The Last Howard Girl (Tudor Chronicles Book 3)

by Lesley Jepson

  ‘They are adequate, my Lord?’

  ‘They suffice. They are smaller here than other palaces of course. The rooms at Hampton Court are enormous, and those at Richmond. But why do you ask about my rooms, my Lord? Is there some difficulty I am unaware of, that I occupy these rooms?’

  ‘Not at all. Pardon me for my indelicacy, Lord Robert, but your apartments are no longer connected ….. I mean, you no longer occupy the consort’s accommodations in each palace?’

  ‘No, my Lord. Not for some considerable time now,’ Robert’s voice had taken on a hard note. He was struggling to remain respectful to the older man. ‘But I fail to see…..’

  ‘How it concerns me?’ Sir Francis finished Robert’s sentence. ‘It concerns me, my Lord, because of my daughter.’ Robert’s eyes widened in surprise. Sir Francis hadn’t been back from the north for very long, and he and Lettice had been as discreet as always.

  ‘Your daughter my Lord? You mean the Countess?’

  ‘I am confident you know exactly who I mean, my Lord. My other daughters are part of the Queen’s household, but quite insignificant really. Lettice has never been … insignificant.’

  ‘Indeed not, my Lord. She is …. extraordinary.’

  ‘And as such, I would not have her reputation compromised. I asked for this interview so I could discuss your intentions towards her.’

  ‘My intentions?’ Robert’s voice was faint.

  ‘Yes, my Lord, your intentions. I remember when she was with child to her husband, I sent her away so she didn’t dishonour her marriage vows. With you, sir. Now she is a widow,’ Sir Francis paused and took a sip of his wine as Robert tried to remember to breathe normally, ‘and you, my Lord, are no longer the Queen’s …. companion … in quite the same way,’ Robert sucked in a breath and Sir Francis looked at him levelly.

  ‘I know my daughter, my Lord. I have not been returned long, but I have eyes, and I see how she looks at you when she thinks herself unobserved. And I can see that it will not be long before she wants to take your relationship further.’ He cleared his throat and Robert could see that Sir Francis was becoming uncomfortable. Robert decided to make it as difficult as possible.

  ‘Further, my Lord? I do not take your meaning.’ Robert smothered a smile as he saw a flush rise above the high collar Sir Francis wore. His initial trepidation had subsided now he realised what the private talk had been about. Sir Francis dragged a breath and ploughed on.

  ‘A physical relationship, my Lord. That is what I mean. You are both free to marry, and I wouldn’t have scurrilous talk about my daughter.’

  ‘Nor I, my Lord. I hold the Countess in high esteem, and I wouldn’t have her reputation denigrated in any way. But we would never get permission from the Queen to marry, my Lord.’

  ‘Then you will marry her without Royal permission, Lord Robert. She is my daughter, and I wish you to marry her, privately if you feel it necessary. But I will not have her compromised, my Lord. As a widow, I can no longer command her, but I appeal to your own sense of honour, sir. If you love her, you must feel her worthy of that love. If she is worthy of your love, in all honour, you must make her your wife.’

  Robert was silent, and gazed at Sir Francis for a long time over the rim of his cup. He thought of how much he had wanted Elizabeth to marry him, and how desolate he had been, how angry at her refusal. How humiliating it had been to be cast off as he was, suitable to be by her side fulfilling every wish by day, yet spending nights in his own apartment with the expectation of the celibacy she had chosen for herself.

  He knew he was completely and utterly in love with Lettice. Her beauty had captivated him when they first met, and her superficial similarity to Elizabeth had appealed to him. But as he had come to know her as a person, her enthusiasm for life delighted him and her sense of fun, something he had not expected, made him long for her company when they were apart.

  Nevertheless, he knew Elizabeth would never give her permission and when she discovered his deceit, then her anger would be limitless, both towards him and Lettice. But if Sir Francis was insisting he married his daughter, then he would gladly have a private ceremony and keep the secret for as long as he was able.

  ‘Willingly, my Lord, and as soon as you can arrange it. But as privately as possible, if you please.’

