Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Again I told myself to stop being silly and went around the chancel to Saint Erkenwald’s tomb. The flowers I’d placed there yesterday were gone. A few new offerings had been made today: a pouch knotted with string, a daffodil, and a simple ceramic cup. I placed the folded paper I was carrying on the lid, then backed away.

I’d barely stepped into the shadows when a girl my age, hair in long, blond braids and dressed in a simple peasant smock, approached from the chapel of Saint George in the northeast corner of the church. She reached over the rail and plucked the paper I’d left from the tomb. For all Tom’s worry yesterday about stealing from a saint, no one even noticed she’d done it.

She unfolded the paper, read what I’d written inside. It was just a single word.

Covenanters.

She studied it for a moment. Then she tucked the paper inside her dress.

And turned to look directly at me.

CHAPTER 40

I FROZE.

Pressed against the wall, I tightened my grip on my pistols. For a moment, the girl didn’t move. She just regarded me calmly.

Then she strode away.

She walked toward the north end of the cathedral. Before she disappeared, she stopped and looked back at me.

I hadn’t moved. But as I stared at her, I finally understood what she wanted me to do.

I was supposed to follow.

I glanced around. No one seemed to be paying attention to either of us. If there was a threat somewhere, I couldn’t see it.

I decided to chance it. Hands still on my pistols, I pushed myself from the wall.

The girl moved again, disappearing around the corner.

I hurried after her. When I caught sight of her, she was well ahead of me, moving deftly through the crowd. I thought she’d go out the main entrance, to the west, but instead, she took a side entrance, heading out of the cathedral to the north.

I hesitated. I’d left Tom watching the main entrance. If I followed the girl, he wouldn’t know I’d gone.

I thought about firing a shot to alert him, but alert him to what? The girl wasn’t threatening me. If anything, my shot was likely to scare her off. To say nothing of the fury it would cause in the church.

I stood there, not knowing what to do, until the girl decided for me. She’d stopped in the doorway, waiting. When I didn’t move, she simply pushed the door open and left.

I followed her outside.

By the time I emerged, she was already across the courtyard. She’d bought a wax taper from one of the tallow boys outside the cathedral; the weak flame of the candle lit her way.

I hurried to follow, some thirty yards behind. She picked up the pace, moving northeast toward the junction of Newgate and Cheapside. I went after her, knowing Tom would be furious with me for leaving him behind. I could only hope I hadn’t just made a terrible mistake.