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to the dramatist Ben Jonson, other contemporaries and supporters of the Stratford man, included the respected poet Richard Barnfield, academic Gabriel Harvey, and writer Francis Meres. They expressed little doubt as to the authenticity of William Shakespeare of Stratford. They held it was a baseless argument, and the Stratford man was being dismissed because he was a commoner. It was well known Christopher Marlow and Ben Jonson were sons of commoners, yet often wrote about the court and the upper classes with an ease conversant with royal attitudes.
                Thorne became uncomfortable and shifted in his chair. He had always wanted to know the truth—wherever it led—but he knew the sorting out of the true authorship was a quagmire. Scholars would enthusiastically spend their lives researching, debating, and putting forth theories about the subject. He preferred to leave it alone. His interest was in his present financial problem and the prospect of solving it.
                Bada said, “One final note and then we’ll leave the subject. As with many noblemen who wrote plays during that era, de Vere kept his identity secret for political, social, and business reasons. It wasn’t considered proper for gentlemen to be associated with the stage and the writing of plays. During Elizabethan times, any association with the stage would place one low on the social scale.”
                Thorne’s cursory glance that morning at information on de Vere showed he had been involved with the stage. He had formed his own production company, Oxford’s Boys, leased the Blackfriars Theater, and produced entertainment at Court, even going so far as to having his household servants perform in the plays. It appeared Bada and his group were being selective about all the facts. Still he kept quiet and allowed Bada to continue
                Bada said,” But enough about the controversy for now. Since we’re all in agreement of your abilities, and have a strong inclination to hire you, I think we should tell you our intentions.”
     
     

Chapter 9
     
     
    Bada’s gaze swept the room for a consensus to continue the discussion. There was silence, so he turned back to Thorne. “Our property is Kilshire Castle, in Stratford, across the River Avon from the Royal Shakespeare Theater. Both the castle and land are owned by the Bada family and Bada, Limited.” He turned to Freddie Hollister. “Freddie has proposed we renovate the castle—and he has placed in our hands certain information we feel could strengthen our position of support for Edward de Vere.
                “Richard Moldar, the 2 nd Earl of Hofley and builder of the castle on the River Avon, had also previously built a spacious Tudor-styled manor house east of the castle. It was built on a large parcel of land granted his family by King Henry VII. Freddie can fill you in on the relationship of King Henry and the Moldar and Bada families in good time”
                Raskin said. “My research shows Robert Dudley, the 1 st Earl of Leicester, was Queen Elizabeth’s favorite at the time. She and Dudley spent many pleasant times while they were at Kenilworth Castle, north of Stratford, in 1575. Dudley’s success in attracting the Queen to his castle at Kenilworth motivated Moldar to construct his castle on the Avon.”
                Thorne noticed Kirk-Halstrom, Blackstone, and Freddie had offered little input during the presentation. The domination of the conversation by Bada and Raskin confirmed Thorne’s impression the two men would be in control of the project.
                Bada said, “The Keep, the safest area of the castle, was built by Moldar solely for Queen Elizabeth’s use. Unfortunately, for Moldar, she never showed an interest in visiting the Keep—or Kilshire Castle for that matter—and he supposedly died of a broken heart. A local story persists that Moldar’s ghost still