The Last Howard Girl (Tudor Chronicles Book 3)

by Lesley Jepson

  ‘We will give Deveraux the rest of the summer, Will,’ said Elizabeth firmly. ‘The better weather might make a difference.’ She gazed round the council table at the rest of her ministers before continuing, ‘If we haven’t made significant inroads towards creating order there by, the end of August perhaps, then we may recall the troops. Bring them home to their families for the winter?’ Elizabeth looked at Robert and he nodded briefly. She smiled across at him, then looked at Cecil again. ‘What is next on the list, Will?’

  ‘The itinerary for your Progress, Majesty. I have a list of cities you may wish to visit.’

  ‘Pass it to Robbie, Will. After the meeting he is going to start the preparations and it would be helpful if he could plan the route ahead of time.’ Cecil handed the paper to Robert, who scanned it quickly as Cecil moved on to the next item.

  ***

  ‘My Lord Robert.’ Ralph spoke quietly and then bowed as Robert made his way out of the meeting.

  ‘Sir Ralph?’ Robert looked up from the list in his hand that he had received from Cecil.

  ‘I have some items you will wish to read and sign, my Lord. Would you be able to find time to call at my home, either later today or tomorrow? So it is done with before you embark on the Progress.’

  ‘Thank you, Ralph. Might I come later this afternoon? Would around five of the clock suit, so I can return to the palace for supper?’

  ‘Five of the clock then, my Lord. I shall have everything ready for then.’ Ralph bowed again and turned to leave.

  ‘And, Sir Ralph,’ Robert lowered his voice further and Ralph turned back, ‘could I ask for a brief moment alone with the Countess while I am there? She is staying with your wife, I understand.’ Ralph nodded assent and then sketched another bow.

  ‘I will see to it, my Lord.’ Robert nodded his thanks and then left to visit the stables and organise transport for the court to embark on the Progress.

  ***

  ‘If you would sign both copies, my Lord, and then sign the original so I can affix your seal. That completes the conveyance for the property in Surrey. It now belongs to Lady Sheffield, and will pass to the child in the event of her remarriage or demise.’ Robert nodded as he signed and Ralph continued, ‘I have set up a trust for the income you wish to settle on Lady Sheffield here, my Lord,’ Ralph passed another paper for Robert to sign, ‘and another for the household expenses.’ Another paper was passed for Robert’s signature.

  ‘Thank you, Ralph. You have dealt with this really quickly, and I am relieved that it has been so …. painless.’ Robert finished signing the documents and shook Ralph by the hand.

  ‘I was happy to help, my Lord. It was simple enough to set up, and your funds are held securely with a reputable firm. They will administer the trusts on your behalf, and you needn’t have any doubts Lady Sheffield and your child will be completely taken care of financially.’ Ralph stood and smiled. ‘If you would care to remain seated, my Lord, I will send Lettice to you. You can be quite private in here for as long as you need.’ Robert nodded his thanks and Ralph left the room.

  Robert stood and paced the room, glancing at the shelves filled with books and scrolls of parchment. Spare sheets of paper, quills and ink horns were stacked on a high shelf, and pinned haphazardly throughout the room were small drawings and sketches, obviously done by the children and displayed with love and pride by Ralph. Robert was admiring a particularly fine charcoal sketch of lilies and roses when the door opened and Lettice slid into the room.

  ‘I drew that while I was away,’ she smiled as she saw the picture in his hand. Robert replaced the drawing and crossed the room in a few strides, taking hold of her hands and kissing their backs urgently.

  ‘I thought it beautiful until I looked up and saw you.’ He smiled down at her and she beamed at the compliment. ‘How are you, Lily?’ he asked softly.

  ‘Much better, Robin. Even three days here have made such a difference. My mouth is healed, as you see, although it is still a little sore inside. And my bruised cheek has faded nicely.’ She turned her face to the light so he could see the truth of her words.

  ‘Lady Sadler must have magic in her salves then, my love.’ Robert still held her hands but he bent his long frame over hers and kissed her mouth gently, then led her to the seat by the fireplace.

