Courtesan of the Saints

  Chapter 6

  It was shortly after the meeting of the Sealed Knot that Miles was visiting a Royalist near Barnet, when he met Colonel Wogan who was busy recruiting in the same area, and was dining at the same house.

  Edward Wogan was a lively, audacious man, with plenty of Irish charm, and he had met Miles several times before at the Court of the exiled Charles.

  'Well met, Talbot!' he cried as Miles entered the room where Wogan was sitting with a couple of other men.

  After the introductions, the talk was all of Wogan's plans and he was full of enthusiasm, though did not seem to be concerned that until now he had recruited but a dozen men.

  'Will you not join us?' he asked Miles, and began to outline his plans. 'If I do not raise a large enough troop to be useful here, I shall march for Scotland, and make an attempt to win over the commanders there. It is the only force we might expect help from that does not need to cross the sea to come to our aid. Come with us! You are an experienced officer, we need such men as you.'

  For a long minute Miles was tempted. He had not supped with Cherry alone since that first night, and had managed to avoid staying behind after most of the social evenings he had spent at her house. She seemed to be avoiding him, too, and he jealously noted that John Taunton seemed to be in favour. But his longing for her was unabated, and it was only by forcing himself to concentrate fully on his work that he could push the image of her to the back of his mind. It was never entirely obliterated. Miles knew Wogan's plan was almost certainly doomed to failure, and he was tempted to throw in his lot with the brave few, and die gloriously. He could see no future with Cherry, and no possibility of forgetting her. This might be the easiest way.

  But these thoughts were only momentary. He was a soldier, under orders, if rather peculiar ones, and he served Charles Stuart. He could not throw up his own mission to seek oblivion in such a wild escapade. Reluctantly, he shook his head, and explained to Wogan that he had his own work to do.

  'I wish you good fortune, however. You will inspire many, if not to follow your example, with hope that the cause is still alive, and this we must do. Once the mass of the people are prepared to accept the Commonwealth, we will have lost our chance to come back.'

  'I understand your reasons, my friend, but think you are over cautious. These plots of yours are but pebbles on a beach. They are like to have no importance.'

  'But we drop our pebbles into a pool, and the ripples spread,' Miles laughed.

  They parted with some regret on both sides, and Miles returned to London, where events were moving swiftly. One night at Cherry's he heard talk of the great discontent amongst the Members of Parliament.

  'This man,' Faithful Denham was declaiming, 'Cromwell, is but a vulgar Army Officer. What right has he to dictate to us, the rulers of the country, those who would save its people from sin?'

  'He did put you in that position in the first place,' John Taunton said mildly.

  'He needed our help. He cannot do without our experience, yet he tries to prevent us from doing our duty. He will find the people will not suffer that. They look to us to guide them to protect them from tyranny. This man is too puffed up in his own pride, he will not accept just rebukes, and honest guidance from us. He considers he knows best all the time.'

  'Mayhap he does, when it comes to making appointments within the Army,' Dick Ashford said. 'We were wrong, and I said so at the time, to try to insist we made them. What do most of the Members know of Army matters?'

  'You would say that,' Faithful spat furiously at Dick. 'You ought to be in the Army, not in Parliament, as you savor all they do so greatly. But how can men such as you know what is best? You are one of the ungodly, and unfitted to lead the people! If men knew as much about you as I do, they would whip you out of the City! If not worse!'

  'What the devil do you mean?' Dick asked, angry and red faced.

  'You know full well what I mean, you whoring bastard!' Faithful retorted, and would have said more had Cherry not intervened.

  'Dick, Faithful! I beg of you, do not turn my parlor into a tavern, where brawls are common! Come, my friends,' she took Faithful's arm, and drew him to one side, 'do not offend me! I can well believe you have such disagreements amongst yourselves, but please, forget them for tonight. I have Madame Doria here especially to sing to us, and she is ready to entertain us now.'

  Smiling, she made Faithful sit beside her on a settle, and though reluctant, he obeyed her wishes and relapsed into morose silence, while the lady Cherry had mentioned, unconcerned by the scene, sang several songs accompanying herself on a lute.

