The Tudor Triangle

Chapter 9: The Abingdon Alehouse

9th September 1560, Abingdon

Katherine paused as she thought what to do next, where to find this Andrew Talbot? As she did, she closed her eyes and suddenly the images from yesterdays' fair came flooding into her head. She could see children laughing at the dancing bear that had been brought specially from Oxford.  All around there had been general bedlam and noise in the square, which now seemed depressed in comparison.  The ghosts of yesterday could still be there though. She could smell the gingerbread, see the fire eaters and hear the drunken shouts as the wrestlers prepared to grapple each other. Caged melodic birds watched the chaos unfold as the pickpockets lured from Oxford watched eagle-eyed for an opportunity.   It  had been exciting, a break from the humdrum of life.  But at a dear cost of Amy's life.

Katherine had come alone to the fair, really there had been her and Amy and then, the rest of the household. She did not make friends easily and her awkward position as both servant and beloved friend meant she belonged in neither social class. Now, despite her comparative wealth she did feel like she was slowly leaving the noble life behind her and rejoining the class she had left at eight. From what she had seen of the rich, this was no bad thing.  Mary Grays was probably in the best position of any rich woman she knew, bar her ill health.  Mary was not beholden on any man, had a good fortune to feel secure and knew how to enjoy her luxuries. She did not have to keep an allegiance with a fickle King or Duke to live in Sunningwell Place. She still had an open heart and knew the true meaning of charity.

Katherine had met miserly Earls who could not bear to put extra logs on the fire in the bitterness of high winter. She had heard of Duchesses beaten black and blue by their titled and supposedly humanist husbands.There had been a queen with her head wiped clean off by a sword from France,when her husband as the head of the nobility, took a fancy. A young girl sacrificed like a lamb for Dudley's father's ambitions, Lady Jane Grey. She had seen the wife of the Master of the Horse treated with utter contempt by the man she married.  The rich no longer held any mystery to her, from what she had seen they suffered from all the weaknesses of character that the lower classes suffered from too.  In fact, money often meant their indulgences and vices were worse.  She now held the trinity of patriarchy, patronage and privilege in contempt.

However, she was no stranger to hunger too and so valued that Amy had risen her up and not let her fall too far. Mary jolted her out of her thoughts to lead her to the currier, a man with great connections in Abingdon as few could not afford to ignore him. He would hopefully know who Andrew Talbot was. He produced great quality leather which made so many things from clothes to saddlery. He also produced well favoured gloves that the area specialised in. He had not yet incurred one fine from the new 1559 law which stopped any improper standards nor would he. He was a great craftsman. They crossed the square and Mary waved at William Miller, who had provided such interesting information. Her eyes were failing but Miller was a huge bear of a man and easy to recognise. Katherine was aware that Mary should be back at home and felt torn but time was marching on and so she continued in her mission to find Andrew Talbot.

"Mistress Grays,"said Tom Sanders respectfully as they entered.  He immediately put down a saddle he was working on and his knife. An apprentice of about eleven was stretching out a cowhide and did not even look up, engrossed in his work. The strong smell of leather and dyes hit them, they both coughed. Mary had told Katherine that she had helped Tom Sanders out when his wife had died in childbirth, leaving him with five young vulnerable souls to look after.  She had loved his children and the time she had spent helping them come to terms with the loss of their mother. 

"Master Sanders," Mary said warmly.  

"Mr Sanders, I am looking for someone," said Mary. "I confess I cannot remember hearing of him before. Would you happen to know where we could find Andrew Talbot?"