‘If there was a spy, it wasn’t him.’ I thought quickly; that left only Curdy, who was dead, Vandersteyn, who was gone, and McKendrick. And I could not see it being Vandersteyn; he had too long a history as a radical and had been at the very centre of the conspiracy. That left Curdy and McKendrick, who had lived in the same house and had both been against exposing Bertano before his arrival. I asked, ‘What was Curdy’s and McKendrick’s argument against making Bertano’s visit known immediately?’

‘Curdy said we had no clear evidence, and if we set the story abroad it would simply be denied, and the negotiations would take place anyway. McKendrick agreed, he said stronger evidence was needed, perhaps more detail of where the negotiations were to take place, and with whom. He said he knew from experience in Scotland how rumours can fly, only to be quickly quelled if there is no evidence. He suggested Vandersteyn try to get more information from the Continent, and then break the news in detail, when Bertano was actually here. We knew only that he was coming around the start of August. In the end we agreed to wait, and Vandersteyn sent letters to his associates abroad, in code, to try to get more information.’

‘Was there any reply?’

‘No.’ He sighed. ‘Vandersteyn’s agents could discover no more. And then came Master Greening’s murder; we fled, hid in secret in the houses of good friends, keeping separate, moving from place to place while Master Vandersteyn arranged for a ship to come over and take us to Flanders. We knew we were being hunted. One of the households which sheltered Master McKendrick was attacked by ruffians just after he left.’ He looked at me. ‘None of that was arranged by you or your confederates?’

‘No.’

‘How did you know we would be at the docks tonight?’

‘It was not difficult to work out that you would try to get yourselves, and perhaps both books, abroad. Spies were placed at the docks. You were too confident, going through the customs house. You should have smuggled yourselves on board the ship.’

Leeman bit his lip.

‘Let’s get this clear,’ Barak said. ‘Your little group were Anabaptists, who want to overthrow not just the whole of established religion, but society itself—’

‘As we one day will! It is clear in the Bible—’

Barak cut in. ‘A group which was put together by the Dutchman Vandersteyn, who is part of a similar circle on the Continent, and whose particular goal was to obtain information that could incite the people to rebellion.’

‘Ay. The people are deceived by the lies of popes and princes. But believers such as ourselves are the leaven in the yeast.’ Leeman spoke as though chanting a prayer.