  Afterwards, Cherry paid lavish attentions to Faithful, and Dick and John gathered with Miles. The talk at first was carefully free of references to Parliament or its doings, but Dick's resentment was great, and he began to complain about some of his fellows who, he claimed, did not value what Cromwell was doing for the country.

  'He has brought peace at home, and after a decade of war that is not to be scoffed at. Some of these fools would stir up trouble again by their intolerance, and their arrogance.'

  'It is strange they desire to usurp the proper functions of the Army leaders,' Miles commented.

  'Some of them would control our very thoughts as well as all our actions,'John said bitterly.

  'Do many in Parliament feel as you do?' Miles asked sympathetically.

  'A goodly number.' Dick was drinking heavily and speaking more openly than ever before in Miles' company. 'But the time is coming when we will have to show them that theirs is not the way free born Englishmen wish to be ruled. Rather a King again than that!'

  Miles raised his eyebrows. 'What say you? Is there such feeling? How does it happen?'

  'Oh, we do not mean to bring back Charles Stuart! That was not what I meant,' Dick went on. 'But there are times when a country can only be ruled by a strong man, who can depend on such support as is necessary. None of us desire the Stuarts, or any other family to be set over us, but a King by selection, as in the old days, one whom, because he had been chosen by the people, could have their support.'

  'Do many think as you do? I confess it is a novel idea to me.'

  'Many men will be thinking it soon,' John said confidently, but Dick then contrived to change the subject, either, Miles thought ruefully, because he suspected Miles as a stranger, or because he thought such claims were unimportant.

  Miles did not long regret hearing no more about the possible selection of a King, which he interpreted to mean that Cromwell was considering some move against the Parliament, an important piece of information. Dick had other grievances, and proceeded to give details.

  'We are being openly reviled in the City and elsewhere because of the frequent days of Public Humiliation. Merchants do not like to have to shut their booths so often, and the apprentices are openly playing the banned games. It makes people look back to times when they were not so much controlled.'

  'Aye, and not taxed so heavily,' John said gloomily.

  'They wish to bring back the old days, you mean?' Miles asked.

  'Did you not find disaffection while you were in the country?' Dick asked.

  'A little, yes. But people are not so close to events, they do not feel the effects so speedily.'

  'When they do, there will be more plots, and more attempts such as this fellow Wogan,' John prophesied.

  'What is this?' Miles asked, managing to conceal the dismay he felt that Wogan was known to these men.

  'A fellow claiming to be one of Charles Stuart's officers who is recruiting soldiers to the north of London, mostly in Hertfordshire and Middlesex,' Dick said, laughing.

  'A rising? What does he hope to do?' Miles queried, calculating that his display of curiosity would be looked on as normal, and desperately anxious to learn what he could.

  'Whatever he hopes, he will not achieve it,' John said confidently. 'He is being watched. He cannot move far without our knowing all about it. We but wait until as many rebels as he can gather are committed
, and then we move against them.'

  'Will there be many?'

  'I doubt if he will raise more than a dozen. But they must be known, and this way of learning who is ready to act against us serves as well as any other.'

  There was no more conversation on the matter, as John and Dick began to talk of a new Act Parliament was discussing, and Miles could not prolong the discussion without drawing attention to his interest in it. Fortunately for him, the earlier outburst from Faithful had made several people uncomfortable, and the party began to break up early. Miles took the opportunity to slip away fairly quickly, conscious of the pleading look in Cherry's eyes, warring with her apparent cheerfulness as she bade him farewell. He bit back the suggestion that he return later, and left somewhat hastily.

  As he walked along to his lodgings, he reminded himself sternly he had work to do that night, he could not afford to waste it in dalliance. He had as yet obtained no help directly from Cherry in his work, apart from the company he met at her house. He had no excuse to continue visiting her alone, and he was already feeling regretful he had tried to use her to obtain information against her friends. Also a deciding factor, his association with her could damage his own cause. He had more than slight reason to be suspicious of her, and she might well be working for Parliament, and be protected by it, which would explain her apparent immunity from punishment when she so flagrantly, and to the knowledge of several of them, it seemed, disobeyed its edicts. He had no doubt both Dick and John were her lovers, and possibly several more of the men who were constantly at her house. The façade of respectable gatherings was strong, and Miles was certain many of the guests were genuinely merely friends, but the men normally outnumbered the women, and many of the unattached ones showed particular attentions to Cherry, above those required for a hostess.

