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mishap occurred. If minen heere will allow, there are many who could confirm.”
    “There are, by now, many who might think it in their interest to confirm,” Adorne said. “I see no purpose in widening this enquiry, which to my mind has become too public already. Whether or not I accept that the affair was an accident, it is a fact that an ally of the Duke and the Duke himself have been much offended against. Meester Julius, as notary to the family de Charetty, you were responsible for these two youths yesterday afternoon?”
    “I am answerable to the demoiselle de Charetty,” Julius said.
    “I shall then leave it to the demoiselle de Charetty to deal with you as she thinks such an employee deserves. You, my good youth, are heir to your father’s business?”
    The boy Felix said, “Minen heere, Meester Julius wasn’t at fault. We made him take us shooting. We all decided to climb on the – in the –”
    “You had all drunk rather much, and decided you would enjoy a ride in the Duke of Burgundy’s bath. It is understandable, in very young children. You are no longer very young children. You are servants, as I am, of my lord Duke, and must respect his property and the dignity of his rank and that of all his friends. Would your father have disregarded such things? Does your mother? What have you done to her name and her pocket, you her son, you her notary, and you her apprentice?”
    The boy Felix had gone red. The notary said, “We will have care in the future. We did nothing with malice, nor ever will.”
    A barb? No, he thought not. Meester Julius had sense, and was making the best of it. The boy Felix saw only the injustice: there were tears in his eyes. It was time he learned about injustice. The apprentice Claes stood with perfect stoicism; the stuff of which good workmen and good soldiers were made.
    Adorne spoke to the notary. “You have been told of the fine, and of its conditions. My judgment is that the payment laid upon your employer and your guild is punishment enough for what you have done. You are excused further detention. To mark it, I offer you wine in my house. Meester Julius, there is a stool for you, and one for your scholar. Margriet!” He had left the boy Claes where he was, standing before him.
    There had been no real need to call. His wife knew his ways, and had caught his eye long before, and sent for his steward. Now she rose smiling. Adorne rose too, as she came forward, though she pressed theboy and the notary back to their stools. “My lady,” said Anselm Adorne. “We have a young fellow here who performed a service yesterday for our friend Florence’s daughter, and who has not yet been rewarded. Have her come over.” He watched the three men as he spoke. None of them, he was well aware, had noticed Katelina van Borselen at the end of the room. Two of them turned, reddening. The apprentice just stood where he was, waiting patiently.
    Anselm Adorne was amused by people, but never acted from mischief alone. He was not satisfied that he had plumbed the apprentice. He also wanted to find out the mood of the girl, first cousin to Wolfaert van Borselen, at the end of these three (unmarried) years abroad as maid of honour to the Scots Queen.
    It didn’t take long. Today, instead of a hennin, she had bundled her hair into one of those nets, with a screw of curled hair at each ear. It made the best of her neck, which was long, and she wore her gowns narrow and plain, in the Scottish court fashion. She had the Borselen eyebrows, at present drawn closely together. The apprentice turned, and the eyebrows separated.
    “Ah,” said Katelina van Borselen. “The bath attendants. I don’t know when I was last so amused. And this is the retriever. He looks different, dry.”
    “Yes, my lady,” said Claes. He smiled, with perfect and transparent good will. “So do you, my lady. I think Meester Adorne means you to apologise to me.”
    Adorne saw his wife’s face twitch and straighten. He