I hoped that his advice to Catherine and Robert on improving their estate would not similarly bankrupt them though I feared it might. And why would Catherine wish to develop the garden at the smaller estate of Knightstone rather than at Chastleton, where they would be living for most of the time and entertaining their guests? Thomas’s previous connection to Knightstone, the link to the Knights Hospitallers and their treasure, troubled me. Could he have another reason for visiting there so often, and was he involving Robert in whatever he planned? My imagination raced away with possibilities.

I mentioned the matter to William later, behind the privacy of our bed curtains. He had had a long day presiding over the monthly manor court followed by a fine meal of roasted pork in onion gravy, so I judged he would be in an expansive mood. When I told him we had been invited to Knightstone for the May Day rites he was delighted.

“I believe that Thomas may be there as well,” I ventured. “It seems he spends a great deal of time in company with Robert and Catherine...”

William was too drunk and content to pick up the tone in my voice or perhaps he simply chose to ignore it.

“Excellent,” he said. “I need to discuss with Thomas a matter that arose at the Lent assizes last week. It will be good to see him.” He rolled over and the bed creaked beneath his weight.

I sighed sharply. “I do wonder—” I tried again “—why Catherine prefers Knightstone to Chastleton, when the latter is so much more modern and comfortable?”

“Perhaps she sees it as a place she can put her own stamp upon,” William said, yawning. I could see that he was supremely uninterested. “There have been few improvements there over the past fifty years, whereas Chastleton has always been in good repair. A woman likes to put her mark on her own household, does she not?”

“As much as a man likes to think that he has the running of his,” I muttered, but he was already asleep and snoring.

I lay awake for a while thinking of Catherine’s winter garden with its pretty little arbors, ponds and terraces. It sounded delightful and entirely appropriate for a gentlewoman newly established in her country manor and set on improving her home and her status in local society. Indeed, I already knew that Catherine had a refined taste and an elegant style that would reflect well on Robert. So why, I wondered, did the idea of the garden disturb me so? Was it simply because she had mentioned that Thomas was involved and I knew that he had a long and treasonous history at Knightstone? If he were using Catherine and Robert to further his own plans of Catholic restoration, or to hide the remnants of the Knights’ treasures, that could bring them into grave danger from the queen’s spies... I was accustomed to keeping quiet about all manner of illegal matters, such as the holding of secret masses and the hiding of Catholic priests, but I was not prepared to allow Thomas to endanger Robert and Catherine’s future.