Doublecross: Gallowglass by George Edwardson

Author:George Edwardson [Edwardson, George]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-11-05T23:00:00+00:00

Ian Swinney was no longer just a rough gallowglass soldier. He was now almost a courtier in King James’s Court in Edinburgh and enjoyed the sophistication of Scottish society in the capital. But like his master, nothing had prepared him for London.

The City of London bustled in an endless confusion of rushing people and incredible noise. The wealth of the place was astonishing but the display in Queen Elizabeth’s chaotic palace at Whitehall was extraordinary.

Strangely, it seemed that anybody could enter the Palace. Ian suspected that Walsingham’s spies were everywhere, so he did as he was told concerning discretion at all times.

Swinney was not, however, idle. He called on a list of sympathetic merchants and even an alderman in the City, Scotsmen long out of Scotland who had done well in London. He also determined to meet the Spanish ambassador.

Don Bernardino de Mendoza had been in England for King Philip of Spain for a number of years. He kept Madrid appraised of the comings and goings in Whitehall and the politics and weaknesses (more important than the strengths, he always thought) of those closest to the Queen. He was also dismayed that the word of Luther and Calvin had spread to Scotland. Swinney concluded that he should make himself known to the envoy, at the very least.

He contrived to meet the ambassador while both were walking in the sunshine around the Whitehall bowling green, a traditional place for courtiers to stretch their legs.

Swinney was quite sure that one or more of Walsingham’s people would be watching Mendoza. He determined to press on, whatever. Following closely behind the black velvet clad ambassador, Ian cleared his throat and stepped up beside the man.

Mendoza turned briefly and Swinney, not an easy man to ignore due to his size, made a deep bow while dropping a silver crucifix onto the grass out of the side of his hand. ‘Your Excellency, you seem to have dropped this. Let me return it to you.’ He had considered speaking in Spanish but thought that English would arouse less interest.

Closing his hand over the cross, he grabbed it and straightening, pressed the silver piece into the surprised ambassador’s open hand. Mendoza glanced down and recognized the signal it was meant to give him in an instant.

‘Sir, you are eagle-eyed and do me a kindness. May I know your name as I cannot recall having met you?’

Swinney spoke briefly with his name and that – if any were listening – he was in the household of the Earl of Argyll on an embassy to London.

Mendoza studied the Scotsman’s face, nodded and told him that he was always in his debt. ‘Be pleased to call on me so that I may reward you. As any will tell you, my door is always open to honest men.’

Now quite sure that his message of Catholic loyalty had been registered, he bowed to Don Bernardino and strode away south towards the River Thames, feeling very pleased with himself. Not for long.

He had only gone a few yards when the slightly crooked figure of young Cecil joined him.

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