“I have a question, my lady,” he called out as he crossed the courtyard.
Chapter 19
My head spun as I sought an explanation for the clothes that would satisfy the constable.
“What is it?” Martha asked as she came into the kitchen. I nodded toward the constable, and she swore when she saw the bag in his hand.
“I forgot we’d put that there,” she said. “What do we tell him?”
“I have no idea,” I replied. I could see her mind working as the constable climbed the steps to the door and came into the kitchen. I prayed that she would think of something, because I still had not.
“My lady,” he said. “I found this bag in your stable. It contains clothes for a man and a boy, as well as fifty shillings. What is going on?”
“Sir, I put them there,” Martha announced. “Before he was arrested, Mr. Hodgson—the one you are seeking, not the Alderman—gave me the money and told me to pack it in a bag with the clothes.”
“Martha!” My surprise was genuine, though not for the reason the constable thought.
“Do not worry, my lady,” the constable said. “I cannot imagine you had any role in this. It is your maidservant who must explain herself.”
“Yes, I should like to hear this as well,” I said. I thanked the Lord that the constable did not hear the smile that had crept into my voice.
“When did he ask you to put the bag in the stable?” the constable demanded.
“The day before he was arrested, sir.” Martha was the very picture of servile deference.
“You must have known what he intended to do.” The constable’s voice had a new edge to it. “Why did you agree to it?”
“Sir, I did not dare disobey. The Hodgsons are powerful men. You know what his brother is like. What else could I have done?”
The constable’s eyes narrowed as he considered Martha’s story. “And when he was sent to gaol, you just left the bag out there? With over two pounds in silver coin?”
“I did what he told me,” she replied, lowering her eyes. Who could fault a servant for unquestioning obedience?
“Why did he want you to include the boy’s clothes?” the constable asked.
“Sir, I do not know and I did not ask. Perhaps he planned on taking the boy with him. I did not think to question his will.”
The constable grunted in response and handed me the purse of coins he’d found in the bag. “You should have these, my lady. I’ll have to tell Mr. Hodgson and the Lord Mayor what I found.”
“I understand,” I replied. I took a deep breath before beginning the second and more dangerous act of our little play. “Would you like to see the rest of the house? Despite what you have found, I have nothing to hide.” I knew that he would want to search the entire house, and thought it better to offer before he asked.
“Thank you, my lady,” he replied, and I led him upstairs. As we went from room to room, he glanced briefly into my chamber and Elizabeth’s before we came to the door of Stephen Daniels’s room. I paused.
“The man in here is very sick,” I said.
“You said nothing about having a man here. Who is it?” the constable demanded. The tone he’d used with Martha had returned, and I knew that I’d aroused his suspicions.
“You did not ask if anyone was here. You asked about Will, and this is not him,” I said. “He is my cousin from Hereford come of late to the city. The journey was a hard one, and he is suffering from the ague. I do not know how dangerous it might be, but you are welcome to enter.” I paused for a moment. “I do not think he is infectious.”
The alarm on the constable’s face told me my words had the intended effect. I opened the door and gestured for him to enter. The constable peered into the room without crossing the threshold.
“Your cousin, my lady?” he asked.
“Aye,” I replied. “As you can see he looks nothing like my nephew.”
The constable nodded and stepped back. “There are more rooms?” he asked.
I took the constable through the rest of my house, including Martha and Hannah’s room in the garret. The constable found nothing else to raise his suspicions, of course, and I soon sent him on his way.
“My God,” Martha breathed as the door closed behind him.
“Aye,” I replied. “That was too close by half.”
“Do you think our stories will hold?”
“Not if anyone cares to study them too closely. I’m not sure how I’d explain my ‘cousin’s’ bandages. The ague does not usually cause such bleeding.”
“Now we must find Will and Tree,” she said, “and get them out of the city.”