Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel Read Free Book Online

winding-sheet, no Lazarus or animated cadaver has been sent by His Grace to pursue His Grace: nor is any such pursuit pending.”
    Someone is screaming, down by the quays. The boatmen are singing. There is a faint, faraway splashing; perhaps they are drowning someone. “My lord cardinal makes this statement without prejudice to his right to harass and distress my lord of Norfolk by means of any fantasma which he may in his wisdom elect: at any future date, and without notice given: subject only to the lord cardinal’s views in the matter.”
    This weather makes old scars ache. But he walks into his house as if it were midday: smiling, and imagining the trembling duke. It is one o’clock. Norfolk, in his mind, is still kneeling. A black-faced imp with a trident is pricking his calloused heels.

III

At Austin Friars
    1527
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    Lizzie is still up. When she hears the servants let him in, she comes out with his little dog under her arm, fighting and squealing. “Forget where you lived?”
    He sighs.
    â€œHow was Yorkshire?”
    He shrugs.
    â€œThe cardinal?”
    He nods.
    â€œEaten?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œTired?”
    â€œNot really.”
    â€œDrink?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œRhenish?”
    â€œWhy not.”
    The paneling has been painted. He walks into the subdued green and golden glow. “Gregory—”
    â€œLetter?”
    â€œOf sorts.”
    She gives him the letter and the dog, while she fetches the wine. She sits down, taking a cup herself.
    â€œHe greets us. As if there were only one of us. Bad Latin.”
    â€œAh, well,” she says.
    â€œSo, listen. He hopes you are well. Hopes I am well. Hopes his lovely sisters Anne and little Grace are well. He himself is well. And now no more for lack of time, your dutiful son, Gregory Cromwell.”
    â€œDutiful?” she says. “Just that?”
    â€œIt’s what they teach them.”
    The dog Bella nibbles his fingertips, her round innocent eyes shining at him like alien moons. Liz looks well, if worn by her long day; wax tapers stand tall and straight behind her. She is wearing the string of pearls and garnets that he gave her at New Year’s.
    â€œYou’re sweeter to look at than the cardinal,” he says.
    â€œThat’s the smallest compliment a woman ever received.”
    â€œAnd I’ve been working on it all the way from Yorkshire.” He shakes his head. “Ah well!” He holds Bella up in the air; she kicks her legs in glee. “How’s business?”
    Liz does a bit of silk-work. Tags for the seals on documents; fine net cauls for ladies at court. She has two girl apprentices in the house, and an eye on fashion; but she complains, as always, about the middlemen, and the price of thread. “We should go to Genoa,” he says. “I’ll teach you to look the suppliers in the eye.”
    â€œI’d like that. But you’ll never get away from the cardinal.”
    â€œHe tried to persuade me tonight that I should get to know people in the queen’s household. The Spanish-speakers.”
    â€œOh?”
    â€œI told him my Spanish wasn’t so good.”
    â€œNot good?” She laughs. “You weasel.”
    â€œHe doesn’t have to know everything I know.”
    â€œI’ve been visiting in Cheapside,” she says. She names one of her old friends, a master jeweler’s wife. “Would you like the news? A big emerald was ordered and a setting commissioned, for a ring, a woman’s ring.” She shows him the emerald, big as her thumbnail. “Which arrived, after a few anxious weeks, and they were cutting it in Antwerp.” Her fingers flick outward. “Shattered!”
    â€œSo who bears the loss?”
    â€œThe cutter says he was swindled and it was a hidden flaw in the base. The importer says, if it was so hidden, how could I be expected to know? The cutter says, so collect damages from