Page 53 of Retribution

Cambridge didn’t have the power to give Cleodora to another man, so even if she was worthless to him, he had to hold on to her unless he gave her back to the crown. Those were always the rules with the Seven Jewels of London, so it occurred to Cambridge that Cleodora could get next to the king were he to give her back to him.

Perhaps that was a better opportunity.

Finishing off his wine, he summoned Langford, who was never far away. Langford already had a new pitcher of wine in hand and made sure to fill the archbishop’s cup before a word was even spoken. That was the relationship those two had, something symbiotic and comfortable. Cambridge knew that Langford was the one man in this world that he could truly trust.

“Langford, if I ask you a question, will you give me a perfectly honest answer?” he said. “No matter if you feel it would upset me. I value your honesty.”

Langford set the pitcher down. “I will always give you an honest answer, my lord,” he said. “What is it?”

Cambridge sat back in his chair, scratching his cheek in a thoughtful gesture. It was a habit with him, scratching his cheek when he was mulling something over. Langford await patiently while Cambridge formulated his thoughts.

“You are aware of my intention to use my Pearl against Edward,” he muttered.

Langford nodded. “I am, my lord.”

“Her father thinks that she has not the skill to do it,” Cambridge said. “Personally, I do not think she has the courage. She is a worthless little chit. Pretty to look at, but of no use to anyone.”

“Forgive me, my lord, but a Jewel is not meant to be used as an assassin,” Langford said. “She is not trained for it.”

“That is what her father says.”

“My apologies for agreeing with him.”

Cambridge couldn’t accept that. “But it would be so simple,” he said. “I have thought on a way to get her close to the king that would not involve her seducing his guard.”

“What is that, my lord?”

“Give her back to him.”

Langford cocked his head in confusion. “My lord?”

Cambridge waved an impatient hand. “The Pearl was a gift to me from Henry,” he said. “It is understood that when a man receives a Jewel that he cannot give her to anyone else. If he ever grows tired of her, he must return her to the king. They are royal pawns, to be used only by the king.”

Langford nodded. “I have heard that, my lord,” he said. “So you would give her back to him?”

“Aye,” Cambridge said. “Give her back to Edward, but send her with my reliquary ring full of poison. All she need do is put it in his wine. There is nothing more.”

Langford was starting to follow his train of thought. “Your reliquary ring,” he repeated. “As I recall, the ring has a secret compartment in it with a bone chip from St. Peter.”

“It is the bone chip of a pig,” Cambridge said frankly. “I simply tell everyone it is from St. Peter. Toss the bone chip into the rubbish heap and fill the compartment with hemlock or arsenic. Go to the apothecary for it and take the strongest he has. The Pearl will wear the ring when I give her to Edward, and when she sups with him, she will slip the poison into his wine. That way, the deed is accomplished without much effort.”

Langford’s eyebrows lifted. “You do realize that she will probably be caught and executed,” he said. “Once she administers the poison, what is she supposed to do? Run away?”

Cambridge shook his head. “I do not care what she does or where she goes,” he said. “I only care up until the moment she administers the poison.”

“Since you returned her, everyone will know her orders came from you.”

Cambridge brushed him off. “They will have to prove it and they cannot,” he said. “I will say that she stole my ring and poisoned him of her own accord. But have de Baume eliminate the apothecary so the man cannot bear witness against you or any of my servants. For my part, I will return to Oakington Castle and remain there while a new king takes the throne. That will be Edward’s son, also Edward, who is a known weakling. He will not be any trouble, I am certain. Not like his father.”

He had his mind made up. Langford could see that. He seemed to think this was all a perfectly viable plan when the truth was that it smacked of madness and desperation. Cambridge was having a tantrum, and the fact that Edward would thwart his plans to rule his lands and his family’s lands like his own private kingdom was a reason to kill the man. To Cambridge, there were no wider-reaching implications.

He only knew what he wanted, when he wanted it.

“Then I should go now,” Langford said. “There is much to do and little time to do it. With your permission, my lord?”

Cambridge waved him on. “Go,” he said. “Make all of the arrangements, Langford. I trust you to do exactly as I wish. There will be an excellent reward for you when this is finished.”

“Thank you, my lord.”