She drew a breath as if she would draw in patience again. ‘And if it is not so easy? If the duke cannot slap Richelieu’s face, just like that?’

‘Then the duke will need me,’ John said simply. ‘If they have to build siege machines, or bridges, he will need me there.’

‘You are a gardener!’ she exclaimed.

‘Yes!’ he cried, goaded at last. ‘But the rest of them are poets and musicians! The officers are young men from the court who have never ridden out for anything more arduous than a day’s hunting, and the sergeants are drunkards and criminals. He needs at least one man in his train who can work with his hands and measure a length with his eye! Who in my lord’s train will guard him? Who can he trust?’

She got up from her stool and snatched up the platters from the table. John saw her blink away angry tears and he softened at once. ‘Lizzie …’ he said gently.

‘Are we never to be at peace together?’ she demanded. ‘You are a young man no longer, John, will you never stay home? We have our son, we have our home, you have your great garden and your rarities. Is this not enough for you that you have to go chasing off halfway round the world to fight the French, who were our allies and friends only last year?’

He got up and went over to her. His knees ached, and he was careful to walk steadily without a limp. He put his arm around her waist. He could feel the warmth and softness of her body beneath her grey gown. ‘Forgive me,’ he said. ‘I have to go. Give me your blessing. You will never make me sail without your blessing.’

She turned her troubled face towards him. ‘I can bless you and I can pray for the Lord to watch over you,’ she said. ‘But I fear that you are sailing with bad company into a senseless fight. You will be badly commanded, badly ruled, and poorly paid.’

Tradescant flinched back from her. ‘This is not a blessing, this is ill-wishing!’

Elizabeth shook her head. ‘It is the truth, John, and everyone in the country but you knows it. Everyone but you thinks that your duke is leading this country into war to spite Richelieu and to tease the King of France whom he cuckolded already. Everyone but you thinks he is showing off before the king. Everyone but you thinks he is a wicked and dangerous man.’

John was white. ‘I see you have been listening to the preachers and the gossips again,’ he said. ‘This poison is not of your cooking!’