The Tudor Triangle

Chapter 27: The Villain of Compton Verney

Wednesday 18th September, 1560

Sunningwell

Katherine peeped through the stalks of hay, which revealed a slit of dull daylight.  She could see the side profile of Tom pretending to sweep; one thick bead of sweat rolled down his cheek. Her breathing was laboured and, she feared, noisy. If only there were some snorting mares to mask her presence, but they were out to pasture. What was going on in Sunningwell Place? Pray to God that Mary had seen Dudley's men off. But then, from the corner of her limited vision, she saw the black silhouettes of three strangers heading towards the stables.  She resisted the urge to break out of her straw cave and run.

"They are coming," she whimpered to Tom.

He covered his mouth with his hand and pretended to cough. "Be still."

Shadows covered the stable floor as the men crowded in.

Her eyes darted around, blinking away the scratchy ends of the hay. She could see a man at the front of the group from the waist down, but nothing else. Was he wearing Robert's livery? Blue hose cloaked his spindly legs, and then she spotted a small gold badge depicting a bear and ragged staff on the pommel of the sword’s hilt. It was Dudley’s emblem.

Tom was in the background of her frame. He kept on sweeping, whistling under his breath.

The sword-wielding man stamped his foot. "You there!"

Who was he?  The voice immediately sparked some recognition in Katherine.

Tom stilled his hands and then turned around to face the group.  He made no gesture to acknowledge their presence.

One of the man's companions stepped forward. "Bow down! Do you not know your place?"

The ringleader put up his hand by his waist to placate his angry friend.  Then all was silent as the two men stared at each other. Finally, Tom performed the most perfunctory bow he could manage.

The leader pronounced, "I am looking for Katherine Stowes. You know her."  The last statement did not seem to be a question.  The sound of her name startled her, as the hay on Katherine's nose tickled her to madness. Her whole body felt itchy and she longed to move.

Tom shook his head slowly. "No."

Dudley’s man seemed well able to sniff out a lie when he saw one. He held a horse whip in his hand, stepped forward and lashed out, striking Tom on the arm. She flinched then looked back up. Katherine watched Tom's face redden, which reminded her of the night in Dunstable.  'Stay calm,' she pleaded in her head.

"I know you know her,” said Tom’s attacker. “She stayed here last week. Do not think Master Dudley does not have his supporters in Abingdon." Katherine could now see more of the man, but not his face. He tapped the whip in his hand and the movement seemed maddeningly familiar.

Tom stayed quiet.

"I am Sir Richard Verney. I left Kew this morning with my Lord's instructions to bring Katherine Stowes to him. He is...worried for her welfare."

Katherine's hands began to tremble uncontrollably, so the hay quivered ever so lightly. It was Verney. They had stayed at his house in Compton Verney for a few months just last year, before going to Cumnor. Robert said she would be safe there. Amy’s refusal to eat, for fear of poisoning at Hyde's, had made her very thin and she needed a place to recover.  Dudley had also dangled the prospect of his wife finding a permanent residence in Warwickshire where they could settle down. She was desperate for her own roots, but the moment they crossed the threshold of Verney’s Warwickshire house Amy seemed terrified. It was a dark, dingy place and the atmosphere was heavy. Verney was not always there but his unsmiling wife was. She showed Amy little in the way of hospitality. This seemed strange to Katherine when Verney obviously owed his fortune to Robert. Why would she not treat his wife with the utmost respect? It was almost as if she resented her very presence.