‘Isn’t ten at night an unusual hour to go aboard?’ Nicholas asked.

Stice looked pleased with himself. ‘I’d told my man at the customs house to say it would take till ten to process the papers. It’ll be dark then, easier to take them. All we need to do is wait at Somers Key Wharf tonight. It’ll be quiet, work will have finished for the day. With luck we’ll take them all. And hopefully Askew’s confession will be in their luggage, or more likely about the person of one of them.’ And the Lamentation too, I thought. My heart quickened.

‘Why tell us?’ Barak asked Stice. ‘You could have taken them yourselves.’

‘Because Sir Richard keeps his word, fellow.’ Stice smiled, then shrugged. ‘And as you said, your people will likely get wind of it today, in any case. Besides, if we take them on the wharf there may be trouble. I’ve told the customs people to keep out of it, that this is private business of Sir Richard, but the crew of that Dutch ship may not like us seizing their passengers, particularly if they’re all heretics.’

‘The crew will probably be getting drunk in the city,’ Barak said.

‘There will be a couple of men left on board at least,’ Stice replied. ‘To keep watch, and help the passengers aboard. And these four may bring their own protection with them, of course.’

I had to agree. ‘Yes, there is still the question of those two men who murdered the printer.’

‘If there is a fight at the wharf, won’t that attract people?’ Nicholas asked.

‘It could do,’ Barak agreed. ‘But if swords are being waved around, and a good number of men are involved, people are unlikely to intervene.’

‘I agree,’ Stice said. ‘I can bring another two men tonight besides me and Gower. Can you three come?’

Nicholas and Barak nodded, Nicholas looking Stice in the eye. I said, ‘And I will send a note to Cecil, to see if he can provide anybody, too.’

Stice thought a moment. I wondered if he was considering, if Cecil brought some more men, whether his own party would be outnumbered if it came to trouble between us. Then he smiled again. ‘Wear dark clothes. We can look forward to an exciting evening.’

‘My instructions are to see these people are taken alive,’ I said. It had occurred to me that Rich might prefer that anyone with knowledge of Anne Askew’s writings be put permanently out of the way.

‘Of course. Sir Richard and your friend Cecil will doubtless want to question them all. Unless they decide to act the hero and fight back. They’re fanatics, remember.’ Stice looked serious now.

‘Yes,’ I agreed. ‘Unless they fight back.’