Courtesan of the Saints

by Marina Oliver

  Chapter 4

  Miles enjoyed an excellent dinner at the Mermaid tavern with Dick Ashford and John Taunton, before accompanying them to Moorfields to see the display by the Army. It was a most impressive reconstruction of the battle of Langport, and Miles, who remembered the time when he had witnessed the New Model Army in action on the field, had his awareness of their excellence renewed. He had not himself been at Langport, but had heard from a friend who had survived the battle of the incomparable valor of the Ironsides. Now the Army was bent on reminding the people of London of its reputation.

  Afterwards, Dick took them off to his lodgings, where he eagerly discussed the tactics of the battle with Miles. John Taunton had laughingly excused himself on the plea that he knew nothing of the art of fighting, and amused himself reading some of the news sheets he found lying on a table.

  'Why do you collect this stuff?' he asked later, when the two ex-soldiers had exhausted their comments, and they were all seated round the supper table.

  'I find it useful, as a Member, to know the sort of things that are being cried against us.'

  'Are there many such circulating?' Miles asked, picking, one up and skimming through it.

  'More than we care for, especially as they are all against the law. But 'tis plaguey difficult to discover those responsible. We do our best to track them down, but unless we receive information, we can rarely catch the miscreants.'

  'Think you it is a sign of discontent, or merely a few troublemakers?' Miles queried.

  Dick shrugged. 'There are always those discontented. In the present circumstances, with so many still pining for the return of those miserable Stuarts, God knows why, this stuff is easy to sell, and failing buyers to give away.'

  'We shall not be rid of it until there is a free Parliament,' Taunton declared.

  Dick laughed. 'Aye, you keep repeating that. It may be what people want, but is it what is best for them?'

  'That scarce matters. If they have what they want, they will cease some of their grumblings.'

  'Some, never will they cease all.'

  'What happens to the men who circulate these?' Miles asked.

  'Sometimes a fine. We are short of money, you understand?' Dick laughed. 'Besides, why should we burden the prisons with them? We need the room there for more dangerous rebels. Those who merely shout rarely take action, and 'tis they we are most concerned with.'

  'Have there been many plots?'

  'More than is generally thought. But we have an excellent system of gathering information. Little passes but that we get to hear of it. Charles Stuart is not going to slip back onto the throne through want of vigilance on our part.'

  'There seems to be little likelihood of his return,' Miles suggested.

  'None whatsoever. The people of England will not suffer that oppression again.'

  Nothing more was said about plots or plotters, and Miles soon took his leave. It was on the following day that he heard the first rumours of arrests. He spent a great deal of time at various taverns, trying to obtain news, but it was not until he was at Cherry's in the evening that he heard certain news.

  Faithful Denham was holding forth when he arrived, and Miles soon discovered there had been a wave of arrests in the western counties.

  'Their wickednesses have been discovered, they shall be punished,' Faithful was declaring. 'Arch traitors, all of them. The rot was widespread, but it has been stopped, and by example shall others be made aware of the punishments that await the ungodly.'

  Miles glanced around. A few of the faces showed a little amusement at Faithful's vehemence, but the majority of the listeners were drinking it in, nodding in agreement at what he was saying. Miles wondered anxiously how much of the plotting he had himself heard of from Royalist sources had indeed been uncovered.

  'How many have been arrested, then?' he asked the man next to him.

  'It is rumoured hundreds,' the man replied excitedly. 'Portsmouth to Plymouth the traitors have been taken I hear.'

  Miles wondered if this was another exaggeration, for if the man were right in his estimate, there would be few plotters left in the west country.

  'They are bringing some of the ringleaders to London, and they will be put in the Tower,' his informant went on. 'I trust a good example be made of them, to warn others tempted to do likewise that we will not suffer it.'

  The mood that night was one of jubilation, and Miles was hard put to it to join the general rejoicings. But he succeeded in disguising his apprehension, and seemed as pleased as the rest that the government was taking such good care to ensure those who disagreed with it were silenced.

  Cherry made an excuse to come across to Miles quite soon in the evening. She leant close to him as he sat on a chair, and after a few general remarks, whispered quietly.

  'You will stay later?'

  Intoxicated by the subtle perfume she used, and her nearness, and hot with desire for her, he was tempted to throw caution to the winds and accept the invitation, but he had resolved to be wary of her. He was suspicious of her questions, that seemed so innocent, but were so cleverly designed to wheedle information out of the unwary. He was not afraid of giving himself away, for he was too old a hand at the game, but he was afraid of her effect on him, and the feelings she aroused in him that no other woman had yet succeeded in tapping. He was on the verge of falling in love, and he shuddered to think of' the complications that could bring to his mission, especially as she was on the other side in the battle of wits.

