A Plague on Both Your Houses (Oliver Wade Spy Thriller Series Book 3) by David Field

Author:David Field [Field, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sharpe Books
Published: 2020-01-13T05:00:00+00:00

Six

‘Cecil may as well close us down, for all the money we’re making,’ Oliver admitted gloomily as William smiled and accepted a biscuit from the platter that Meg lowered to head height as she leaned across the table. ‘You can still afford fine biscuits,’ he commented slyly. ‘Or am I eating property stolen from that baker down the road whose wife’s arse you used to fondle?’

‘He doesn’t do that any more,’ Meg assured him, then added ‘Do you?’ as she glared at Oliver, who shook his head and chuckled. ‘But chasing arses is all I seem destined to do unless Father can give me more information on what these furtive characters are about.’

‘You know everything that I know,’ William assured him. ‘And even that came second-hand from John Gerard. Some sort of rebellion, from what he was able to garner from the confessional – one that involves deaths. Most certainly the King’s, but seemingly others too. However, de Vere did advise me that Thomas Percy was most anxious to obtain the lease on that house within the curtilage of Westminster Palace. Perhaps they intend some sort of ambush during a Parliamentary sitting, although the next one is not due until February of next year.’

‘Perhaps I would do better to keep watch on that house,’ Oliver suggested, but William shrugged. ‘The house in Lambeth is where they are met, is it not? Whatever they are plotting, they are doing it from there, and will perhaps not transfer it to Westminster until the time is right.’

‘Perhaps their plan does not involve Westminster at all,’ Oliver speculated. ‘All I know is that I can’t keep watch on two sets of premises at once.’

‘Is there not someone you can employ to watch one of them, while you fix your eyes on the other?’

‘I have no resources to employ men,’ Oliver complained. ‘Those fine biscuits you are consuming are the result of Meg’s skill with needle and thread, accommodating the growing bosom of one of her wealthy friends among the nobility. That, and the remainder of the money we were graciously handed at Hoxton.’

‘What about Matthew?’ Meg enquired. ‘He is forever at our door, seeking the means to feed his wife and infant son. He was lucky to see four shillings a week when performing with us as one of the Cardinal Players, so he might settle for less than that to act as your eyes.’

William reached into the purse hanging from his belt, selected some coins and threw them on the table. ‘There’s his first two weeks’ wages. You are correct that you cannot keep watch on more than one place at a time, and I cannot detail one of my men, less they be spotted, or asked awkward questions about why they are being set to watch. Your only decision now must be which of the houses to watch.’

‘Westminster, for preference,’ Oliver replied.

True to his word, he began turning up each morning, shortly after daybreak, and joining the depressingly growing number of beggars seeking alms from passersby as they sat inside the perimeter wall of the Palace of Westminster.

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