I stared at him. I knew that after the death of his father, Barak’s mother had quickly married another man, whom he detested; he had been out on the streets alone by the age of twelve. He said, ‘She was old, bent, carrying a pile of twigs for the fire. I don’t know what happened to him, maybe he’s dead, with luck.’

‘Did you speak to her?’

He shook his head. ‘She was coming towards me, I recognized her at once. I stopped, I wasn’t sure whether to speak to her or not. I felt sorry for her. But she walked straight past, didn’t recognize me. So that was that. It’s for the best.’

‘How could you expect her to recognize you? You hadn’t seen her in over twenty years.’

‘A decent mother would know her own child,’ he answered stubbornly.

‘Did you tell Tamasin?’

He shook his head firmly. ‘She’d press me to look for her. And I won’t.’ His jaw set hard.

‘I’m sorry.’

‘What’s done is done.’ He changed the subject. ‘You realize Nick may not be at that house, if he’s even still alive. These people want you, to find out what you know, and they won’t be gentle. After that, they’ll have no use for either of you.’

I met his gaze. ‘I know. But if they are going to interrogate me, it will take time. That’s why I need you to watch. If I don’t come out in twenty minutes, call your new friend the constable. I was going to tell you to go to Whitehall, but this way’s better and faster.’

‘All right.’ He fixed me with his hard brown eyes, and spoke seriously. ‘You have to separate yourself from the Queen. Every time you go near that cesspit they call the Royal Court you end up in danger.’

‘She is in danger.’

‘Her own fault, by the sound of it.’

I lowered my voice to a whisper. ‘The King is dying.’

‘I’ve heard that rumour.’

‘It’s more than rumour. I’ve caught glimpses of him, twice. The state he is in – I don’t see how he can last more than a few months.’

‘And then?’

‘Then, if the reformers are in the ascendant, the Queen may be one of those who governs for Prince Edward. She may even be made Regent, as she was when the King led his army to France two years ago. But that book in the wrong hands could kill her.’

Barak inclined his head. ‘Even if she survives, and the reformers win, the Seymours will want to take over. And they’re Prince Edward’s blood relatives, after all. If they do, perhaps the Queen may marry again.’ He looked at me narrowly. ‘Another political marriage, probably, to someone powerful at Court.’