Part 35 (1/2)

That spineless father of yours? Why, he'd as soon see you burnt on a pyre than refuse me anything!'

He planted his other hand on to Frances's pretty face and pulled her round to kiss him, his fingers pinching her soft cheeks.

Disgusted, Frances tried to drag her face away but Copper persisted, his aged, bristly face sc.r.a.ping over her lips.

Fighting back the only way she could, Frances found Copper's lips and savagely bit into them. She felt the soft flesh yield beneath her incisors and Copper yelled in anguish.

He tried to push her off but she held on as long as she could. Finally, he smacked her on the side of the face and she fell to the floor, her head ringing.

Copper shot to his feet, blood streaming from his mouth.

His hand rose automatically to the wound and he examined his bloodied fingers.

's.l.u.t! Harlot!' he raged. 'I shall make you pay dearly for this!'

There were heavy steps on the stairs and the door was flung open to reveal William Kemp.

He looked down at Frances and then at Copper, taking in the scene in an instant.

'What perfidy is this?' he bellowed.

Copper looked round, holding a lacy handkerchief to his torn and bleeding lip.

'This animal you call daughter tried to force herself upon me, Kemp. I'faith, she is even more the wh.o.r.e than we took her for.'

Frances groaned and shook her head violently. 'It's not true, Father. He... he tried to...'

She tailed off miserably. What was the point? Her father never took any notice of her.

Copper laughed through his handkerchief.

'See? She cannot even gather her wits sufficient to lie! If I were you, Kemp, I should '

Copper was suddenly silenced by Kemp's fist, which lashed out and caught him directly on the point of his bearded chin.

He staggered backward and fell against the window cas.e.m.e.nt, dragging the curtain down from its rail with a great rending tear.

There was a stunned silence and then Kemp advanced on him, his shoulders down like a fist-fighter's and his face red with fury. 'You scoundrel! Get out of my house! Out, I say.

And never return!'

Copper got to his feet with as much dignity as he could muster. Then he s.n.a.t.c.hed the scroll from the table and moved to the door. He turned as he departed.

'You are a fool, Kemp. I could have helped you and your wretched family. Now you have nothing. And I warn you, if you attempt to disrupt our plans I will bring down ruin and destruction upon your head.'

His face, already swollen from Frances's attack, contorted into a snarl and he stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him.

For a long moment, Frances remained sprawled on the floor. Then she picked herself up and sat down at the table.

She avoided her father's look, not sure how to take this new development. Hands shaking, she began to rearrange her hair beneath her cap.

Kemp walked slowly to the table and sat down opposite her. He looked at her delicate face, flushed with emotion.

'Frances...'

She glanced quickly upward and held out her hands across the table. Kemp took them gratefully in his own and then swung himself around so that he was able to embrace her.

'Oh, my child,' he sobbed. 'My little child.'

The Doctor, Jamie, and Polly were patiently awaiting the arrival of Thurloe's promised transportation when the door to theirTower cell was opened again and Richard Cromwell was ushered inside.

He nodded at the jailer just as Thurloe had done before him but with such fumbling indecision that the jailer wasn't at all sure what Richard wanted him to do.

'That's all,' explained Richard. 'I'll call when I need you.'

The door was slammed shut and Richard jumped a little at the crash it made. He advanced meekly into the room.

Polly frowned. 'Who are you?'

The Doctor intervened. 'This is Richard Cromwell, Polly.

Son of Oliver and one day to be Lord Protector of England.'

Richard heaved a huge sigh. 'Don't try to humour me, Doctor. It really doesn't matter what becomes of me.'

The Doctor rushed forward and took him by the arm.

'Matter? Of course it matters. Whatever gave you that idea?'

Richard shook his head. 'I cannot please my father, no matter what I do. He won't even look at the book.'

Sniffing to himself, he took Every Boy's Book of the Every Boy's Book of the English Civil Wars English Civil Wars from his cloak and handed it to the Doctor. from his cloak and handed it to the Doctor.

'Here,' he said feebly, 'have it back. It is no earthly use to me.'

The Doctor took the book and pressed it to his chest like an old friend.

He grinned from one ear to the other and patted Richard on the shoulder.

'Now you just listen to me, Richard Cromwell.'

Richard looked up, defeated. 'Hmm?'

The Doctor tapped the book and frowned seriously. 'It isn't given to all of us to be great men. Sometimes it's more important to play your part in the whole great tide of history.