  Sir Francis stood abruptly and handed Robert his goblet, nodding his head.

  ‘I will let you know, my Lord, as soon as the arrangements are made.’ He walked to the door and opened it swiftly, startled to see the tall, rangy figure of Thomas standing immediately in his path guarding the door. Thomas’ gaze swept past him to Robert, and on receiving an imperceptible nod, Thomas stepped aside and Sir Francis carried on walking. Thomas stepped inside the room and closed the door.

  ‘It would seem I am to be married, Thomas.’

  ‘My Lord?’

  ‘Sir Francis would have me marry the Countess before her reputation is compromised, Thomas. And I must confess, I am delighted to comply.’ Robert took another swallow of his wine. ‘I would ask a favour of you, my friend?’

  ‘Anything, my Lord.’

  ‘Then after my marriage, Thomas, would you take it upon yourself to protect the Countess, protect my wife, as you have done for me all these years?’

  Thomas gazed at Robert, a light that Robert had never seen before gleaming at the back of his eyes.

  ‘It would be an absolute honour, my Lord. And I thank you for the trust.’

  ‘I trust you implicitly, Thomas. None other. And I think I might ask Tom Sadler if he wants to become my new … manservant?’

  ‘Indeed, my Lord. An excellent choice.’

  ***

  Lettice walked in the garden, chatting and laughing with Anne Cecil, Frances Howard and Kit Hastings. The Queen had retired to her room with a headache, and the ladies had been given the afternoon to themselves before the evening meal. Lettice glanced across when something distracted her out of the corner of her eye, and she saw Thomas leaning against the stable gate. She excused herself to her friends and went across to the tall man watching her carefully.

  ‘Thomas,’ she beamed at him, and she saw his lips twitch into something resembling a smile.

  ‘My Lady,’ he bowed slightly from his waist, ‘my Lord wishes you to accompany him on a brief ride, if it pleases you.’

  Lettice looked at him quizzically, ‘That would be wonderful, Thomas. May I go and get my gloves, then join you in the stable yard?’ She patted Thomas on the arm and saw his eyes gleam briefly.

  ‘My Lady,’ he bowed once more, ‘I will have your mount ready.’ Lettice nodded and dimpled at him again, then grasped her skirts and hurried away through the tower door to find her new riding gloves that had been a gift from the Queen.

  ***

  It was only a few minutes before Lettice came back into the stable yard, wearing a short velvet jacket over her gown and pulling on the beautifully embroidered kidskin gloves. Robert smiled across as she allowed Thomas to help her mount, then led the way out of the stable yard onto the well-worn bridle path down to the lake, closely followed by Lettice and behind her Thomas and young Tom.

  Once away from the palace, Robert encouraged his horse to a trot and Lettice kept pace easily, laughing as the wind caught her hair and tried to pull the pins from her curls. It wasn’t long before they reached the shore of the lake, and Robert reined in his horse and swiftly dismounted, coming round to help Lettice down while Thomas held the rein in his hand to steady the animal and keep her safe.

  ‘Your gloves are beautiful, my love. Are they new?’ Robert carefully kept his tone even as he asked the question. He knew exactly what they were; he had designed them himself. Robert pushed his
sadness down inside himself at this irrefutable evidence of how his relationship with Elizabeth had changed. Despondency had no place in his life today, with this lovely woman at his side.

  Lettice smiled and looked admiringly at the gloves on her small hands. ‘They were a gift from the Queen, Robin. When I returned to court from having Robert, she gave me these to welcome me back, which was kind of her, don’t you agree?’

  ‘They are indeed lovely, and they suit you so well, my love.’ He pressed her fingers with his own and kissed the tip of her nose, making her laugh.

  ‘Walk with me, Lily. I have something I wish to say.’ Robert took her hand and placed it on his sleeve, and Lettice gathered her skirt in her other hand, bunching it up so it didn’t drag over the damp grass.

  ‘You sound very serious, Robin. Is something wrong?’

  ‘Not at all, my love,’ he replied smoothly. Seeing the gloves he had designed for Elizabeth being worn by Lettice had, in truth, lightened his spirit and made his decision even easier to voice.