  He marveled not only that she could flout convention so by holding her frequent parties without the protection of a male relative as host, but also that she could attract avowed Puritans to them. Not least was her triumph in retaining the friendship of so many women.

  Arriving at his lodgings, Miles put these thoughts out of his mind. He must warn Edward Wogan that he was under surveillance. It was not possible to set off immediately, for it would occasion comment if he did so. But he had to contrive to reach Barnet unobtrusively. He dare not simply ride out, for if it became known, and connected with the conversation that evening, he would henceforth be a marked man.

  He slept for a few hours, and was up long before dawn. It took some considerable time for him to rub his skin with a judicious mixture of walnut juice and a red dye, then hide his own luxuriant hair under a grey wig dressed in a short, severe fashion. He dressed in plain homespun breeches and coat, and took a rough cloak to throw over it, clapping a tall crowned hat on his head.

  Satisfied he looked the part of a rustic, though reasonably prosperous farmer, he went to hire a horse from the postmaster, leaving his own speedier animal behind.

  It was just getting light when he set off, taking the Cambridge road, and not turning westwards until he was several miles out of London, but then making for Barnet and the house where he had earlier met Wogan.

  At this house he was shown into the room where the owner, a Mr. Pool, was busy with his accounts. Miles quickly explained his mission, and the reason for his disguise, which had prevented Mr. Pool from recognizing him.

  'Where is Wogan? Can you contact him?'

  'Not now,' Mr. Pool answered worriedly.' He is gone towards St Albans, with his men, and I know not where he intends to stay.'

  'How many men has he?' Miles asked.

  'Barely twenty. He is hoping to recruit a few more, but he has had so little success here that I do not have much hope for him.'

  'Then I must ride after him.'

  'Will you stay and dine with us?'

  'I thank you, but no. It is best no one remarks my visit to you. As it is, I will be taken as some business acquaintance.'

  They parted, with Mr. Pool's good wishes ringing in Miles' ears, and the promise of help if there were aught he could do. Miles rode for St Albans, but found no trace of Wogan until he reached the town. There, at the inn where he rested for a meal, he found a man who had seen a troop of horsemen riding out on the Bedford road earlier that morning. Miles set off in pursuit, but it was almost dark when he came up with the men.

  They were riding along singing cheerfully, and took no notice of Miles as he urged his horse past the small column. At its head rode Wogan and a young boy, scarcely more than sixteen. Miles reined in beside them.

  'I would have speech with you, Mr. Wogan,' he said quietly, and Wogan gave him a startled glance.

  'What is it you wish?' he asked after a slight pause.

  'I am flattered you do not see through my disguise. Miles Talbot.'

  'To be sure! I thought your voice familiar. You are mightily changed. Have you come to join me after all?'

  'Not so. To warn you your activities are known to Parliament, and they plan to take you soon.'

  Edward Wogan did not seem unduly surprised. 'I have not tried especially hard to keep my activities a secret,' he said, laughing. 'One cannot recruit an army if no one is to know on't!'

  'Methinks they know more than you would care for. Even to the names and descriptions of the men you have recruited.'

  'What of it? These men are brave fellows, willing to risk all. They do not shrink from being known for their true beliefs and allegiances.'

  'But you are few in number. Will you risk all by bravado? Do you not take any precautions? Like this you are easy prey for a troop of Parliament's army. Where are you heading? Why not send the men in twos and threes? They can do nought but harm for the moment by staying together.'

  'We show our colours. We need more recruits, and will not get them by passing in secret.'

  'You stand to lose all these by passing so openly.'

  'Hist! Colonel, I beg pardon, but I hear horses ahead!'

  It was the young boy who had continued to ride the far side of Wogan while Miles had been speaking to him. Miles threw a him a swift glance, and listened hard. The boy was right, there were sounds ahead that indicated several horses, slight snorts, the jingle of harness, yet no sound of hooves. It was almost dark, and they were approaching a small wood. There was no way round apart from the road which had steep banks to either side except where it passed through the wood.

