'I should be delighted,' I said.

I was conscious of Barak at my side, his eyes cast down as befitted a servant.

'The House of Glass in Blue Lion Street, anyone will tell you. Be there at five. It's a sugar banquet only, it won't go on late. There will be interesting company.'

'I shall look forward to it.'

'By the way, I hear you are representing Edwin Wentworth's niece.'

I smiled wryly. 'It seems all London knows, my lady.'

'I've met him at Mercers' Company dinners. Not as clever as he thinks he is, though good at making money.'

'Really?'

She laughed. 'Ah, your face went sharp and lawyerly then, sir. I have piqued your interest.'

'I have the girl's life in my hands, Lady Honor.'

'A responsibility.' She grimaced. 'Well, I must get on, I am visiting my late husband's relatives.'

She lowered her vizard and the party moved off. 'A fine looking piece.' Barak said as we rode on.

'A lady of natural distinction.'

'Bit too pert for me. I like a woman who keeps her place. Rich widows are the devil for pertness.'

'Know many, do you?'

'I might do.'

I laughed. 'She is out of your league, Barak.'

'Out of yours too.'

'I would not be so impertinent as to think otherwise.'

'She'll never fall to beggary.'

'The great families don't have the assured places they once held.'

'Whose fault's that?' he said roundly. 'They fought each other in the wars of York and Lancaster till they near wiped each other out. I say we're better off under new men like the earl.'

'He still likes his earldom, Barak. A coat of arms is everyone's dream. Marchamount has made a joke of himself round Lincoln's Inn trying to persuade the College of Heralds he has people of gentle birth in his background.' A thought struck me. 'I wonder if that's why he is cultivating Lady Honor. Marriage to someone of birth-' At the thought I felt an unexpected pang.

'Got his eye on her?' Barak said. 'That could be interesting.' He shook his head. 'This chasing after status among the high-ups, it makes me laugh.'

'If one aims for gentlemanly status one aims for a higher way of life. Better than a lower.'

'I have my own lineage,' he said with a mocking laugh.

'Ah, yes. Your father's trinket.'

'Ay, though I keep quiet about my blood. They say the Jews were great bloodsuckers and gatherers of gold. And killers of children. Come on,' he said abruptly. 'I've to find this Kytchyn fellow.'

'If you find him, ask him to meet with me tomorrow. At St Bartholomew's.'

Barak turned in the saddle. 'At Barry's? But Sir Richard Rich lives there now. My master wants him kept out of this. And your friend Bealknap mentioning his name worries me.'

'I must see where the stuff was found, Barak.' He raised his eyebrows. 'Very well. But we have to be careful.'

'God's death, d'you think I don't realize that?'

At the bottom of Chancery Lane we parted. As I rode up the lane alone I felt suddenly nervous, remembering how we had been followed yesterday and seeing again those bodies in the Queenhithe house. I was relieved to approach my gate. As I did so I saw Joseph approaching from the other end of the lane. His shoulders were slumped, his face sad and preoccupied, but as he saw me he smiled and raised his hand in greeting. That heartened me; it was the first friendly gesture I had had since the trial.

AS I REINED IN BESIDE HIM I saw that Joseph looked tired and hot. Simon had not yet returned, so I bade Joseph go indoors while I led the horses to the stables.

Returning to the hall, I removed my cap and robe. It was cooler indoors and I stood a moment, savouring the air on my sweat-coated face, then went into the parlour. Joseph had taken a seat in my armchair and he jumped up, embarrassed. I waved a hand.

'Don't worry, Joseph, it's a cursed hot day.' I took a hard chair opposite him. Despite his tiredness I saw there was an excited gleam in his eyes, a new look of hope.

'Sir,' he said, 'I have been successful. My brother will see you.'

'Well done.' I poured us some beer from a pot Joan had left on the table. 'How did you manage it?'

'It wasn't easy. I went to the house; they had to let me in or else cause a scene in front of the servants. I told Edwin you were uncertain of Elizabeth's guilt and wanted to talk to the family before deciding whether you could continue to represent her. Edwin was very hostile at first, angry at my interference. And I'm no good hand at lying; I feared I would become confused.'

I smiled. 'No, Joseph, you are too honest for that trade.'

'I don't like it. But for Lizzy's sake – anyway, my mother persuaded him. That surprised me because she was against the poor girl most of all, though she's her own granddaughter. But Mother said if we could convince you it must have been Elizabeth that killed Ralph, you would leave them alone to grieve. Sir, they'll see us tomorrow morning at ten. They will all be at home then.'

'Good. Well done, Joseph.'

'I fear I let them believe you have doubts about Lizzy's innocence.' He gave me an imploring look. 'But it was not an unchristian thing, was it, to lie for her sake?'

'Often the world does not allow us to be too pure, I fear.'

'God sets us hard dilemmas.' He shook his head sadly.

I looked at the clock on the mantelpiece. I should have to hurry. 'I am sorry, Joseph, but I must leave you again. I have an engagement at Lincoln's Inn. Meet me at the Walbrook conduit tomorrow, just before ten.'

'I will, sir. You are good to give me your time when you are so busy.'

'Have you eaten? Stay here, my housekeeper will fetch you something.'

'Thank you, sir.'

I bowed quickly and left him. I told Joan to fetch him some food, then hurriedly donned my robe again; it had been washed the day before but already had a City stink. I wanted to catch both Marchamount and Bealknap before the dinner. As I hurried out to the street, I thought: poor honest Joseph, if he knew the nightmare tangle of deceptions Cromwell had involved me in he would flee the house. But no, he would not; while I was his only hope of setting Elizabeth free he would stand fast, like a much-battered rock.

I REFLECTED ON WHAT Barak had told me at the wharf. With my naturally sceptical temperament it was hard for me to believe Greek Fire could be real, and as for 'Sepultus' Gristwood, no class of persons is more associated with trickery than alchemists. Yet I had no doubt Barak had truthfully described what he saw. And he and Cromwell were hardly people to be taken in easily. There were new wonders and terrors every day in this world, which many prophets said was coming to its end; but I could not quite believe in it all yet. It was too fantastical.

And if it was real? The Byzantines might have kept the secret so well they ended by losing it, but in this our Europe of spies and religious quarrels England could not keep such a secret for long. It would be stolen sooner or later, and then what? The seas empty of ships, whole navies devoured by fire? I shook my head in troubled perplexity; how bizarre it seemed to me, thinking of such things and all the while trudging through the dust of staid, familiar Chancery Lane. I must put such thoughts from my head, I told myself, concentrate on the task ahead. And after being followed yesterday I had an eye out for my own security. I cast a quick glance round, but the only others in the lane were more robed lawyers riding to the Inn. An acquaintance waved and I returned his salute. With a dark glance at the Domus opposite, I turned under the Lincoln's Inn gate, the guard in his box bowing as I passed.