The Muses’ Darling – Chapter 5

Welcome to the third Marlowe Month and the continuation of The Muses’ Darling, with chapters 5 and 6 of my fictional view of Kit’s life. Marlowe is recorded as having died, at the age of 29, during an altercation on 30^th May 1593, in Deptford, Kent (today within South London). Doubt has been cast on this, so whether he faked his death is open to speculation. Either way, May seems an apt month to remember the life of this trailblazing writer. Below is Chapter 5, with the 6^th to follow on 30^th May.

As this is a work of fiction, all characters but the Marlowe family are my inventions and any resemblance to reality and people in the past or present is pure coincidence.

To read my mini biography on Kit and the first four chapters of this novel, please go to Archives (below this story and Comments) and select October 2021 and February 2022.

The featured picture is The Dog pub in Wingham, near Canterbury. It is thought to have been open as an inn since 1549. The Rising Sun in my story is a figment of my imagination, but I pictured it looking like The Dog.

Audio version available:

THE MUSES’ DARLING

Chapter 5

A Double Surprise

Tuesday promised to be an altogether different day from its immediate predecessor. Kit awoke to bright sunlight streaming through the gap he had purposely left in the curtains. Remembering his plan to meet George Walker for lunch at the Rising Sun Inn, he got up, dressed and had soon joined his father at the table for the first meal of the day.

His mother’s housework plan for the morning was washing, so Kit returned to his room and continued with his writing, first editing his speech for Friday’s school drama lesson and then resuming his poem. As he concluded the last verse, he realised he’d have to make haste to meet George on time, and so placing his writing in his bag which also contained an irreplaceable and secret item, he locked it in the wardrobe and took the key with him. He bade the ladies farewell and set off on a more circuitous route than he’d normally take, in an attempt to avoid the attentions of his follower – a plan which seemingly worked.

As he reached the door of the inn George arrived and they embraced warmly and walked inside. Kit insisted on getting in the first round of drinks and paying for the meal, knowing his friend would not have much cash to spare, especially with a baby on the way. They sat together savouring the ale and awaiting the pies, which George highly recommended, while exchanging news. It was obvious George was so thrilled to be married to Alice, whom Kit remembered as a fair-haired, quiet girl playing with a spinning top. Now she was married and expecting her first baby – how quickly she had grown up! The baby was due in mid- May, so only about 3 weeks to wait, and Alice was getting impatient as she could hardly move and got tired very quickly.

George went on to tell Kit that they had been living with Alice’s mother since their marriage in March the year before but in the summer would be moving to a place of their own – a small house in the grounds of the inn. This was being vacated by the senior member of the stables, Ned Turner, who was moving to live with his daughter and family on their farm, where he would be looking after the horses. George and Alice were really looking forward to this and being able to bring up their child in a home they could call their own. In the course of conversation Kit learned that the home came with the job and concluded that his friend was being promoted. George, never one to boast, admitted that he had been offered Ned’s job of Chief Ostler, adding that he had been keen to accept as it not only brought in extra money but there was also the attraction of the house being provided rent-free. Kit congratulated him on his success and received an invitation to visit them whenever he was in Canterbury.

The conversation moved on to Kit’s life in London. News of the success of Tamburlaine the Great had reached George’s ears – Katherine Marlowe was a friend of Alice’s Mum, Frances Fisher – and he was keen to hear about the very different life his friend led away from Canterbury. Kit was beginning to describe the play’s debut at the Rose Theatre when his attention was caught by a figure walking into the inn. At the corner table where they were sitting, Kit was in shadow but George was in full view and the man nodded to him before walking up the stairs.

Kit watched him ascend and, when he was out of sight, whispered to George, “Do you know him?”

“Only vaguely. He’s staying here for a few days and stables his horse with us. Why?”

“Only that I think I may have seen him before and I’m trying to place him. What colour horse has he got?”

“Black – big steed called Midnight”

“Mmmm… I am fairly sure I have seen him somewhere on the horse. What’s the man’s name?”

George sat back and thought. “Arnyngton, I think…Yes, that’s it Arnyngton, Martin Arnyngton. He arrived on Thursday, soon after you left Tamburlaine with us. He even admired him and said perhaps he and Midnight would make good stable mates.”

“Do they?”

“No, we had to move Tamburlaine because he kept kicking out at Midnight, as if he knew him and disliked him.”