  He knew he was not strong enough to avoid her completely, but had resolved he must not make a habit of visiting her alone. He still needed to mix with her friends, but coolly decided that if she herself had any information of value to him, she would be more likely to divulge it unknowingly if he could bemuse her by keeping her passion for him, which he knew to be as great as his for her, at fever heat.

  So he sighed regretfully, and shook his head.

  'I have to start early in the morning,' he said quietly. 'I am going to visit several properties, and take a look at different parts of the country. You know I would not readily forego the pleasure of a night with you, but I have already spent longer here than I intended. You have entrapped me. I should have been away from London some days since.'

  Cherry smiled, trying not to let him guess she was herself relieved. She too was harbouring suspicions of this handsome man who had suddenly burst into her life, and was virtually unaccounted for. She had not intended to issue the invitation when she had come across to speak with him, but standing beside him had suddenly heard herself doing so. She inwardly chided herself that she was losing her hold on herself, she did not beg men for favours.

  'Then I wish you a pleasant journey, and hope you will come and see me when you return,' she said, trying to indicate she was indifferent whether he did so or not, but failing, as they both knew full well.

  'Indeed I will,' he said looking deep into her eyes, so that she looked away with difficulty, suddenly remembering her other guests.

  Miles did not speak with her again until he rose to go, fairly early in the evening, when several other guests were still there.

  Cherry had spent the last ten minutes deep in conversation with John Taunton, and the young man was visibly flattered. Miles wondered cynically if he was to be substituted that night, and suppressed a pang of jealousy as she smiled intimately at Taunton before crossing to bid the departing guests farewell.

  'My thanks for your hospitality,' Miles said, taking her hand and holding it firmly in his.

  'I trust you will partake of more when you return, Mr. Talbot,' she returned, and without enquiring when that was likely to be, dismissed him and turned to another. Miles could not but admire her self control, and he took himself off with haste, walking rapidly back to his lodgings where he packed his saddlebags ready for the early departure he had planned.

  Several hours later he ruefully admitted to himself he might as well have stayed with Cherry if all he had been concerned at was a
full night's sleep. For the first time in his life, experienced soldier as he was, he was unable to sleep when he wished. Images of Cherry kept dancing before his eyes, and he writhed as he imagined her sporting with John Taunton, or Dick Ashford, or another of her no doubt many lovers.

  Heavy eyed and in a black mood, he rose at dawn, and was soon riding out on the Bath road.

  After some hours of hard riding, he was able to bring his thoughts to the ruin of the plots in the west, He planned to visit Robert Peyton, who, though not actively involved in the plotting himself, knew a great deal of what went on, and sometimes acted as messenger or agent for the Royalists, who all knew he could be trusted.

  When he reached Robert's house he was made welcome by Robert and his pretty wife, Jane, but there was an air of strain, and as soon as they were alone without the servants, they began to talk. Robert told of the many arrests that had been made.

  'They have quietly been taking people for some days past,' he explained. 'Some managed to escape once they realised all was discovered, but the vast majority of the leaders have been imprisoned. Phelips is amongst them. It means we must start afresh here in the west.'

  'You will need new leaders. How are they to be found?' Miles asked.

  'There are many men willing to risk all for the cause,' Robert said thoughtfully, 'but there are few of sufficient stature to be recognized as leaders, and so to influence others. Those that were not involved in this plot have been very remote of late. Mayhap they have forsaken us, mayhap they are avoiding suspicion, and would join in again later.'

  'We must hope that the latter is the situation. I will visit them, and endeavor to spur them to action. I have many names, but hope you can furnish me with others.'

  'Indeed yes. When they see you come from the King himself, they will be more ready to join you,' Jane said encouragingly.

  'Unless this latest discovery has frightened them again,' Robert said.

  'I hope 'tis simply that they need guidance on what to do. The sort of risings that have been planned are of little value unless they are coordinated, and there is a general move throughout the country. That is partly what I hope to encourage, but there must be leaders who are widely respected. If I can sound some of these men, and discover which of them are ready, and how far they will commit themselves, it will be a basis on which to work.'

  So it was arranged. Miles spent the last two weeks of August riding around the counties of Devon and Somerset, and made one journey into Cornwall. He then contacted people in Wiltshire, and was ready, early in September, to bid the Peytons farewell, being reasonably pleased with the encouragement he had received. The people only needed leadership, and the prospect of a reasonable chance of success, and they would move. It remained to provide that leadership.

  Armed with the names of several prominent supporters in the counties to the north, Miles set off once more. He travelled slowly through Gloucestershire and the midland counties and eventually found a man likely to command sufficient support to be a credible leader. This was Lord Belasyse, the younger son of Lord Fauconberg.

  Miles spent a considerable time with Lord Belasyse and his friends, discussing the possibilities, and making known to them the King's views. They seemed ready to make some move, and he left with their promise to send one of their number to consult with him in London later in the year.

