Forman’s giggling had lightened the air around us. Frankie and I caught eyes and laughed so hard we had to put our arms across our chests for fear our laces would snap. One after another, images came to mind of Overbury making eyes at Frankie, each more ridiculous than the previous. Forman appeared delighted by our mirth and circled his hands as if to stir up more. “Not Overbury,” Frankie finally managed to say, “he hates women even more than he hates us Howards. His tenderness is all for Carr and it is returned. Carr has come to believe he cannot do without Overbury’s wit, mainly because Overbury tells him so.”

Forman’s expression was instantly serious. “Then he will go to great lengths to keep Sir Robert Carr from you.”

Frankie held Forman’s gaze. “I am not afraid of Sir Thomas Overbury. He is low in rank and too widely disliked to do harm. It is my husband I fear. He has already done me great wrong.”

Forman sat forward, clearly entranced by Frankie. “‘Then surely He shall deliver thee from noisome pestilence, for He shall give His angels charge over thee!’” he cried, before becoming as businesslike as any tailor or jeweler, describing the processes of his trade. “As a magus, I follow in the steps of King Solomon. Once summoned, a spirit is named and thereby bound to a master, who can then call it at will. To use spirits against a person or their property is ‘Magical Assault,’ punishable by death according to laws introduced by our King as soon as he climbed upon England’s throne. That is why I call only on angels. They cannot be made obedient to man and act only according to His will.”

It was clear to me that he was aroused by desire to help two beautiful ladies, but he was also transformed by excitement at the prospect of communicating with God’s messengers. What greater project could there be but to bring happiness to His flock? What nobler calling than to help work His mysteries? It was an act of faith, there was no sin in it. From every pulpit we were told to put our trust in angel helpers, to know that God’s guardians looked over us and kept us safe. The Pope had created a Feast Day for guardian angels two years earlier. Even the strictest Puritan would not question our belief that help came from that source.

Having laid out his stall, Forman cried, “Let us call them!”

He looked at us to ascertain whether we possessed sufficient courage. What he did not know, but soon would, was that the problem with us was a surfeit of courage.

Forman locked and bolted the chamber door, closed the windows and shutters and pulled thick curtains over them. He cleared a space in the middle of the cluttered room and from a box took three metal sigils that he hung around our necks.