“Oh, one never knows, my dear. He comes. He goes. No rhyme nor reason. Very much in demand, you know, by the court, and the only one by royal permit allowed to fashion the Tudor Rose. King Henry most likely needs some new jewelry for his love, Queen Catherine Parr.”

Franny and Rose exchanged shocked looks. Franny leaned forward over the withers of her pony.

“Madame, I am sorry to bring you this news, but the old king, King Henry, has died. There is a new king now, King Edward.”

The woman wobbled a bit, then grabbed the neck of the hog and fell to her knees, making the sign of the cross.

“I didn’t know. It takes a long time for news to get to the country this far away from London. Master Oliver didn’t mention anything. But I expect they need new jewelry, new adornments for this new king. He be a Protestant, I understand. Not like his dear sister Mary, of the old faith.”

Franny and Rose looked at each other and decided to stay silent.

“Thank you for your help, ma’am,” Rose said. “Might we just walk about his yard? I think I’d like to leave him a message. Do you by any chance have any paper and pen?”

“Me, girl?” the old lady cackled. “What do you take me for? I don’t do no scriving. Never learned my letters or how to read. Ain’t you a funny little thing.” She looked at Rose more carefully now. “You know, you do bear a wee likeness to Master Oliver.”

“Oh, I doubt it,” Rose said quickly.

“Well, no harm in walking about, I s’pose, but the cottage is locked up tight as a drum, and even if you had a message to slide under the door, probably couldn’t squeeze it through. He’s a goldsmith, after all. Precious things in there.”

“Yes . . . yes . . . I’m sure, precious things,” Rose whispered to herself.

The woman and her pig toddled off. As soon as she was out of earshot, Franny said, “You see, even she said you looked like your dad.” Franny loved that word, “dad.” She called her own father Pa, or Papa, but Dad was . . . well, debonair. It certainly fit Nicholas Oliver, for he was a debonair, handsome man.

“Come on, let’s look around,” Rose said, sliding off the horse. There was a post by the front door of the cottage to tether horses to. The cottage was a squat little affair with very small windows. But it did have two chimneys.