  On leaving the north, Miles made his way back towards London through the eastern counties, which had been fiercely Parliamentarian during the wars, but where there were many fervent Royalists. He met several of these in Norfolk, and found them equally ready to become involved in plotting. After many consultations it was agreed they also would send a representative, and after Miles had had time to report on the prospect to the King, firm plans could be made.

  Before he left Norfolk to return to London, Miles was taken one night to visit a relative of Sir Edward Villiers, another man he had marked as a possible leader.

  This was a Sir Henry Villiers, another of the vast clan of relatives of the Duke of Buckingham. Miles found a pleasant man a few years younger than himself, but already the father of a growing family. Lady Villiers, heavily pregnant, made him welcome but soon disappeared, leaving Miles and Sir Henry alone with Sir Edward who explained what they wanted.

  'Henry, you have been acting for some time as a channel for information between the King and the Royalists at home. Would it be possible to add the collection of information about plots, so that you could inform the rest of us what is going on?'

  'We envisage a central point where all the information can be gathered, from many sources,' Miles said. 'In the organization we plan, it is essential all risings or plots shall be centrally directed, so that they have the most possible value to us. We hope that all the plotters will come to trust us with their plans, and take our advice.'

  Sir Henry laughed. 'Do not take it amiss if I say you will be fortunate to have a quarter of them do so.'

  Miles grinned back at him. 'I do realize the magnitude of the task, but if only we can start with the right people at the head, there is hope that in time most of the Royalists will come to work together. They will see it is the best way.'

  'But Jermyn, and Hyde, and Rupert's Swordsmen do not work together, if all we hear is true.'

  'They propose different solutions to the problem, aye,' Miles rejoined. 'The King does not favor one more than another, and he is ready to consider any way that holds hope of success. He wishes to be guided by the people in England too, for they know more of the temper of the country than he can in exile.'

  'What would you have me do?'

  'I understand you live in London normally?'

  'Aye. As a younger son with little prospects, I had to make my own way in the world, and so I became a lawyer. It serves as a cover for my activities. I can see many people, and if I visit odd places, it is to do with my work.'

  'Then you could be available for people to give you information, and pass it on to us?'

  'That should present no difficulties. I do not imagine there will be hundreds of plotters crowding my lodgings?'

  'Unfortunately not,' Miles laughed. 'Thank you for your help. When do you return to London?'

  'After my wife is safely delivered, which should be during the next two weeks. I will be in London at the very latest by mid November.'

  'Where will I find you?'

  Sir Henry gave him an address in Clifford's Inn, and suggested Miles called at the beginning of the month, and if he were still out of London, leave the address of his own lodging.

  'You may find it expedient to move around,' he advised. 'Then one's neighbors do not become too familiar with one's habits, and suspicious of visitors,'

  'I will be in touch,' Miles agreed.

  'How is Emma this time, Henry?' Sir Edward asked, as they drank the wine and chatted over other things.

  'She is well. It was a great disappointment to us both last year when we lost the child she was carrying, but all has gone well this time, and we are hoping for another girl.'

  'So that you will have three of each? It is a goodly family in just seven years, is it not, Mr. Talbot?'

  'Indeed yes, you must be proud of them,' Miles responded, warming to the other's animation and enthusiasm when he talked of his family. He wondered that a man with so much to risk should be willing to work for the King, but knew many others were doing the same, for a cause they believed in as firmly as they did in God.

  Miles had a few more visits to make in Norfolk and then he moved on to Essex. By the time he returned to London he was satisfied he had done all he could to set in motion the beginnings of a proper organization to work for the King's restoration.

  He planned to spend the time before he saw Sir Henry again in making contact with the known Royalists in London, and apprising them of the new arrangements. He must send a report of his activities to the King, but at the present stage in the arrangements it was essential for him to be in London. He would await the King's reply, and in the meant
ime work on the plans. Later, if it were necessary, he could go himself to see the King after the meeting he had arranged with the various representatives.

  It was early in November when he reached London, having been absent for well over two months. As he rode into the City, he felt the rising excitement at the thought of seeing Cherry again. During his long absence, the thought of her had tormented him, and his longing for her had not abated. He had tried to forget her with the very willing and pretty landlady at one of the inns he had stayed in, but after the first slaking of his need, had had to confess to himself there was no delight in making love with anyone but Cherry. After that time he had been impervious to the many lures that had been cast after him, contenting himself with making sure he enslaved the wives, sisters, and daughters of the conspirators, without giving their menfolk cause to object to him. He judged, cynically, that if he implied promises and expressed admiration, the women would encourage their men to do what he asked in the way of supporting the King. So far he was willing to go, but he doubted his ability to pretend to greater passion with any degree of conviction, should the need arise in the future. He cursed the effect Cherry had had on him in destroying this ability, which had been one of his greatest assets in the past.