intentions, for he confides in none, or rather confides in all, but confides particularly with each. He knows that the mood of the people may not be counted on to be steadfast, so he pleases them and their natural inclination to dance, play music and drink, whilst befuddling the Court with puffs of smoke and tastes of honey.’
    I leant forward eagerly. ‘And what of Shrewsbury in all of this?’
    ‘Shrewsbury cannot be said to be anything other than a Royalist, for he has been steadfast and true. Yet he is plagued by tales that he forged some alliance with the Republic to safeguard his land and property. That he doesn’t deny, but he forcefully denies that he made deals with those that slew the King. I am not so reckless to say that the King makes the mostof his anxieties, and the multitude of others like him. I will leave others to say so if they will.’
    ‘Lord Shrewsbury is not listened to, then?’
    ‘I observe that the King listens and speaks to Shrewsbury as much as he does any man, but no man is secure. Shrewsbury seeks every opportunity to demonstrate his loyalty. I have even heard it said that he led discussions with the Dutch to stage a war that may later become a solid alliance against the French and Spanish. The French and Spanish fight each other lustily, so might come out of it with no navy and empty pockets.’
    ‘Does he have enemies?’
    ‘You may be sure of it, but I cannot list for you their names, and doubt that he can neither. Such is life at Court. It is well known that he and Lord Keeling cannot tolerate each other. This is an interesting thing that you ought know of, because this William Ormonde, the