somehow. He had always been so full of life – of hope, too, despite living under the threat of execution for fifteen years.
When she reached the edge of Raleigh’s garden, she looked up at the tower, its turrets silhouetted against the night sky. There was no sign of life within. Perhaps God had already taken him. She prayed that He had, though instinct told her he still drew breath.
Her pulse throbbed in her ears as she began to mount the steps. She saw that the yeoman was not at his post. He must have moved inside the lodging to shelter from the cold. She knocked lightly on the door and waited, her breath misting in the air. Everything was silent within. Slowly, she lifted the latch and pushed open the door, expecting to see the guard asleep. But the room was in darkness. She waited, straining her ears for any sound from the chamber beyond. Nothing. Summoning her courage, she took a step forward and reached for the handle. But just as her fingers closed over the cold iron ring, a hand gripped her wrist with such force that she cried out. There was an answering groan from Raleigh’s chamber, then silence.
‘Sir Walter does not usually receive visitors at this hour.’
The silken voice was so close to her ear that she could feel his breath. She felt like a rabbit caught in a snare and looked desperately about her, as if trying to find some means of escape. He took a step closer, his arm brushing against her back. Her breath was coming so quickly that she feared she might faint. Then he released his grip and there was a loud bang as he flung open the shutter. At once, the parlour was illuminated by the fragile light of the waning moon. Frances tried to turn but he pressed her against the door so that her head twisted painfully away from him.
‘What is your business here, Lady Frances?’
There was no mistaking his voice this time. A moment later, he released his grip and she turned to see Buckingham standing before her. He eyed her with faint amusement, as if he had caught a child stealing a comfit from the palace kitchens.
‘Where is the yeoman?’ she demanded, hoping to distract him while she tried to order her thoughts.
The marquess waved his hand dismissively. ‘I have relieved him of his duties for the evening. Some jewels are of such value that they should not be entrusted to others, as I advised His Majesty.’
‘You are very assiduous, my lord,’ she replied sardonically. ‘Surely Sir Allen would have been happy to oblige.’
‘I have no doubt of it. But the only means to be certain of an outcome is to perform the task oneself, is it not, my lady?’
His eyes glinted in the gloom. Frances held his gaze but did not answer.
‘Now we have established why I am here, perhaps we could turn our attention to you.’
Frances thought quickly. ‘I had heard that Sir Walter was ill and hoped to observe his symptoms so that I could seek a remedy from the court apothecary.’
Buckingham raised an eyebrow. ‘Clearly I am not alone in my assiduity. Did you not think that the King might have assigned someone to attend to his prisoner?’
Frances gave a shrug. ‘It hardly seemed likely, given that he will soon have him put to death.’
Buckingham eyed her. ‘If you wished to observe Sir Walter’s symptoms, then why did you not do so during daylight hours? It is very late for a lady of your status to be out alone.’
‘I have been ill myself and was obliged to keep to my chambers all day,’ Frances countered. ‘But I felt better after some sleep so resolved to come at once, rather than wait until tomorrow when Sir Walter will no longer be able to receive visitors.’
Buckingham nodded slowly. She knew he suspected her, but was determined to give him no reason to detain her.
‘May I see Sir Walter now?’ she asked curtly. ‘I do not wish to delay my return to Whitehall any longer.’
The young man wrought a heavy sigh. ‘I wish that I could sanction it, but the King’s orders were very clear. I am to admit no one to Raleigh’s chamber tonight – not even his wife. She has made such a nuisance of herself today with her weeping and wailing. I wonder that she did not rouse the poor man from his bed.’
‘But I seek only a few moments with him,