  ‘Something is very right, I feel, and I want to discuss it with you.’ Robert determinedly ignored Lettice’s bewildered look and led her round the edge of the lake to a small copse of trees, seating her on a tree stump but not relinquishing her hand. He looked into her smiling eyes, and then dropped to his knees in front of her, kissing her hand and holding it to his chest.

  ‘My lovely, lovely Lily,’ he began, whispering his lips across her knuckles as she widened her eyes at him in question, ‘You know you make me so happy, my love?’

  ‘Robin, what is it? You make me happy too, you know that. But what is this about? Why do you look at me like that?’

  ‘Because you astonish me, lovely Lily. You have always astonished me, from the moment we met. You are the most remarkable woman, and your natural optimism, sunny nature and generosity of spirit gladden my heart, my love. I feel privileged that you love me with your whole being, without any obstacles to that love, and I want you to do me the honour of becoming my wife.’

  Robert watched a stream of emotion cross Lettice’s delicate countenance as he spoke, and her eyes softened and filled with tears at his final words. She had obviously been anxious as he started to speak, and she laughed softly with relief as he pressed her hand to his lips again, waiting for her answer.

  ‘Oh, Robin,’ her voice caught in her throat and he saw her swallow and take a long breath before she could speak again. ‘I thought you were going to tell me it had to be over, and I didn’t know how I was going to bear it,’ she shuddered out another breath as she whispered, ‘I was so afraid.’ Tears spilled over onto her cheeks and Robert lifted his hand to thumb them away.

  ‘Lily, I never want it to be over, my love. I want to be with you always. I am finding it more and more difficult to keep this adoration I have for you hidden, lovely Lily. And I thought, if we were married, we would have to hide it less.’

  ‘The Queen won’t allow it, Robin. She won’t give you up, not to me at any rate. I won’t say she dislikes me, but when she looks at me, I think she wishes me different.’ Lettice shrugged and Robert caught her hands again.

  ‘Then we won’t ask, my love. I have spoken to your father,’ Lettice gasped and her eyes widened again, ‘and he is quite amenable to our marriage. His only request is we keep it private,’ Robert gazed at Lettice, narrowing his eyes and his mouth twisting slightly with regret at what he had to say, ‘and not tell your mother. Not yet, at least.’

  Lettice huffed out a laugh and shook her head. ‘Mother could never lie to her Princess, Robin. If Mother knew, then the Queen would know. I will keep it as private as we can, for as long as we can, my love. I am quite happy to avoid that storm.’ She beamed at him, her heart in her eyes, ‘Have you made any arrangements, Robin, already having my father’s permission?’

  It was Robert’s turn to laugh ruefully, ‘Well, I have asked Ralph Sadler to make enquires about a property for us, my love. And your father is having the banns called somewhere, and organising a minister. Your Aunt Meg is arranging a celebration meal, and we will be wed at Sutton House three weeks hence, if that suits you, lovely Lily.’

  ‘Oh, Robin. It suits me wonderfully. I will be Lettice Dudley, Countess of Leicester, mother of your children and wife of your heart. I could wish for no more.’

  ‘Then come, Lady Dudley. We will return to the palace and we will keep our secret for a while longer.’ Robert stood and took her in his arms for a lengthy kiss before they turned towards the horses and their public lives.

  Chapter 52

  alph tightened his arm round Meg as she snuggled into his shoulder and sighed. It was such a pleasure to have this time together, late at night, without the distractions of the children and the household pressures and she stretched her legs and wriggled her toes in satisfaction.

  ‘Ralph,’ she whispered, turning her face up to his, ‘I have a secret.’ Ralph bent his head and kissed her upturned nose, then settled himself and took her hand, holding it against his chest. Meg felt him take a breath.

  ‘A wife should not have secrets from her husband, my Meg. Unless, of course, she is to tell him she is having another child?’

  Beneath her hand, Meg could feel a suppressed chuckle in Ralph’s chest, and she laughed and swatted him playfully. They both knew there would be no more children, even though they still took pleasure in one another. Their beautiful Jane would be their youngest child, and they were both happy that was so. Ralph spoke again.

