The Siren Queen: An Ursula Blanchard Mystery at Queen Elizabeth I's by Buckley Fiona

Author:Buckley, Fiona [Buckley, Fiona]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Scribner
Published: 2013-05-21T00:00:00+00:00

16

A Friend in Need

“You are ready for your journey? You slept well, I trust?” said Ridolfi casually to Hillman over our breakfast chops.

Or perhaps not so casually, because Hillman looked odd; he kept rubbing his eyes and shaking his head as if to clear his vision, and he had a puzzled expression.

“I slept,” said Hillman with emphasis on the second word, “but I had the maddest dreams. It was like being delirious. I was setting out on my journey and riding my horse through the sky, and there were red and purple clouds all round me; then I thought I was in my bed and awake, but there were elfin lights bobbing about as though a league of fairies were wandering through my room; then I was plunging out of the window and soaring up to go head over heels among the stars. When I woke this morning I thought I must have started a fever in the night, but I don’t feel ill and my skin’s cool enough. Extraordinary.”

Fran Dale, who was breakfasting at the same time, glanced anxiously first at Hillman and then at me. I cleared my throat and remarked that everyone had a bad night or a few wild dreams sometimes.

“I daresay, but these . . . !” Hillman sounded aggrieved, as though his strange night had been a personal affront. I don’t believe in goblins and I’ve had to spend the whole night with them, said his tone. He was a very normal young man.

I hoped that my face didn’t reflect the way my stomach had turned over when Hillman mentioned lights near his bed. He must, I thought in horror, have come half awake at some point when either I or Brockley was in his room, groping in his saddlebags!

“You are sure you are in good health now?” Ridolfi said to Hillman. “If not . . . ”

“In perfect health, I thank you, sir. I have already asked that my horse be saddled and brought round for me as soon as I finish breaking my fast.”

His appetite was clearly undamaged, but he finished eating before anyone else, and left the room in haste. Madame Ridolfi was as usual taking a tray in her bedchamber. I murmured to Dale that she was to summon Brockley and Gladys to my room and very soon, I and my coconspirators were once more gathered together, and I was telling those who hadn’t heard, what Hillman had said about his strange experiences last night. “How much did you give him?” I said to Gladys.

“Enough, look you,” said Gladys sulkily. “I only just give him enough from the sound of it. I reckon he almost woke up!”

“Yes, I think he did,” I said with feeling. Dale eyed me with concern. “You’re upset, ma’am,” she said. “I can see it.”

“I think we were on the edge of disaster last night,” I said. “And now I’m tired but somehow, I’ve got to get away from Madame Ridolfi today and take those transcripts to Cecil.

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