“What orders?”
She was torn between confessing about the letter and maintaining the fiction that her father must now rely upon. Yet she had no wish to lie to friends.
“It all happened so quickly. It’s one of Cromwell’s methods to remove the queen’s support. He tried to prevent me from entering yesterday.”
“We should go after them and appeal to the king.”
“The authority is that of the king.”
“But surely Cromwell did not state plainly how it was to be carried out? Henry cannot have agreed to the arrest of your father?”
They became aware that the rest of the chamber had now fallen silent.
Wolsey rose to his feet. “Please leave or else resume your seats.”
Thomasin felt a sweat break out on her forehead. “I cannot stay.”
“Come,” said More, taking her arm. “I will go with you.”
“But the queen…”
“I will remain,” promised John, “and report back to her what transpires.”
Once outside, Thomasin gulped in the fresh air.
“This cannot be. I must be dreaming.”
More led her aside to a spot sheltered by bushes. “I must ask you, Thomasin: does this have anything to do with your strange entrance from the back of the chamber? I could not help noticing.”
“It does. I was not going to say, but it is all part of the same. Yesterday, Cromwell sent father a letter, recalling him at once to Suffolk on some legal pretext.”
“Designed to prevent him from giving his evidence in court?”
“Exactly as we interpreted it. As it was only a matter of hours, we decided to pretend we did not have the letter, which is nowpartly true, as it is being kept by Lady Essex. But we did read the contents first. Father was preparing to leave for Suffolk as soon as the court was concluded.”
“But not soon enough for Cromwell. The point for him is about his authority. He will say you have ignored his direct order. Or rather, the king’s.”
“And that is why we came in from the back. We thought the court would offer us some protection.”
“He is utterly ruthless. I wonder where he has taken your father.”
“To the king, perhaps, or to his own lodgings?”
More looked about. A servant was passing, carrying a pannier of bread. “You, lad, did you see Lord Cromwell pass this way?”
The boy nodded and pointed. “He was getting into a barge on the riverfront.”
Thomasin went cold. She knew what this might mean.
“Now, do not panic,” said More, sensing her alarm. “It could be Cromwell’s own place in the Austin Friars. It does not have to mean the Tower.”
She found she could not reply.
“Right, this is what I suggest. Go to the queen and explain. Do not forget to tell her that John Dudley is now her eyes and ears in the courtroom. Then go to your mother at Monk’s Place, and calm her for as long as is needed. I am going to the king, and hopefully this matter will be resolved before the day is out.”
Thomasin nodded, her limbs numb.
“Take Ellen with you, if the queen permits. You are in shock.”