  ‘I am pleased to see you, Robin. Pleased to have these few moments alone with you.’ She made herself comfortable in his lap, as there was only one chair in Ralph’s office, and leaned into his shoulder as he kissed her forehead.

  ‘As am I, lovely Lily. I don’t know when, or indeed if, I will be able to get back here before we set off on progress. Will you be sufficiently recovered to join us?’

  ‘I imagine so, Robin. You begin after the Sabbath, do you not? If I remain here for another four days or so, I can be back at court to collect my things from my apartment there, and let everyone see me about. Many of them won’t notice I went missing, and my mother and Kit think I was taken suddenly ill. I shall return, fully recovered.’ She smiled and began unsnapping the clasps on his doublet.

  ‘Shall you tell your mother what happened, Lily?’

  ‘Dear God, no! She might tell my father, or worse, her Princess. I shall tell Kit. I know I can trust her, and I may need someone I can trust.’ She looked up at Robert with wide eyes and slid her hand inside his shirt. He breathed a shaky breath and bent his head to claim her lips, softly at first so he didn’t hurt her and then with rising passion. Abruptly he broke away and Lettice blinked owlishly at him in surprise.

  ‘We must behave ourselves, Lily. We are both guests here, and I would not hurt you after what …..,’ Lettice put her finger on his lips to stop him continuing.

  ‘I want to forget that, Robin. I don’t want you to think about that every time you see me. I couldn’t bear that.’ He kissed her finger tips against his lips.

  ‘When I see you Lily, that is most definitely not what I think about.’ He snorted a brief laugh and his mouth turned in a wry smile. ‘When you are recovered, and we have time alone, I will show you what I think about.’ She giggled and he kissed her quickly.

  ‘But I must return to making arrangements for hundreds of horses, and dozens of carts to leave the day after the Sabbath, my love.’

  ‘And I must return to our baby, Robin.’ She removed her hand from his chest and put both her arms round his neck, squirming round in his lap and giggling again at his sharp intake of breath. ‘I would have a proper kiss, Robbie, before we go back to our lives, to last me until we meet properly again.’ Lettice placed her lips on his and began to kiss him. He met the pressure of her lips with his own, and they kissed long and deeply for several minutes, until she broke the kiss and stood.

  Robert stood beside her and dropped a brief kiss on her cheek. ‘Until later in the week, my love. Kit will be excited to see you, I am sure.’ Lettice beamed at him as they walked to the door and she placed her hand on the large iron latch.

  ‘As long as her brother is also excited,’ she dropped her eyes to his breeches and smothered a laugh, ‘then I shall be happy.’ Lettice bobbed a curtsey and opened the door wide.

  ‘Thank you, Lord Robert. Please tell your sister I look forward to being with her on Friday.’ Lettice swept up the stairs back to the nursery and Robert watched the sway of her hips as she climbed the stairs before retrieving his hat from the hall table.

  ‘My Lady,’ he bowed briefly before opening the door and going to the stables to collect his horse.

  ***

  ‘My Lord.’

  ‘Thomas. Come in, come in.’ Robert straightened up from his stance at the table in his apartment. Spread over it was a map of England, with small flagged pins stuck into it. Robert swept his arm
at the map, ‘I am plotting the route for the Progress, Thomas. We shall only reach as far as York, I fear. There are too many papist plots afoot to venture further north. The Inglebys at Ripley are still uncaptured, so I will not risk the Queen north of York.’

  ‘My Lord.’ Thomas glanced at the map and then looked at Robert, who poured two cups of ale and gestured to the chairs at the hearth.

  ‘There are warm rolls and cheese if you are hungry, Thomas,’ said Robert, handing Thomas his drink and gesturing him to take a seat. Thomas looked doubtfully at the chair and then met Robert’s amused gaze.

  ‘Please sit, Thomas, just for once. I want to speak to you properly here, where we won’t be interrupted, and looking up at you makes my neck ache.’ Robert smiled and nodded as Thomas reluctantly perched on the edge of the seat, clutching his mug of ale gingerly.

  ‘So, Thomas. Tell me how it went.’

  ‘I reached the docks in time, my Lord, and found the Earl’s personal baggage.’

  ‘Unguarded, Thomas?’ Robert’s brows rose in surprise. Thomas shook his head.

