Revelation

Barak and I looked at each other. He nodded, and I told Tamasin the story of the three murders, the link to the Book of Revelation, the task from Cranmer. I did not tell either of them, though, of Guy's theory about compulsive killers, nor of my own researches into the Strodyr case.

'Oh my God,' she said when I had finished. 'Then why did he not finish me off, if he is seeking more people to kill?'

'I think you did not fit what he calls his mission. Revelation speaks of the fourth vial causing men to be scorched with fire.'

'So he wanted to threaten us?' Barak said. 'Warn us off?'

'I think so. Jack, you and Tamasin should move to my house. Tonight. There is safety in numbers. And I will ask Harsnet if he can send a man over, to keep watch. I will send another message.'

'That's a good idea, Tammy,' Barak said gently.

'Yes,' she answered bitterly. 'Leave it to your master to protect me.' She began to cry again. This was not like Tamasin; she was at the end of her tether. I nodded impatiently to Barak, and mouthed the words, 'Comfort her.'

But Barak was angry too now, at the insult to his manhood. 'That's not fair,' he said. 'If I'd known this man was real, but you've had so many fancies—'

It was the worst thing he could have said. She half rose. Injured as she was, I think she would have thrown herself at him, had a knock on the outer door not made us all start and whirl round. I went to open it. Guy stood there, his eyes wide. 'Matthew,' he said. 'A man came to call, with a garbled message about a woman attacked here.'

'Come in, Guy.' I sighed heavily. 'You have arrived at just the right moment.'

GUY ATTENDED TO Tamasin. She had suffered bad bruising to her face, a broken tooth and a cracked rib. She would not be fit to go out of doors for a week, but I was relieved to hear that there would be no permanent damage apart from the tooth which had been broken off, fortunately at the side rather than the front of her mouth. Guy said he would send her to a tooth-drawer to have the remnants of the broken tooth extracted.

'I will fetch some stuff from the Barge,' Barak said, as Guy applied some soothing oils to Tamasin's face. 'Could you take Tammy to your house, sir?'

'I will.' I followed him out to the outer office. There I took his arm. 'If you do not comfort her,' I said in an angry whisper, 'accept your part in what has gone wrong between you, you will lose her.'

He shook off my arm and glared at me. 'Leave my wife's affairs to me,' he said thickly. 'What do you know of married life?'

'Enough to know you have a rare pearl in Tamasin.'

'I'll keep her safe,' he said. 'We'd best turn our minds to catching this man. Either he is someone we know, who knew we would be on the marshes that day and has found out where we live, or . . .'

'Or what?'

'Or maybe the devil's in it after all.' He turned away, threw open the door and went out.

IT WAS LONG BEFORE any of us went to bed that night. When Guy left I held a whispered conversation with him on the doorstep, telling him about the Strodyr case. He nodded sadly. 'It is what I expected,' he said.

I led Tamasin home. Barak arrived with baggage from the Barge, and I installed him and Tamasin in the room Tamasin had occupied when she helped look after me during my illness the previous year. My housekeeper Joan, who was fond of her, was horrified to see her face. When they were settled upstairs she took me aside.

'That poor girl,' she said.

'I know. I am sorry to involve you in my troubles again.' I had told Joan that Tamasin had been attacked by someone we were investigating, and that I had sent the gatekeeper to find some protection from Harsnet.

'Tamasin and Master Jack, they seem to be hardly speaking. After what she's been through . . .'

'I know, Joan. Between her anger and Jack's pride they have fallen out. We must try to bring them together.'

'But should we interfere, sir? Between man and wife?'

'I think if something is not done they may not be man and wife much longer.' I looked at Joan. She looked frightened and tired, and suddenly old. I remembered thinking she needed more help around the house, yet I had done nothing. I laid my hand on her arm. 'It will be all right.' I spoke with a confidence I did not feel.