“He will not believe you,” he said contemptuously. “Sir Robert knows that I am his loyal servant.”

“I have copies of the accounts, Mr Hyde,” I said sweetly. “Did you think I could not read, could not count? What did you think I did with all my time here in the back of nowhere? Oh, of course, you never considered it. Well, now you know.”

He had goggled at me some more. He had blustered. But when I asked him to apprise me of Robert’s exact whereabouts—for naturally Robert had not seen fit to tell me himself—he gave in.

“Sir Robert is in Suffolk,” he said sulkily. “He has business there.”

“The Queen’s business?” I asked, and saw by the way his gaze slid from mine that my guess was correct. He had gone to meet with Elizabeth in secret. This interested me, for the past six months had been full of nothing but gossip of how he was forever in her company at court. They danced together, rode together, dined together. Whilst I was left to rot in the country, they made Elizabeth’s new kingdom their playground. They made no secret of their preference for each other’s company, so whatever had taken Robert on this clandestine journey had to be very important.

“You will escort me into Suffolk then,” I said. “For I too have business with him.”

William had looked properly appalled but I was insistent and he seemed so stunned at the change in me that he agreed.

“Sir Robert stays at Melford Hall,” he informed me sullenly, and now, as he raised his hand to knock at the door of this fine manor, I thought what a very beautiful place Robert had chosen for his tryst with the Queen. No back stairs tumble for her.

The appalled expression on the face of the steward when William Hyde introduced me was a mirror for Hyde’s own a few days past. I walked straight inside.

“Pray do not trouble to announce me to my lord,” I said airily. “I will announce myself.”

“Madam—” The steward was ashen. “I do not believe Sir Robert is expecting you...”

“No,” I said. “That is rather the point.”

Though the steward was struck dumb and Hyde was watching, grim-faced and silent, it was not difficult to work out where Robert was housed. I simply followed a servant carrying wine. He knocked at a chamber door and having been given the word to enter, I followed him in.

Robert was sprawled in a chair before the fire. He was alone. I had guessed he would be as had the Queen been present Hyde and the steward between them would have made more effort to detain me. As it was, perhaps they wanted to witness what would happen when Robert’s docile wife turned.

“I thought I would find you here, Robert,” I said. I stripped off my gloves and threw them down on the chest. I realised that I was enjoying this. I felt a rush of power and excitement. “I see you were expecting company,” I added, glancing at the table set for two, the silver plate and the fine crystal, the flagon of wine. “I am sure she would not begrudge me refreshment. I have travelled a long way to see you.”