  ‘No, my Lord. His manservant was guarding it, but he enjoys a drink, my Lord. Or three.’ Robert snorted in amusement and gestured for Thomas to continue his tale.

  ‘It didn’t take much wine before he was asleep, my Lord. I found the Earl’s case of medicines, added the few things I had taken with me, then fastened it back up. No-one will notice, and his servant will have too much of a headache to care.’

  ‘How did you know what to add, Thomas?’ Robert was curious as to how this man, who served him unequivocally, had come to know so much about so many things.

  ‘I was raised to be your steward, my Lord. My father taught me about weaponry and horseflesh and accounts, and my mother taught me about the quality of flour, how preserves should be kept, how to make butter. And how certain herbs, roots, flowers and tree barks can be made into salves, medicines, tinctures,’ he stopped and took a long swallow, ‘poisons. Had life progressed as we thought it would …’

  ‘Had my father’s ambition not brought my family to the brink of ruin, you mean?’ Robert poured them both another cup of ale, then turned back to listen to Thomas again.

  ‘Indeed, my Lord. But I would have run your household, bargained for the best prices for bread, taken your sheep to market, made sure your still-room was full for the winter, and perhaps shown your housekeeper how to prepare salves and the like. From mushrooms, or foxgloves, or nightshade. It is all in the preparation, my Lord. Two drops cures, but three? Four?’ Thomas shook his head and looked into his cup.

  ‘So what do we do now, Thomas?’

  ‘We wait, my Lord. We don’t know when he will have need of his medicine. But they all contain what they need to, my Lord, so it will not matter whether he uses the salve or swallows the tincture.’ Thomas rose and grabbed a roll with cheese, then sat back down, chewing slowly and thinking before he spoke again.

  ‘The additions will cause a flux, my Lord. If he swallows it, then it will be swifter than if he just rubs it into his skin, obviously, but the end result will be the same. His bowels will turn to water, his stomach will bleed, then evacuation and death, my Lord.’ He shrugged. ‘It will appear to be what all the troops suffer with, my Lord. No-one will question it.’

  ‘Thank you, Thomas. You already had my appreciation, but now be assured my friend, my gratitude shall be boundless.’ Robert gestured a toast with his cup and Thomas nodded his acknowledgement.

  ‘I am happy to serve you, my Lord. And the Countess.’

  Chapter 45

  esolutely hugging her little girls, Lettice smiled as she kissed each smooth cheek as Meg held the baby carefully in her arms.

  ‘How long will you be gone, Mama?’ Penelope looked at her mother with huge dark eyes, and held her sister’s hand tightly.

  ‘I don’t know, poppet. If we pass near enough on our way round, I shall try and slip away to see you, but you know I have to go and help Grandmamma look after the Queen.’ Penelope nodded solemnly, and two-year old Dorothea copied the gesture.

  Lettice stood and moved the blanket from her baby’s head so she could kiss him on the forehead. ‘Good bye, little boy. I will see you soon too,’ she whispered.

  ‘Letty, wait. We want to say goodbye too,’ Jane’s clear voice rang down the stairs as they heard feet patter along the landing, then the heavier tread of boots following.

  ‘’Etty. Wait for D-ickon,’ her youngest brother called as he thundered after Jane down the stairs and hurled himself into her skirts.

  ‘Be a good boy for Aunt Meg, Dickon. Look after Penelope and Dorothea for me, won’t you?’ The little boy nodded seriously and looked up at her with his blue eyes.

  ‘D-ickon will look after B-aby ‘Obert too, ‘Etty, ‘s well as Nell ‘n’ Thea.’ he proclaimed.

  ‘Thank you poppet. I hope baby Robert grows into a good boy like you.’ Lettice beamed at Dickon and kissed his forehead and Jane’s cheek. Then she gave her daughters another quick peck on the cheek and turned to Meg.

  ‘Thank you so much, Aunt Meg. For looking after all of us.’ She gestured round all the children, stood in the hallway gazing at her. Meg laughed and shook her head.

  ‘I love it, sweetheart. Children and babies are everything to me. You must look after yourself, and give my love to your Mother. Will you write to Walter?’

