The Green Man Read Online Free PDF

reason he wants you. Not just as a bodyguard, but because he’s convinced you’ll be able to sniff out any plots against his sacred person.’
    â€˜This is ridiculous!’ I exploded. ‘The man will be surrounded not only by his loyal Scotsmen and a whole army, but by the officers of two royal households as well. I am presuming that the king leads this expedition?’
    â€˜That is the intention,’ Timothy agreed. But there was a note of reservation in his tone that made me look at him rather sharply. He saw it and once again shrugged. ‘His Highness has been unwell for some time. His health may … just may preclude his taking part in the invasion. It will … It maybe His Grace of Gloucester and my lord Northumberland who will finally – it is hoped – win back Berwick.’
    I gathered from these stumbling sentences, from the pauses and qualifications, that King Edward’s health was a great deal worse than Timothy was admitting to. It was on the tip of my tongue to make further enquiries, and I would have done so, but for the realization that I was being sidetracked yet again.
    â€˜You still haven’t explained why Albany wants me to accompany him. Whether the king leads the army or stays at home, there will still be more than enough men to provide the duke with protection from his enemies. Or,’ I added, as a sudden thought struck me, ‘does he not trust these wonderful new allies of his? Surely he doesn’t suspect the English – his old enemy – of plotting to double-cross him?’
    Timothy was betrayed into a laugh, but all he said was, ‘Your tongue will land you in trouble one of these fine days, my lad.’ Then he agreed, ‘Oh, I daresay Albany’s sufficiently uneasy to be wary of our intentions towards him once negotiations are opened with the Scots …’
    â€˜That’s after we’ve trounced them in open battle, of course,’ I sneered.
    â€˜Roger!’ Adela cut in warningly, always frightened that I was going to overstep the bounds of other people’s tolerance.
    The spymaster nodded approvingly at her. ‘Listen to your wife, my friend. It’s never wise to be too free with your opinions.’
    â€˜All I said was …’
    â€˜I know what you said,’ Timothy snarled, losing his patience. ‘It’s not necessarily what you say, but how you say it. However, to return to Albany and his fears. I gather from what Duke Richard let fall that he – Albany, that is, – is convinced that his life is in danger, not from the English but from one of his own household. From one of the loyal band of the Earl of Mar’s retainers who joined him in France. He suspects one of them of being in the pay of his brother, King James.’
    â€˜Why doesn’t he get rid of him, then?’
    Timothy sighed. ‘No doubt he would if he were sure which one of them it is. But he isn’t. In the opinion of Duke Richard – and, I must say, in my own – it’s nothing but a mare’s nest. Albany is in a highly nervous state, jumping at shadows.’
    Understandable, I thought, and was inclined to sympathize with the Scotsman until the full purport of this speech suddenly hit me.
    â€˜You mean,’ I demanded hotly, ‘that I’m being taken along simply to protect Albany from his own stupid fears? That is the sole reason for my being torn from my wife and family, simply because Albany doesn’t trust his own entourage? If that’s all that’s troubling him, why doesn’t someone provide him with a bodyguard from the levies? A nice, tough, burly foot soldier who’ll slit throats first and ask questions afterwards.’
    The spymaster peered anxiously into his beaker as though surprised to find it empty. Adela, to my great annoyance, refilled it for him. Timothy raised it in my direction.
    â€˜Try not to be as stupid as you look, old