by June Francis
‘I deem it a waste of time his coming,’ said Nicholas, scowling. ‘The trail has gone cold and we do not have Berthe as a witness to the attack on me.’
Although Jane agreed with him, she suggested that he wait until after Palm Sunday. It would give his wound further time to heal and surely he would enjoy the celebration that took place then. Reluctantly Nicholas agreed.
* * *
As she snipped a thin leafy branch, Jane thought of the girl she had spoken to yesterday. Having decided not to wait until Matt’s return to see whether Tabitha was able to help with Matilda, she had taken steps to hire another wet nurse. Dorothea was young and inexperienced, being the younger sister of a woman who was in the employ of one of the richer families in the shire. The girl was also unmarried and willing to leave Oxfordshire and travel to Bristol.
A sigh escaped Jane, as she thought of Dorothea telling her that she had deliberately got herself with child so she could be a wet nurse. It had not seemed to have occurred to her that she could die in childbirth—as it was her baby had not survived the birth. Still she appeared to have an abundance of breast milk, apparently just like her professional wet-nurse sister, and as she had no parents, her sister was positively encouraging her to take the situation with Jane, having brought disgrace on the family by lying with a travelling tinker. Jane was uncertain how much truth there was in that tale, but she had gone ahead and hired the girl once she had Nicholas’s approval. It wasn’t a perfect arrangement, but would have to do for now.
She thought of Nicholas back at the house, writing letters to the manager of the wine business in Bristol and the couple who looked after his house in the country, whilst keeping his eye on the babies as well. Dorothea was dealing with the washing, leaving Jane and the other children to gather greenery for the procession on Palm Sunday that signalled the beginning of Holy Week.
‘I deem we have enough now!’ called Jane, placing her shears with the greenery in the wicker basket.
She and the children began to walk back to the village. Later they would weave some of what they had gathered into crosses for the next day. To her surprise and delight as they strolled along the High Street in the sunshine, she caught sight of riders outside the house. Instantly she began to run, having recognised Rebecca, Matt, Ned and Tabitha.
Jane told Margaret to hurry into the house and tell Nicholas that they had visitors. Her stepdaughter wasted no time in doing so. Jane watched Matt dismount from the horse on which Rebecca was seated on a pillion seat.
‘It is so good to see you, Rebecca!’ Jane called up, shielding her eyes from the sun. ‘Are you well?’
Rebecca beamed down at her. ‘Aye, I am very well now that the sickness is passing.’
‘The sickness!’ Jane stared at her and then a slow smile lit up her face. ‘You are with child?’
‘Aye, I kept it secret for a while as I feared miscarrying, but I’ve prayed to Our Lady constantly and I trust now that all will go well.’
‘That is marvellous!’ said Jane. ‘But you will be weary from the journey so make haste inside out of the sun and rest.’
Rebecca admitted to being tired and accepted Matt’s hand to help her from the pillion seat. She thanked him and smoothed down her skirts before kissing Jane on the cheek. ‘I see you have been gathering greenery.’
‘Aye, it is a fine day for it,’ said Jane. ‘Hard to believe that we had snow not so long ago.’
Rebecca smiled down at her niece and nephew and held out her arms. ‘Elizabeth! James! Come and give your aunt a big hug and a kiss!’
James flung himself at her. ‘Will you be staying long, Aunt Becky?’
‘Just for one night, if there is room for me, and then Tabitha will take my place. This night she and Ned will put up at the inn with their little boy.’ She kissed the top of her nephew’s head and reached out an arm to Elizabeth and brought her niece against her. ‘And you, my dear, how are you?’
‘Better for seeing you, Aunt Rebecca,’ said the girl, hugging her.
‘How is Pip?’ asked Jane, watching them both fondly. ‘Nicholas hopes you have news from him.’
Rebecca’s eyes clouded. ‘I have news, but not that which he will be glad of.’
Jane’s face fell. ‘What is it? Pip, he isn’t—oh, he couldn’t be sick, otherwise you would look miserable.’