Kit grinned! “In that case, I must have seen him and…” He paused as if trying to recollect the occasion then said, “That’s it! I don’t know him but have seen him on the horse when I was looking round Rochester Castle on my way here. He was there at the same time but we didn’t meet and he set off before I did. Mystery solved.”

“So you don’t want to see this young man?”

“Not particularly,” said Kit trying to play it down. “No point, we’ve never even met.”

“You can visit Tamburlaine before you go home if you like.”

“That would be good, I’m missing him. Is he behaving himself?”

“Yes, since we moved him away from Midnight.”

“Just as well you did, I don’t want the cost of treating an injured horse added to the stabling when I come to pay the reckoning.”

“Another drink, Kit?” George asked but before he got a reply, he heard his name being called and young Mary from next door was looking round for him, just inside the inn.

George went over to her wondering why he was wanted. He soon found out.

“You’ve got to come home now, George. Alice is having the baby, her mum and mine are there with her.”

George walked to the table and sat down looking shocked and mumbled to Kit that the baby was on the way – early – and he’d have to go. He looked at Kit beseechingly.

“Would you like me to come with you?”

“Please – I need some moral support.”

“You’ve got it, but first let me tell the landlord what’s happening; after all he is your boss and needs to know.”

“Thanks for that, Kit.”

Kit smiled reassuringly and made for the bar where he explained the situation to Tom the landlord and was asked to take back the message that all the inn staff hoped everything would go well for Alice and the baby and they looked forward to hearing the good news soon.

Kit returned to the table where Mary was apprising George of the details. Alice was in good hands, which he knew as both his mother-in-law and neighbour had delivered quite a few babies between them in their time.

He turned to Kit. “Let’s get going then, not that I can do much, if anything.”

“Knowing you are in the house will be a comfort to Alice.”

George took a deep breath, stood up and the three of them walked out of the inn via the side door, not overlooked by any of the guest rooms above, and in less than five minutes were met by his mother-in-law at the front door. She told them things were not too advanced yet, so it was a matter of waiting. Mary went back home and said she’d look in again later but couldn’t leave her sister Jane to look after their younger brothers and sister on her own.

“Kit, will you stay with me for a while?” George asked.

“Of course, if that’s what you want.”

“I do. I feel quite afraid and it’s happening so suddenly.”

“I’ll keep you company. Do you want to chat or sit in silence?”

“Let’s chat. You were telling me about your play’s first night in London.”

And so the young men conversed, and while trying to take his friend’s mind off the situation upstairs, Kit’s thoughts sometimes strayed to Martin Arnyngton. Now he knew his name, he could find out more about him when he met up with Sir Francis Walsingham the following week. He wondered if Arnyngton was part of another plot against Queen Elizabeth, perhaps in the pay of the king of Spain. Kit decided he would keep an even greater lookout for him and do what he could to lead him astray. Apparently, he hadn’t been followed to the inn, and he felt sure his leaving via the side door had gone unnoticed by Mr Arnyngton.   

An hour went by, and Frances Fisher came down to say that as there was no sign of the baby yet, George could spend 5 minutes with Alice.

Kit took this opportunity to tell George he ought to go home and let the family know what was happening but would return if wanted. George was keen to have his friend’s company so Kit promised to be back in about 20 minutes. As he set off, Kit remembered the promise he had made to walk Sarah home and hoped an alternative arrangement could be made.

Relaying the news to his mother, sisters and Sarah, he found all were delighted but concerned about Alice and the baby. They knew well that births did not always go smoothly and said they would be praying for mother and child, and advised Kit to stay with George so he didn’t feel alone. The question of taking Sarah home was raised but it transpired that her father had arranged that morning to call for her. Although he didn’t close the shop until 6 p.m., Katherine assured him it was fine for her to stay on longer; in fact they’d all enjoy her company and would have a chance to chat.

Kit returned to his friend who had spent nearly 10 minutes with Alice till the pains started again and he’d retreated downstairs. All was quiet for a while, then they could hear scuffling and voices, Alice’s raised as if in pain, while her midwives tried to calm her. Then the cry of a baby.

George turned to Kit. “Is that it? Is it over? Has our baby been born?” He was shaking as Kit gave him a hug and said, “Seems like you’re a father, George. Congratulations!”

A couple of minutes later the new grandmother appeared in the doorway. “Good news, George, you have a beautiful baby daughter and she seems well.”

George let out an audible sigh, then asked her about Alice.

“She’s doing well, but it’s not over for her yet. It seems there’s another baby on the way. Alice is having twins!”