  'Methinks an ambush,' Miles whispered softly. 'We must rush them and break through, and if they seem not too numerous turn and attack as they pursue.'

  Wogan has reached the same conclusion, relying on the element of surprise to break through any barrier. Swiftly orders were passed back, and the men closed ranks, riding in the full width of the narrow road. On a word they spurred their horses to a canter, and then a gallop, and though several horsemen came out of the trees to attempt to intercept them they broke through, losing only one man whose horse was cut down beneath him.

  Miles peered from side to side in the gathering darkness as they charged past, and estimated there was roughly the same number of men in the attempted ambush as in Wogan's troop. When they had drawn clear of the trap, Miles gave the order to turn, and the troop, inexperienced and undisciplined though it was, performed the manoeuvre creditably, halting their mounts and wheeling them with the minimum of confusion.

  Wogan and Miles quickly pushed their way to the front, and their men stood firm behind them. They were still in the shade of the trees, and the surprised ambushers, somewhat discomforted by their failure, had started on a ragged pursuit of the men they imagined would still be fleeing from them. Miles heard the irresolute commands of their leader in the distance, but could not distinguish exactly what was ordered. As the first few men approached, they were thrown into confusion as they perceived the troop awaiting them. Some rode on and attacked, others stopped, while some of the more timid swerved away into the shelter of the trees.

  Wogan gave the order to charge, and before the other group could
reorganize, it found itself entangled with the men it had hoped to ambush.

  The fighting was fierce but short, as the men under Wogan slashed with their swords at the scattered soldiers. Without formation, without the drill they were accustomed to, they were lost, and though a few of them fought bravely and intelligently, the solid block of Wogan's force soon had them routed. Several were wounded, a few killed, and the rest dispersed in considerable disarray. Wogan called off those of his men who would have pursued the remnants of their attackers, and they rode on until they judged it safe to pause and take stock.

  ''Well done, my friends, well done indeed! 'Sdeath, if you behave so bravely there is none to match you in all England!' Wogan cried.

  'It was indeed a brave showing,' Miles agreed, but added with a note of caution, 'even though we had the advantage of surprise.'

  As the men, most of them young and inexperienced, began to talk of the fight and compare their sensations, Wogan said under cover of the general noise, 'We were fortunate, my dear Talbot.'

  'Aye, and not like to be so again. The Parliament will smart under this defeat, and send a larger troop to make certain of you next time.'

  'Methinks it would be better to send the men in small groups, as you suggested.'

  'I do not wish to cast discouragement on your attempt,' Miles said slowly, 'but there is little likelihood of a force strong enough to defy the army. Why not make for Scotland, and then those who think to fight likewise can join you there?'

  'Aye. It is the end of one way, but you are right. Not one in ten that I have asked has been willing to join me, and they were all devoted Royalists I asked!'

  'They have too much to lose. It is hard to accept for those of us that have chosen differently, but not so hard to understand.'

  'Well, my thanks to you for your help. You risked a great deal on your own account to come and warn us. I trust your mission will not suffer. You are certain you will not join us?'

  Miles shook his head. 'I do not fear to have been recognized. Even you did not, and it was almost dark when we came upon them. But I wish you all good fortune, and hope to hear of you in Scotland. Now I must bid you farewell, and ride back to London.'

  'Will you not stay with us overnight? In the dark, and with the soldiers about, you will be in danger.'

  'I must risk that. I dare not be absent for too long at this point, there is so much to be done.'

  With more expressions of goodwill they parted, and Miles started back along the road towards the place of ambush. He reasoned that the soldiers would either have ridden off, after their failure, or be coming after them. He did not fear a meeting with them, and in the event he did not have one. He rode for several hours, and put up for the night at a small inn a mile or so out of St Albans. Rising early, he was off before it was light, and passed the town while it was yet dark. He made good progress, and rode cross country so that he could approach London from the Cambridge road, in case he was seen and remembered. The short winter day was closing in when he entered the City, and by the time he reached his lodgings it was fully dark. Wearily he changed out of his rustic clothes, and removed as much of the coloring that he could from his skin. He was still several shades darker than his natural color, and ruefully wondered whether he would be able to keep out of the sight of his Parliamentary acquaintances, who would be suspicious if they saw him so.