‘Oh, Pip is in excellent health,’ said Rebecca hastily. ‘Unfortunately, when he called in at the shipyard shortly after Nicholas’s message was delivered to the palace, he found it was pandemonium there. They’d had intruders. Christopher was injured and one of the ships on the blocks was damaged. Apparently it had been commissioned by the king and as you can imagine Christopher is in a state of shock.’ She took a breath. ‘So Nicholas’s presence is required. Pip has said that he will spend as much time as he is able at the shipyard until Nicholas can come and replace him.’
Jane could not conceal her dismay. ‘But his shoulder is not completely healed. He cannot possibly work in the shipyard.’
Before she could say more, a smiling Nicholas appeared in the doorway. ‘Rebecca, what news do you bring? How are my brothers?’
She gazed at him with concern and, reaching up, kissed his cheek. ‘It is good to see you, Nicholas, although Jane tells me that your shoulder is still not healed.’
Nicholas shrugged. ‘It is much improved, so there is no need for you to worry. Tell me, have you a message for me from Pip?’
‘He would speak to you, himself, of the matters you wrote about. He has sent me to tell you that Christopher has need of you at the shipyard. Even if you cannot work on reconstructing the ship that has been damaged, your presence will bring some comfort to the family and you can oversee the labourers. I know you and Christopher have quarreled, but he has good reason for sending for you now. You have an authority and knowledge that cannot but soothe his and Mary’s anxiety and the labourers’ ruffled feathers.’
Nicholas raised his eyebrows. ‘I find it difficult to believe these are Christopher’s words. This damaged ship—was it the work of his labourers? Did they rebel because of his bad temper? He expects far too much of everyone.’
Rebecca sighed. ‘No, it is not that. Christopher is confined to bed with a broken leg and he has what the physician thinks are cracked ribs after his fight with the intruders. Mary is worried that he will have an apoplexy if he doesn’t calm down. Forget your quarrel and—’
‘Intruders! What intruders?’ interrupted Nicholas, frowning.
Rebecca wasted no time, telling him what had happened.
‘Did he see their faces?’ asked Nicholas, deeply disturbed by this latest development.
‘No, they were masked.’
‘Did he hear them speak at all?’
‘That I don’t know.’
His frown deepened. ‘I see that I must go.’
Jane opened her mouth to protest, but a look from him silenced her.
Rebecca’s relief was obvious. ‘Thank you, Nicholas. Pip’s presence is needed more than usual at court during the next month—and when he is not there, I will need him at home. The building work at Oxford is at a critical stage and my father will insist on interfering when Pip is not around.’ She paused. ‘Not that I have seen him since my return. I can only presume he is staying at Draymore Manor.’
‘I would not be so sure of that,’ said Nicholas.
She stared at him. ‘What do you mean? Is there something I should know?’
Obviously his brother had not discussed with his wife what he had written about Anthony Mortimer, thought Nicholas, swiftly debating with himself how to answer her. ‘Your father was in Witney a short while ago, but he did not linger. We were told that he had gone to Oxford, but if he is not there, then perhaps he is visiting your brother at the court of Princess Mary, Rebecca?’
‘No, I doubt that very much. The princess is expected at Greenwich. I received a message from Davy and he made no mention of my father.’
‘I see.’ Nicholas hesit
ated to mention Louise’s sister and instead changed the subject, reaching for Jane’s hand. ‘Did Pip tell you that Jane and I were considering getting married? I can tell you now that we have decided definitely to do so.’
Rebecca clapped her hands and looked delighted. ‘So you have made up your minds. We’ve thought since we married that the pair of you could make a love match of it one day. Tell me, when is the wedding to be? Soon, I hope.’
Chapter Ten
There was a long silence and then Nicholas said, ‘I see Pip had set his mind on winning our last wager.’
Rebecca chuckled and then lowered her voice because of the children. ‘We could do with a pot of gold right now, but it was obvious to me from the moment you and Jane set eyes on each other that you were meant to be together. Otherwise why would you have agreed to be Simon’s godfather? Of course, you scooting off to Flanders was a bit of a setback, but as it is you’re here now and everything’s working out just as I prayed it would. So when is the wedding to be?’
