‘Listen.’ I grasped his arm. ‘Have you ever specifically denied the Real Presence of Christ’s body and blood in the Mass to someone who might have reported it?’ I spoke quietly, lest a guard be listening at the door.

Philip spread his arms wide. ‘Given what has happened this summer? Of course not.’

‘And you, sir – ’ I turned to Edward, still curled up on his bed – ‘have you said anything that could be dangerous? Have you kept forbidden books?’

He looked at me. ‘I have spoken no heresy, and I handed in my books last month.’ He spoke wearily, as though it did not matter.

I turned to Philip. ‘Then we must cleave to that, and tell the council the accusations against us are false. If someone is trying to use Isabel’s accusations to get at me, we must show them up as nonsense.’ I remembered, my heart sinking, how Treasurer Rowland had avoided making an early appointment with me to discuss Isabel’s accusations further. Had someone got to him?

Edward sat up, and with great weariness, as though his body were made of lead, leaned back against the stone-flagged wall. He said, ‘This is the vengeance of the Lord. Isabel is his instrument. It was all foreordained. Given what I have done, I cannot be saved. I am damned. All my life has been a fraud. I have lived in pride and ignorance – ’

I looked at Philip. ‘What does he mean?’

Philip spoke quietly, ‘Two days ago I confronted him with what the servant Vowell told us. He thinks this is a judgement on him. He told me that he did indeed kill his father.’

‘So it was true.’

Philip nodded despairingly.

Then we all jumped at the sound of keys in the door. The guard held it open. I was overjoyed to see Barak step inside. Beside him, carrying a large bundle, was Josephine. She looked terrified. With them came Coleswyn’s wife, Ethelreda, with whom I had dined that fateful evening when Isabel surprised us. She, too, was clutching a bundle. Her face looked ghastly, her hood askew. ‘Ten minutes,’ the guard said, and slammed the door on us.

Barak spoke, his gruff tone belying the worry on his face. ‘So, you’ve landed yourself here again. Josephine insisted on coming. Nicholas wanted to come too, but I wouldn’t let him. State he’s been in, he’d probably break down and start crying like a big girl.’

‘He’d come at you with his sword if he heard that,’ I said. In the midst of this horror, Barak had made me laugh for a second. I turned to Josephine. ‘Thank you for coming, my dear.’

She gulped. ‘I – I wanted to.’

‘I am grateful.’

‘She insisted,’ Barak said. ‘Brought a great pile of food for you.’

‘Does Tamasin know what has happened?’