““be needed.’ I looked at her. I sensed how much she wanted me to deal with this case. And if I could go via Rolfswood . . . ‘I will do it,’ I said. ‘Thank you.’ She smiled gratefully and turned to the ladies. ‘Jane, please fetch Mistress Calfhill.’ ‘Now,’ she said to me quietly, ‘Bess Calfhill, whom you are about to meet, was an old servant of mine when I was Lady Latimer. A housekeeper at one of our properties in the north and later in London. She is a good, true woman, but she has recently suffered a great loss. Deal with her gently. If anyone deserves justice, it is Bess.’ The maid-in-waiting returned, bringing with her the woman I had seen in the presence chamber. She was small, frail looking. She approached with nervous steps, her hands held tightly together. ‘Come, good Bess,’ the Queen said in a welcoming voice. ‘This is Master Shardlake, a serjeant at law. Jane, bring over a chair. One for Serjeant Shardlake too.’ Mistress Calfhill lowered herself onto””