‘Not for some time,’ said Jane, glancing at Nicholas. ‘There is so much to do and it is not so long since Simon died.’
Rebecca frowned. ‘Jane, you don’t want to be kicking your heels. One never knows what’s just round the corner. When one thinks of the latest attack on Nick, he’s fortunate to be alive.’
‘You’re saying we should make it soon,’ said Jane, a tremor in her voice.
‘Let’s not discuss it here on the doorstep,’ interrupted Nicholas. ‘It’s time we went inside.’
Despite his words, the three of them made no immediate move to go indoors. At that moment Tabitha called a greeting to Jane and she turned to speak to her. The other woman had remained on the pillion seat behind her husband. The two women exchanged pleasantries for a few moments and Nicholas spoke to Ned and Matt. Then the latter led away the horse and Ned and Tabitha rode after him towards the inn.
Once they had gone, Jane turned to Nicholas. ‘When must you leave?’
‘On the morrow if matters are as serious as Rebecca says,’ he murmured, frowning. ‘I wish I didn’t have to go. I would have liked to see you and the children to Bristol before doing so, but I fear there is not enough time.’
‘What’s this about Bristol?’ asked Rebecca, her face alive with curiosity.
Jane turned to her. ‘We’ll be leaving Witney once we are married to make our home there.’
‘Of course, Nicholas has a fondness for the place!’ exclaimed Rebecca, slipping her hand through Jane’s arm. ‘I had almost forgotten.’
‘I didn’t know of his connection with Bristol, so it came as a great surprise to me,’ said Jane, glancing up at him. ‘But let’s not dawdle out here any longer.’ She ushered her sister-in-law into the house. ‘I am so pleased that Ned has agreed for Tabitha to spend some time with me and the children. She will be an asset to the household despite my having hired another wet nurse—although Dorothea has yet to prove herself completely satisfactory.’
‘What about some refreshment?’ suggested Nicholas, who along with the children had followed the two women inside.
Jane nodded and went to see to it, wishing that he did not have to go to Greenwich. She was concerned about his brother’s shipyard being broken in to and could not help but wonder whether it was in any way connected with those who had attacked him in the past. Rebecca was right when she had said that one never knew what was round the corner.
Nicholas was thinking very much the same as Jane, but had no intention of voicing his thoughts and had begun to make plans. He caught her eye as she looked up from pouring elderflower wine into goblets and smiled.
Her heart fluttered and her pulse began to race. She wished she had the courage to say Let’s get married now! What had he made of Rebecca and Philip believing they could make a love match of it? Perhaps the other couple were seeing what they wanted to see. She swallowed a sigh and resumed her task, handing a goblet to Rebecca, who stood with one hand resting on the back of a chair, whilst fingering with the other the greenery in the wicker basket that Jane had placed on the table.
‘Shouldn’t you sit down, Rebecca?’ suggested Nicholas abruptly.
‘I’ll stand for a while if you don’t mind.’ She grimaced, rubbing her posterior. ‘At least I was able to travel by boat most of the way to Oxford from Greenwich instead of horseback.’ She sipped her wine. ‘Thinking of ships, I’m reminded of what Jane said about your moving to Bristol and that you mentioned the port in your recent journals.’
‘What did he say about it?’ asked Jane, showing interest.
Rebecca looked thoughtful. ‘That it is situated on two rivers, one of which is the Avon. The very first English expedition to the Americas departed from there. Pip remembers the town well, having visited it in those early days when he left the family shipyard to join the strolling players,’ said Rebecca. ‘You described the house where you stayed and where it was situated.’
‘Is that the house we are going to make our main home, Nicholas?’ asked Jane.
He nodded absently.
‘You also mention another house and went into some detail about the view of the ships and talked about the tides and the tidal bore in your journal. You described a terrifying incident when you were a lad. Pip deemed it so exciting that he put it in your new book.’
Jane stared at Nicholas. ‘I would like to hear that tale and the description of the houses.’
‘I have two copies of the latest book with me. Pip considered it doubtful that you would have seen the finished book yet, Nicholas.’