  Lettice shook her head. ‘No, Aunt. I would have nothing to say. If he writes to me, I shall respond obviously, but I shall wait for him to write first.’

  Meg nodded her understanding, and leant forward to kiss Lettice on the cheek. ‘Take care, sweetheart. We shall be here waiting when you return.’

  ***

  ‘Lettice, I am so pleased to see you.’ Kit rose and held her hands out as the maid stood back so Lettice could enter the apartment. Lettice took Kit’s extended hands and they kissed one another’s cheek.

  ‘I’m so glad you recovered in time to go on the progress with us, Lettice. I made Rob save you a seat in our carriage, so we can all gossip. Anne and Frances will be with us.’ Kit pressed Lettice back into a chair and brought some ale and a few comfits over to the table, gesturing for Lettice to help herself.

  ‘Thank you for that, Kit. My poor Mother has got to share her litter with Margaret Clifford.’ Lettice rolled her eyes and Kit laughed.

  ‘Rob told me you would be back today, Lettice, but he didn’t say why you had been taken so ill. Did you think you might have what the Queen had, my dear?’ The concern in Kit’s eyes brought tears to Lettice’s own, and she patted Kit’s hand as she took a deep breath.

  ‘No, Kit. It was Walter. He …. hurt me, just before he left for Ireland, and I couldn’t be here until my face had healed.’ Kit gasped her astonishment and shook her head in sympathy.

  ‘How dreadful for you, my dear. I didn’t realise he …. did that sort of thing.’

  ‘He never has before, Kit. But he seems to have changed. I hope before he returns again, he changes back.’ Lettice shivered and then gave Kit her brightest smile. ‘I don’t want to talk about him, Kit. I shall see him soon enough, so tell me all about the preparations for the progress. Have you chosen what to pack?’

  ‘Well, Rob thinks we will be away for about ten or twelve weeks. He has already organised six of the weeks, and that takes us as far as Chester, so we will no doubt make our way back from there through Oxfordshire and Wiltshire, and we might even call at Hereford or Worcester, so that’s ten.’ Kit shrugged and smiled. ‘I shall take as much as I can fit in my clothes chests, Lettice. If I run out, I’m sure Harry will buy me something new. And there must be some seamstresses north of the capital.’

  Lettice shook her head at her friend’s ex
travagance, and settled in for a discussion about the availability of gowns and ruffs in the provinces.

  ***

  Robert stretched and yawned, then took another bite of the apple he had stolen from the kitchen; his kitchen, he thought with satisfaction. As he walked in the garden at Kenilworth, gazing over the fields of the property and pondering what he would do with such a vast tract of land, he also appreciated the early summer morning.

  The Progress had gone exceptionally well so far, he thought as he walked, munching the crunchy green apple. The court had first travelled to see the loyal citizens of Kent, and had stayed for four nights in Leeds Castle.

  Robert had made it very clear to all those who were hosting them on the Progress that the second evening would be a public supper, when all the townsfolk could, if they chose, come to see the Queen at her meal, after which there would be dancing. There would be another banquet on the last evening for the court before they took their leave and moved on to the next place, but the other evenings would be private.

  He had been very conscious not to over-tire Elizabeth, and to give her the opportunity to relax and be herself, rather than constantly on show as the Queen. They had passed through as many towns as possible, waving to the populace, gathering the flowers they threw and tossing coins into the crowds. Bess had been pleased with their enthusiasm, he thought.

  After Kent they had travelled as far as Peterborough, where they had stayed at Cecil’s magnificent country home, Burleigh House. Part of it was still under construction, but it was truly wonderful. Robert thought about incorporating some of the ideas in his own refurbishment of the interior of Kenilworth, once he had the time to think about anything other than the success of the Progress.

  After Burleigh they had travelled to Lincoln, then York and then across the Pennines to Lancaster. Robert was relieved that they had no trouble at these most northerly towns, as he knew there were Catholic plots to depose Elizabeth in favour of a monarch who would return the country to the rule of Rome. Walsingham’s spies had been busy rooting out intrigue so they could continue in safety, and Robert had managed to keep any hint of danger from the ears of the Queen.