Isabel looked genuinely confused. ‘I thought – I thought it was Master Shardlake who spoke about the Bible, but it may have been Master Coleswyn. Yes, yes, I think it was.’ For a second she looked embarrassed, but rallied. ‘Either way, those were the words.’

‘And the Mass?’ Paget asked.

‘I – I thought they said that. I am sure – I thought – ’ Flustered, she turned to Dyrick, but he said flatly, ‘You were there, madam, not me.’ Isabel looked at him, helpless for once in her life. She began to tremble. It was known that Dyrick would take on anyone as a client, the more blindly aggressive the better. But Isabel Slanning had proved too wild a card even for him.

Then Rich said, his voice contemptuous, ‘This woman is wasting our time.’

Gardiner glared at him again, then said to Philip, ‘But you did speak those words about faith coming through study of the Bible, and prayer?’

‘Yes. But that is no heresy.’

Blustering now, Gardiner went on, ‘All know the King mislikes this endless talking over religion. As he said in his speech to Parliament last Christmas, though the Word of God in English is allowed, it is only to be used for men to inform their consciences.’

‘And that is what Master Shardlake and I were doing, informing our consciences.’ Philip looked at Isabel. ‘Rather it is Mistress Slanning who makes light use of God’s Word, to further her personal quarrels.’

He had spoken well, and left a silence behind him. After a moment Wriothesley said to him, ‘You swear neither of you denied the Real Presence when you met?’

‘I did not,’ I answered.

‘Nor I,’ Philip said.

Paget looked at Isabel. ‘What were you doing at Master Coleswyn’s house that evening, Mistress Slanning? You were not at the dinner?’

She swallowed. ‘I see it as my duty, when I suspect heresy, to watch and wait for it. That I may inform the authorities.’

‘You spied on them,’ Lord Hertford said flatly.

Paget leaned forward, his voice hard. ‘Yet you did not see fit to inform the authorities of this alleged collaboration between heretics until the Lincoln’s Inn Treasurer rejected your accusations.’

‘I – I did not think at first. I was so angry at my brother’s lawyer conspiring with mine – ’ She looked at Edward, who stared at her strangely, his expression blank yet intense.

William Parr said, ‘Is it not manifestly clear to all that this woman’s claims are those of an ill-natured litigant – unfounded, motivated by mere spite – and that these men are guilty of nothing?’