‘He is mistaken,’ said Nicholas, looking pleased, none the less. ‘I have two copies from when I visited the shop in Oxford on my way here. I put them in one of my saddlebags and then—with all that happened—I completely forgot about them.’
Rebecca shrugged. ‘No matter. You now have four copies.’
The books were recovered and soon Nicholas held one of them in his hand and was stroking the vellum cover. He looked at Jane and smiled. ‘Perhaps you would like a copy for your very own, my dear?’
Jane’s face lit up, but she hesitated before taking the book from him and turning it over between her hands. In an awed voice, she said, ‘This is the first book I have ever possessed. Those Simon left were for the boys.’
‘It is indeed a rare gift,’ said Rebecca, smiling.
‘And one to be cherished,’ said Jane softly, gazing up at Nicholas with such warmth in her eyes that he could not doubt that he had indeed given her something precious. ‘You have such a fine voice, I would love to hear you read to me and the children before you leave for Greenwich,’ she murmured.
‘If that is what you wish and I have the time,’ he said easily, picking up the other book. ‘I have some business I must see to before I leave. If I could do that first...’
‘Whatever you wish,’ replied Jane, flushing beneath his appraisal and hoping he had not guessed that she was a poor reader. She made a vow to improve before he returned from his visit to his brother’s shipyard.
Nicholas turned to Rebecca. ‘If you would excuse me, I will see you later.’
‘Of course,’ she said. ‘You’ll have arrangements to make before leaving in the morning.’
After he had gone, both women turned to the other. ‘I wonder what this business is?’ said Rebecca.
‘I have no idea, but I noticed that he took one of the books with him,’ said Jane.
‘Perhaps he wishes to show it to someone,’ mused Rebecca.
Jane agreed, thinking that the only person he knew who could read well was the priest. Perhaps he had gone to ask for his blessing on his journey. She was anxious and felt depressed at the thought of being parted from him.
In an attempt to shrug off her mood she said to Rebecca, ‘You must come and see how Simon has grown and no doubt you will wish to see Nicholas’s daughter, Matilda, then you must lie down upstairs to recuperate from your journey.’
Rebecca agreed and wasted no time in going over to the cradle a
nd cooing over Simon. Then she turned her attention to Matilda.
When she did not immediately comment on the little girl’s appearance, Jane blurted out, ‘What do you think of her?’
‘She is an extremely pretty baby,’ murmured Rebecca. ‘It must be difficult for you having her here.’
‘Mmm!’ Jane changed the subject. ‘Did Pip tell you that Nicholas’s attackers planned to abduct her and that her wet nurse, Berthe, came here later and took Simon by mistake?’
‘No, really!’ said Rebecca, her eyes widening. ‘How did you get him back? Tell me all.’
Jane wasted no time doing so, but decided to omit the part about Rebecca’s father having Louise’s sister staying at his house and his going off with her. Instead she spoke of Berthe and the possibility of her mind being slightly unhinged after the loss of her husband and baby.
After commenting on how worried Jane must have been at the time, but glad that all had ended well, Rebecca excused herself, saying that she would go upstairs and rest now. It was on the tip of Jane’s tongue to tell her about Nicholas having married Louise on her deathbed, but decided that she had given her guest enough to think about for now.
* * *
It was a couple of hours later, whilst the supper was simmering, that Rebecca came downstairs and joined Jane and the girls at the table. They chattered about that holiest of weeks in the Christian calendar as they twisted leaves and stems into the shape of crosses.
‘I wish you could stay longer, Rebecca,’ said Jane with a sigh.
Rebecca’s fingers faltered and instead of weaving the length of greenery into a cross she brushed it across her cheek and said, ‘So do I, but if I don’t go to Oxford on the morrow I won’t have Nicholas and Ned’s company on the road.’ She paused. ‘Although I admit that I am tempted to visit Draymore Manor to see if my father is there. If he is, then he can keep me company when I return to Oxford. What do you say?’
Jane found herself hesitating, thinking of Madame Dupon. If Nicholas had been there she might have sought his advice, for she did not find it easy not being completely honest with her sister-in-law. Surely she had a right to know of her father’s actions?