The Enterprise of England by Ann Swinfen

Author:Ann Swinfen
Language: eng
Format: mobi, azw3, epub
Tags: Mystery, Action & Adventure, Crime, Historical, Thriller & Suspense, Thriller, Literature & Fiction
ISBN: 0992822858
Publisher: Shakenoak Press
Published: 2014-06-25T23:00:00+00:00

The next morning as we broke our fast in the inn parlour with cold meats and cheeses, Berden told me he had paid for the room for the next week.

‘I have told the inn keeper that you will be remaining in Amsterdam, while I will be travelling about. It is unlikely that I will return in less than a week, but no need to tell him that.’

‘You said you know the town well,’ I said. ‘Do you know Reiger Straat?’

‘It’s not far from here. Go back to the Earl’s house, then follow the canal until it flows into another one. Reiger Straat runs off to the left, along that canal. Why do you ask?’

‘A friend of mine told me her cousin lives there. If I had the chance, she asked me to take him news of her family.’

He considered this for a moment, frowning. ‘You had best tell me the name of your friend and her cousin.’

This annoyed me somewhat, for I felt it was no concern of his, but I was in some sense under his direction, so I said, ‘It is Sara Lopez, the wife of Ruy Lopez, the Queen’s personal physician. Her cousin is Ettore Añez, a merchant dealing in precious stones, the nephew of Dunstan Añez, the Queen’s Purveyor of Spices.’ I laid a good deal of emphasis on these links to the Queen.

His face cleared. ‘Ah, that is quite permissible. Dr Lopez has been of service to Sir Francis, and so has Senhor Añez.’

I wasn’t sure which Senhor Añez he meant, but I let that pass. ‘So you will have no objection if I call on Senhor Añez?’ I said, with an edge of false humility in my tone.

He looked at me sharply. ‘These are dangerous times, Kit. You should realise that. And in a foreign country one must be particularly careful to watch every step. Take care that you do so while you are alone in the town. I know that you are new to this . . . business. Caution and discretion are often the only shield for an intelligencer from arrest or even death, and don’t forget it.’

I felt my cheeks burning as I said, ‘I’ll not forget.’

‘Good.’ He dismissed the subject and instead explained the route he would be following and said again that he was unlikely to return in less than a week.

I saw him out to the stables and waited while he saddled Redknoll. Then he was on his way.

When he had disappeared around a corner of the narrow street, I felt, suddenly, curiously, alone. Berden was not exactly a friend, but he was a steady companion, totally to be trusted, and much more experienced than I. I realised now how much I had depended on him ever since we had left Seething Lane. Now that I was on my own, I was uncertain what I should do. It was all very well for both Sir Francis and Berden to tell me to keep my eyes and ears open,

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