‘Mary Odell is one of four chamberers. It is a junior post, but Mary is especially close to the Queen. She is her cousin once removed. There are many distant Parr relatives in the Queen’s household now, just as once there were Boleyns and Seymours. As well as being her dependants, they all owe their posts to the Queen, so their loyalty can be counted on. But Mary Odell, particularly, is the Queen’s close friend as well as her servant. Handle her gently. As for Jane Fool – ’ he inclined his head – ‘there are two types of fool: those skilled at gentle clowning, like the King’s man, Will Somers, and natural fools like Jane. She has great licence. But she has a sharp wit as well.’ Lord Parr looked at me closely. ‘One never knows if fools are always so foolish as they seem,’ he concluded darkly.

‘And Jane serves as fool to the Lady Mary as well. So she has joint loyalties,’ I ventured.

‘I have considered that. It is ten years since the Lady Mary ended her defiance and agreed to the Royal Supremacy. She is conservative in religion, but has followed the King’s wishes all this time. The Queen has tried to bring all three royal children together, but although Mary is fond of little Edward, she does not like the Lady Elizabeth.’ He shrugged. ‘Understandable, as Elizabeth’s mother displaced hers. The Queen has done everything to befriend Mary. They are of an age, and often together.’

‘But Mary is no reformer.’

‘She has avoided all taint of plotting. She is safe. And now I will leave you.’ Lord Parr stood. ‘The pages will be sent in. It will attract less notice, as I told you, if the questioning is conducted by one of the Queen’s Learned Council rather than myself. I will return later. The missing ring is plain gold with a large square ruby in the centre, and the initials of the Queen’s late stepdaughter, MN, for Margaret Neville, on the inside of the band.’ He stepped to the door. ‘Watch the page Adrian Russell, he can be an insolent pup. Later I will show you the chest. By the way, I heard today the King is moving to Hampton Court next month. The rat-catchers have already been sent in. Everything and everybody in the Royal Apartments will be moved there by barge. So it is important that you see everything here as it was at the time of the theft, while you still can.’

A GUARD SHOWED in the first page, a skinny fair-haired lad of about sixteen, with a haughty manner. He wore the Queen’s red livery, her badge on his chest, and a black cap which he removed. I looked at him sternly, as though he were a hostile witness in court.

‘You are Adrian Russell?’