Frances, looking over John’s shoulder, let out a little gurgle of laughter. ‘I don’t know if you’re his most obedient subject,’ she remarked. ‘He surely has some servants that didn’t spend the wars as far away as they could get.’

John turned his laugh into a cough. ‘Frances, go about your business,’ he said sternly and turned to Elias. ‘I apologise.’

‘A flighty woman,’ Ashmole said disapprovingly. ‘But if there is any question about your loyalty then you cannot affirm it too loudly, you know, John.’

John nodded.

‘Fortunately you have the record of your son’s service,’ Elias remarked. ‘You could always say he died at Worcester. Or died here of his wounds.’

Hester, coming to the terrace with a tray and three glasses of madeira wine, checked at that and exchanged a shocked look with her husband.

‘We wouldn’t do that,’ John said briefly. He got to his feet and took the tray from Hester’s hands. ‘Look at this that Mr Ashmole has prepared for the printer for me. A new dedication for the front of the catalogue. Dedicated to His Majesty.’

She leaned over the table and read it carefully. To his surprise when she straightened up there were tears in her eyes.

‘Hester?’

She turned a little away from the table so Elias Ashmole could not see her face. John followed her.

‘What is it?’ he asked quietly.

‘I was just thinking how proud Johnnie would have been,’ she said simply. ‘To see our name on the same page as the king’s. To have the collection dedicated to the king.’

John nodded. ‘Yes, he would have been,’ he said. ‘His cause won the war in the end.’ He turned to Elias Ashmole. ‘I thank you for your help, Elias. Let’s get it printed at once.’

Elias nodded. ‘I’ll deliver it to the printers on my way home,’ he said cheerfully. ‘It’s no trouble. I’m glad you approve.’

Hester took her glass of wine and sat with the men. ‘Do we have guests for dinner tonight?’ she asked. ‘Is Dr Wharton and the rest coming for dinner?’

‘Yes, and there’s news about that too!’ Elias said gleefully. ‘We are to have royal patronage. The king is very interested in our thoughts and discoveries. We are to be called the Royal Society! Imagine that! We are to be fellows of the Royal Society! What d’you think?’

‘That is an honour,’ John said. ‘Though we’d never have gathered together if it hadn’t been for the republic. Under the bishops half what we discussed would have been called heresy.’

Elias flapped his hand dismissively. ‘Old days,’ he said. ‘Old history. What matters now is that we have a king who loves to talk and speculate and who is prepared to advance men of science and learning.’