  ‘I too have secrets, my love. Tell me your secret first, and I might share one of mine, or perhaps two.’

  ‘Lettice is getting married, Ralph. Lord Robert has asked her to marry him, and of course she has accepted.’

  ‘And of course, that is a secret we must keep, my Meg. One that might be even more difficult to keep is that she is getting married here.’ Meg gasped.

  ‘Here, Ralph? Here in this house? When?’ Meg sat up in bed and turned to her husband anxiously, ‘When, Ralph? And why here? And …. When?’

  Ralph chuckled softly and drew her back into his embrace, twisting slightly to make them both more comfortable with Meg’s head cradled on his shoulder. ‘Gently, my love, gently. Francis asked if we would hold the ceremony here, so her children could be present and there would be no questions asked about her being here. Lord Robert has also been here once or twice, so it would be assumed he had further business with me. We have been charged with keeping this from the Queen, my love, as difficult as that may be.’

  ‘But Ralph, what about Cat?’ Meg trembled to think what her friend would say.

  ‘Francis wants to keep it from her for as long as he can, because of the Queen. He thinks if Lady Cat doesn’t know, then she can comfort the Queen honestly when the secret does come out, and not have to lie to her.’ Meg sighed and thought for a while.

  ‘I am thrilled that Lettice will marry Lord Robert, Ralph. She has loved him for so long, I am pleased they can be together at last. And I am happy that she will marry here, with her children. But keeping the secret from Cat? I think that is a mistake.’

  ‘As do I, my love. But Francis is adamant, and it is his secret to keep, not ours.’

  ‘Hmph. Well, we shall see. When are you thinking, Ralph? How long do I have to prepare?’

  ‘Will three weeks suffice, my love? The ceremony may be private, but the banns still have to be called for three consecutive Sundays. Francis is having them called in a small parish church well away from court, so the secret doesn’t get to the Queen. As long as they are called, that will meet the legalities. And we only need provide a meal afterwards, not a huge banquet. I’m sure whatever you provide will be wonderful.’ He squeezed her to his side and Meg tried not to sigh, knowing he had little realisation of the preparations
needed.

  ‘You said you had more than one secret though, Ralph. Is it as explosive as the first?’ Meg tried to bring her mind back from thinking about the meal; she knew sleep would be hard to find tonight, with everything whirling round her head.

  ‘Not really, my love. Lord Robert asked me to get in touch with John Willingham, the solicitor who found the house for Lady Sheffield, to see if there was any other property available. So he and Lettice can have a proper home here in London. There is a large house available on The Strand, so they will live there after their marriage.’

  ‘Lettice will love that, Ralph. Her own house, to order as she wishes. And it isn’t so far from here that I won’t see the children.’ Meg sighed again, realising that Lettice would want her children with her, and their days in Meg’s nursery were coming to an end.

  ‘I’m sure she will still need your help, my Meg. They will both still be required at court for a great deal of the time. Your nursery will still be occupied, my love.’ He bent his head and found her lips, and Meg gave herself up to his kiss. There would be time enough to plan a wedding.

  ***

  'Thank you so much, Aunt Meg, for holding my wedding here.’ Lettice hugged Meg tightly in her gratitude.

  ‘It was our pleasure, sweetheart. You are almost our own daughter, so we were happy to host your wedding. And you are obviously very happy,’ Meg smiled at the excitement Lettice had in her eyes and voice.

  ‘So happy, Aunt. I can’t tell you what it means to me to be Robin’s wife.’

  ‘Just looking at you tells me that, Lettice. I can see from how you look at him that you never managed to ‘overcome’, did you?’ Lettice burst into laughter at Meg’s reference to their conversation so long ago.

  ‘I still feel exactly the same, Aunt Meg. And I know he feels like that about me, too.’

  Meg nodded. Anyone with eyes could see how Lord Robert felt about his new wife. ‘I’m glad for you both, sweetheart. And I’m sure your mother will be glad, when she hears the news.’