‘Barnabus,’ said Carey eventually. ‘I know you’re there, skulking in the corner. Go and find Long George and Bessie’s Andrew and tell them to come to my chambers in an hour. Young Hutchin, thank you for telling me this. I’m indebted to you. Only I’d like to know why you did it.’

Young Hutchin went pink about the ears.

‘It wasnae for ye, sir,’ he said gruffly. ‘Only, I like the Lady, see.’

Carey looked shrewdly at Young Hutchin for a moment, causing further reddening around the ears, and then smiled.

‘All the better,’ he said. ‘That’s a perfectly honourable reason.’

Barnabus came hurrying back to the Queen Mary Tower from his errand and was surprised to see Carey still wearing his ordinary clothes. He would have expected the Deputy to be in helmet and harness and chafing to ride to rescue his beloved, knowing the man. Carey grinned at his obvious shock.

‘Barnabus, think,’ he said. ‘I’ve got no men around here; they’re all at the haymaking and even if they weren’t, seven certainly is not enough to match fifty riders. And we don’t know for sure what’s going on.’

‘But if Wattie Graham’s after Lady Widdrington, shouldn’t we get after ’im, sir...?’

‘You’re a bit rash, Barnabus.’ Barnabus blinked at this outrageous instance of a kettle calling a brass warming-pan black. ‘I said, think. Nothing’s going to happen to her today because unless she’s been extraordinarily unlucky, she’ll be into Thirlwall Castle by now.’

‘Ain’t you going to send a message? Or talk to the Warden?’

‘No, I’m going to talk to Lowther first, he’s due to take the patrol tonight.’

Barnabus trotted after Carey as he strode out of the Castle and into the town where Sir Richard had a small town house on Abbey Street.

MONDAY, 3RD JULY 1592, AFTERNOON

Carey was magnificently languid as he was ushered into the Lowther house and bowed to the dumpling-faced nervous creature who was Lady Lowther. Sir Richard came out and his face hardened with suspicion. After a few exchanges of airy courtesy, Sir Richard growled, ‘What can I do for you, Sir Robert?’

‘I would like to take your patrol out tonight.’

‘Eh?’

‘I’ve heard a rumour about where some of the King of Scotland’s horses are being kept and I’d like to investigate. Unfortunately, most of my men are out making hay and as it’s your patrol night tonight, I thought I’d ask you.’

He smiled guilelessly, looking remarkably dense for one so intelligent. Barnabus wondered uneasily what elaborate lunacy he was maturing now.

Lowther grunted with suspicion. Barnabus watched him considering the suggestion. Discourteous as ever, Lowther hadn’t even offered his master anything to drink, but Carey was standing there playing with his rings as if he hadn’t noticed, looking benignly enthusiastic.

Carey reached into his belt pouch and took out a folded sheet of paper. ‘I could... er... give you this back,’ he offered. It was Lowther’s note of debt for fifteen pounds.

Uh oh, thought Barnabus, he’s overdone it. Lowther will want to know why he’s so eager to take somebody else’s patrol.

Lowther did want to know. ‘That’s very handsome of ye, Sir Robert,’ he said. ‘Why are ye willing to say goodbye to so much money for such a minor thing?’

Carey smiled. ‘King James is offering a large reward for his horses,’ he explained. ‘If I can find those horses and bring them in, I might make ten times that, besides pleasing the King.’

‘Ah.’ Lowther’s expression lightened slowly. This he understood, and he was only too happy to tear up his large losses at primero. ‘I’ll speak to Sergeant Nixon then.’

He reached for the paper but Carey put it away again.

‘You can have it when I get back,’ he said.

Aggravatingly, when they returned to the Queen Mary Tower, Barnabus was sent to find Young Hutchin and make sure he stayed near the stables where Carey could find him, though out of sight.

Carey arrived a little later with Long George and Bessie’s Andrew, all three of them wearing their helmets and jacks. Long George’s pink-rimmed eyes were looking amused and Bessie’s Andrew was swallowing nervously and biting his fingernails, whereas Carey was humming something complicated and irritating about springtime and birds going hey dingalingaling.

‘Barnabus,’ he said as he passed by. ‘Don’t try and wander off; I want your help as well.’

‘Yes, sir,’ said Barnabus resignedly, making sure he had his dagger and the throwing knife behind his neck. The one he usually kept up his left sleeve was currently in pledge with Lisa at the bawdy-house. Then he climbed up one side of a box partition and sat on top of it with his legs dangling.

All the men bunched up in a disorderly rabble and stood picking their teeth while Lowther made a short speech explaining that Sir Robert Carey would take them out in search of some of King James’s horses and they were to render to him all the assistance they would to himself, etcetera and so on. Touching, Barnabus called it. Then Lowther departed, quite pleased with himself, while Carey looked them over. Considering the state of them, Barnabus wondered what he would say, but all he did was to ask, ‘Where are your bows, gentlemen?’

They looked at each other. Sergeant Nixon spoke up.

‘We havenae got none.’

‘Ah,’ said Carey. ‘Well, I want you to get some. I assume you can use them? Good. Sergeant Nixon, take your men down to the armourer’s in Scotch Street and buy them all bows and a dozen arrows each.’

He tossed Sergeant Nixon three pounds to pay for them and nodded at him to be off.

This seemed to thaw even Ill-Willit Daniel’s heart. He touched his hand to his helmet as he led his troop back out of the stables. Carey watched them pass and then said, ‘Mick the Crow.’

‘Ay, sir,’ answered the one with greasy black hair hanging out under his steel cap, a sallow skin and a lamentable jack.

‘I’ve got another errand for you, Mick; wait here a moment.’

‘Ay, sir.’

They waited, while Barnabus learned from Carey’s humming that springtime was also the only pretty ring time. The excited chatter of Lowther’s troop faded in the direction of the gate and out of earshot.

‘Well, Mick,’ Carey said in a friendly fashion, and nodded meaningfully at Long George and Bessie’s Andrew. Long George had moved behind Mick the Crow, examining a hobby’s forehoof. Now he whisked about and put his long arm round Mick the Crow’s neck. Bessie’s Andrew was slower but managed to catch Mick’s right arm before it reached his sword and twist it behind his back. Mick kicked wildly at Carey, so Barnabus leaned down from his perch and put his dagger point under Mick’s nose. Mick squinted at it and took breath to yell.

‘’Course you could get along wivout a nose, mate,’ said Barnabus conversationally. ‘But it wouldn’t arf ’urt your chances wiv women.’

‘Eh?’ gasped Mick the Crow. ‘What the hell are ye doin’? Lemme go...’

Carey leaned forward and pulled Mick’s sword out of its sheath, looked at it distastefully and dropped it in the straw. The dagger went the same way. Carey handed Bessie’s Andrew some halter rope and he and Long George tied Mick’s hands behind him.

‘What the... what’s goin’ on...’

‘Shut up,’ said Barnabus. ‘Think of your nose, mate.’

‘But I... Ouch!’

‘Oh. Sorry.’

Carey pointed at Mick the Crow’s chest. ‘You’re under arrest, Mick the Crow Salkeld,’ he said. ‘For March treason.’

‘What? Wha’ are ye talkin’ about...?’