George, already pale, went even whiter, and even Kit felt his knees wobbling slightly. They both sat down as Mrs Fisher made her way back upstairs.

“How long will we have to wait for our second baby?”

“Not sure,” Kit answered. “I think it might be quicker than the time it took for the first one but I’m no expert. The wife of one of the actors at The Rose had twins last year, born about half an hour apart. That’s all I’m going by.”

“Oh.”

They sat in silence for a while, then Mary arrived and they gave her the news.

“How exciting!” she exclaimed. “Do you think I can see the baby girl now?”

“No, even I haven’t seen her yet,” replied George. “No one is allowed to yet as the ladies are all still busy with the second one on its way.”

Just then Mary’s mother, Bess Thorpe, came down the stairs, having heard her daughter’s voice, and assured the trio that Alice was in the final stages and it wouldn’t be too long before the second baby made his or her entrance. She quickly returned to the bedroom and about 15 minutes later the sound of a baby could be heard, though from downstairs they weren’t sure if it was a newborn cry or the older sister giving her view on the limited world which was becoming familiar to her.

Five minutes later Bess crept down the stairs again, smiling broadly, and looking at George announced, “You also have a son. I am so pleased for you both, and Alice is fine, though very tired after her double ordeal. Give us a few minutes and you can come up and see your family.”

Mary and Kit congratulated George who sat looking bemused till Frances arrived and invited him to visit his lovely family. He followed her upstairs and Kit and Mary could hear ecstatic sounds and words of love as he set eyes on Alice and their two babies. After a few minutes, he was back downstairs, having left Alice to feed the twins, under the guidance of her mother while Bess tidied up.

George seemed different again – elated, instead of bemused, and smiling broadly. He was talking rapidly in his excitement. “Alice is fine but exhausted and she’s keen for us to choose names for each of them well before the baptismal day. We agreed if our baby was a girl she could choose the name, if a boy I would. She has a name in mind but I haven’t, so I’m going to have to think about it. I can’t believe it…I can’t believe it,” he kept repeating.

Kit sat him down and asked Mary to get George a mug of ale from the kitchen. She returned with one for each of them and both drank gratefully. Bess came down the stairs and announced it was time she and Mary went home as her work was over and mother and babies were doing well. She had left Frances to help Alice with the twins but told George he could go up again. Kit took this as a cue to go home, telling George he’d call in on Tom at the inn to give him the good news. George, almost in a dream, smiled at him and said he’d see him soon.

Kit arrived at The Rising Sun, on the lookout for Martin Arnyngton but didn’t see him. He went to the bar and was directed to the landlord in the back room. Tom was delighted to hear the good news, the twins being an unexpected surprise, and asked Kit to let George know he could take the next day off, as well as the day of the baptism, with no loss of pay. Kit then returned to Mrs Fisher’s house and passed Tom’s message to a calmer George who told him the twins were asleep in the same cradle and he was thinking about making another for when they were a bit bigger and needed separate beds.

Kit gave him another hug and set off home with the news. Needless to say, the whole family was in a state of excitement when they heard all was well and twins had been safely delivered. Even John Marlowe showed more emotion than expected, though of course he’d known the Fishers and Walkers for many years. Katherine, practical as ever, said they could borrow the cradle which was in the smaller attic room. It hadn’t been used for nearly 12 years but she had kept it covered since Thomas had outgrown it and it was still in good condition. Kit offered to take it along to the new family the next day.

To Kit it had seemed a long day but his mother told him that the births were quite quick by many standards and often twins arrived early, each tending to be smaller than average at birth. Although the family had eaten, she had kept some of the food warm for Kit, and after the stress of the afternoon he was pleased to sit down with a meal in front of him. His mind was in turmoil. With the arrival of the twins and the information about Matthew Arnyngton, he realised he’d never looked in on Tamburlaine and hoped the horse was all right. He decided he’d do that the next day, perhaps after he’d delivered the cradle.

Of course, the girls were all eager to hear the news about the babies – did they have fair or dark hair? How big were they? But Kit could supply no information as he hadn’t seen them and hadn’t even thought of asking George these details – how many men would? He realised they were disappointed and promised to find out more the next day.

With the ordeal over, he realised how tired he was. After playing a couple of games with the family, Kit made his way to bed, his mind turning over the events of the day, till he drifted off to sleep.

© Chasqui Penguin, 2022

Twitter: @ChasquiPenguin