Heartstone (Matthew Shardlake #5)(202)

She looked at me, intently, fearfully. ‘What has happened to him? To – Philip?’

I hesitated again. She said, ‘Tell me!’

‘He is dead, Ellen. He went down on the Mary Rose.’

She sat very still, staring into space. Then she said, quietly, with cold, whispered anger, ‘He deserved it.’ It was the same phrase Emma had used standing over Abigail’s body, and David about what had happened to him.

‘He did a terrible thing to you.’

She looked at me, her expression utterly weary. ‘And the man who was with him that day? What of him?’

I hesitated. ‘Do you know who he was?’

‘I only remember a skinny little fellow.’ She shuddered, her whole body trembling. I realized the depth of emotion she had been holding in, all these wasted years.

‘He is now a high official of state. It is better you do not know his name. But he can do you no harm now.’

‘Because you told the Queen what was done to me?’ I heard anger in her voice now.

‘It was the only way to protect you.’

She stared into space, hands trembling above her sewing. Then she put her work down, turned and looked me full in the face. ‘I was content here,’ she said, ‘content as ever I could be. You should not have interfered.’

‘I have freed you from a great threat.’

She laughed bitterly. ‘To do that you should have been at Rolfswood nineteen years ago. You talk as though I cared one whit what happens to me now. I am past that. I did care for a while, when I thought you loved me. I see now that is impossible. Do you know who made me understand that?’

‘No.’

‘Your friend Guy. Oh, he said nothing directly, but somehow he made me realize. He is clever,’ she said bitterly. ‘But you let me go on believing there might be hope for two years. You did not have the courage to tell me the truth. You are a coward, Matthew.’

‘I could have been killed trying to find out the truth about you!’ I burst out.

‘I never asked you to!’ She took a couple of long, deep breaths, then said in tones of bitter contempt, ‘Have you ever loved anyone, I wonder? Can you?’

‘We do not choose who we love. I love – ’ I checked myself.

‘I do not care now,’ she answered. She looked away. ‘Leave me. I do not want to see you again. I hate you now.’ The anger had gone from her voice, only the weariness was left.

‘Is that what you really want?’ I asked. ‘For me never to come back?’

‘Yes.’ Still she looked away. ‘And that is what you want too, in your heart. I see that now. When mad folks are brought to see things they see them very clearly.’

‘You are not mad.’

‘I said, go.’

She did not meet my gaze as I walked through the door, closed it behind me, and looked at her for the last time through the bars before turning away.



I RODE HOME. My mind was a blank, I could not think, even the sight of a foreign-looking man being chased down Cheapside by a group of whooping corner boys barely registered. I stabled Genesis and walked round to the front of the house. Simon was looking out from an upstairs window. When I opened the door he was running down the stairs towards me.

‘Master Shardlake—’

‘What has happened? Is Josephine—’

‘She is all right, sir. But Mistress Tamasin – her woman came round to fetch Master Guy. Her baby’s coming early, she thinks something’s wrong – ’

I turned away and started running down Chancery Lane, past lawyers who stopped and stared, to Barak’s house.



HE OPENED the door. He was dishevelled, wild-eyed, a mug of beer in his hand. From the closed door of the bedroom across the hall I heard screams of pain.

Barak pulled me in. He sank down on the little wooden settle in the hall. I said, ‘Is Guy—’

‘In there with her. I’d not been back half an hour when her waters broke. It shouldn’t have come for near two weeks. The last time the baby came when it was due.’

‘Where is Goodwife Marris?’

‘In with Guy. They shut the door on me.’

‘Here – ’ I took the cup of beer from his hand, he was gesticulating so wildly I feared he might spill it. ‘What did Guy say?’

‘He says it’s just early. Goodwife Marris was frightened, she ran for him – ’

‘Well, second babies can come early, you know that.’

He gave an anguished look at the closed door, from behind which screams still came.

‘It only means the baby’s coming—’

He said wildly, ‘If anything happens to her, I couldn’t bear it, I’d take to drink again – she’s everything – ’

‘I know. I know.’

‘I don’t care if it’s a girl – ’ He broke off. The screaming had stopped. There was a long, terrifying moment of silence. Then, faintly, we heard another sound, the grizzling cry of a baby. Barak’s mouth fell open. The door opened and Guy came out, wiping his hands on a towel. He smiled.

‘Jack, you have a fine, healthy son.’

He jumped up, ran over and pumped Guy’s hand. ‘Thank you! Thank you!’ He was panting with relief.