On the Altar of England (Tudor Chronicles Book 4)

by Lesley Jepson

  ‘It served well enough when I was a child, Mother. But now I am almost a man, I need something more suitable to my station, and certainly something more comfortable.’ He shrugged negligently, ‘I have told Dickon I shall have his suite.’

  Lettice gasped her indignation, ‘You should have asked me first, my son. It is not seemly that you dispose of the rooms of this house without asking.’

  Essex snorted his derision. ‘I knew what your answer would be, Mother. Dickon is your idiot brother, and you wouldn’t have told him to move out, so I did it for you.’

  Lettice heard a gasp from the next room, and knew Jane had heard the affront to Dickon. She set her mouth in a firm line, ‘You have no cause to insult my brother. He is never less than kind to you. Too kind, perhaps.’

  ‘Well, he didn’t mind, Mother. He said he would ask you where he should sleep, because I told him Kytt was taking my old room next door, and I shall have new furniture brought in.’

  Lettice sighed. ‘You really should have asked me first, you know. Then I could have made arrangements for your accommodation. As for Kytt having your old room ….’

  ‘My Lady,’ Kytt bowed again, ‘I wouldn’t dream of putting you to any trouble. I can sleep anywhere.’

  ‘What rubbish, Kytt.’ Essex’s voice was sharp. ‘I want you near me, just in case I need help after visiting a tavern or a night playing cards.’ He sniggered at the thought.

  Lettice smiled gently at Kytt, ‘You misunderstand, Sir Kytt. I have no objection to you taking the adjoining room to my son, but as it isn’t good enough for him, I didn’t want you to think we were giving you second best.’ Kytt smiled back at her shyly and bowed his head.

  ‘My Lady, I am honoured. And the furniture is perfectly adequate for me, I assure you.’ Lettice beamed at him again and patted his hand, then looked across at Essex, who was playing with the dagger at his belt, admiring the cabochon jewels in the hilt.

  ‘I shall ask William if we have anything that can be moved into your room, my son, and into Kytt’s to make them more comfortable. Dickon will take his things with him.’ She held her hand up as Essex started to protest, ‘You may have taken his room, my Lord, but he will take his own things to his new quarters.’ Essex wore a disgruntled look, then lifted his head and beamed a huge smile across at his mother, who blinked in astonishment at the change in his temper.

  ‘Thank you, Mother. I knew it would all be right when we had spoken to you.’ He looked across at Kytt and jerked his head towards the door, ‘Come on, Kytt. Let us get a fresh horse and visit that tavern we passed on the Warwick road. I think it was called the Crown and Mitre. Do you suppose that makes it a papist tavern?’

  Lettice watched her son hurry from the room, and tilted her head with a smile as Kytt bowed again before leaving to follow Essex. She felt more than heard that Thomas had entered her room.

  ‘My Lady.’

  ‘Ah, Thomas. No doubt you heard my son’s request?’

  ‘I did, my Lady. Do you want me to make arrangements?’

  Lettice smiled brightly at her steward, then her face fell and she sighed. Thomas moved further into the room and closed the door behind him quietly. As she blinked back tears, Lettice busied herself arranging the blanket around her baby’s head, grateful that he had slept through the heated words of his brother, and she pushed down the worry she felt at the unpredictable behaviour of her eldest son. She drew a shaky breath and looked back at Thomas.

  ‘Ask William if there are any pieces of furniture that can be brought across from the Royal wing, Thomas. Nothing too large, but ask him to make sure the quality is excellent. And some hangings, drapes, cushions and the like. I am sure there must be some things in storage that can replace them. Have him put some luxury in the room that Kytt will have too, Thomas. And if you see Dickon, ask him to come and see me about his suite, would you?’

  ‘Of course, my Lady. I’ll ask William to organise the maids to sweep and polish the room before the young Earl returns from the tavern.’

  ‘I hope you don’t think my son is a bad influence on your nephew, Thomas.’

  ‘Not at all, my Lady. My nephew isn’t easily influenced, believe me. And he doesn’t drink wine, only small ale, so if the Earl takes too much grape, Kytt will see him home safely.’

  ‘Oh, Thomas. Thank you. What would I do without you?’ Lettice reached forward across the baby and patted Thomas’ arm gratefully. His mouth twitched beneath his beard as he saw the baby squirm uncomfortably at the sudden movement and begin to whimper and root towards his mother’s bodice. He flushed and Lettice smothered a smile.

  ‘By your leave, my Lady.’ Thomas turned on his heel and hurried away as Lettice began to unbutton her gown. She looked up and saw Jane and Ursula standing in the doorway to her bedroom.

  ‘Sit and keep me company, girls, while baby Robbie finishes his interrupted feed. Then you can help me change while Daisy takes him for a sleep in his crib.’ Lettice smiled as they walked in hesitantly, ‘And think of something I can tell Dickon to apologise for young Robert’s awful behaviour, Jane.’

  ‘Dickon won’t mind, Letty. He is used to Essex by now, and knows he doesn’t mean what he says when he is in a temper.’

  ‘Mmmm, I know, pet. But one day, I fear he might choose the wrong person or time to display his temper, and then I don’t know what will happen.’ She shook her head sadly and turned her attention back to the baby in her arms.

  ***

  Raleigh turned over in his bed at Leeds Castle and gazed at the apple cheeks and blonde tresses of Bess Throckmorton. He blinked in surprise, as he had been dreaming about the dark eyes and copper curls of Beth Knollys. Bess’ lashes were crescents on her round cheeks and her face was pillowed on her hand as she slept, breathing softly.

  He allowed his mind to wander over the time since he had returned from his voyage to seek sponsorship for his next. He had enjoyed being feted by the court, and was quite taken aback at the favour shown him by the Queen. That she responded to his flattery and attention didn’t surprise him; he had been warned that she enjoyed the company and devotion of young men. He had, however, been surprised at how she used this attentiveness to try and make the Earl of Leicester jealous, a forlorn hope, in his opinion.

  He obviously knew the story, of how they had been friends since childhood - more than friends, he’d swear - but after the death of the Earl’s first wife in suspicious circumstances, the Queen had distanced herself from him, so he had married the Queen’s cousin and earned her displeasure.

  Raleigh thought that if the Earl’s wife resembled her sister, he could understand why he would flout the Queen’s wishes. Beth Knollys haunted his dreams, and he thought about their brief meeting in the dance the previous evening.

  ***

  ‘We are partnered briefly, my Lady.’ He bowed from his waist, glimpsing blue silk slippers peeping from the hem of her gown as she sank into a curtsey in return.

  ‘So it would seem, my Lord.’ He flinched as he took her hand in the dance, but she seemed unconcerned and looked him straight in the eye.

  ‘I have written more verses for you, my Lady.’ She raised her brow and smiled, shaking her head and making the sapphires glittering in her ears and hair shimmer as they caught the light.

  ‘You must not, my Lord. I cannot accept them.’ They turned in the dance and then drew close enough so he could whisper quickly into her ear.

  ‘I cannot help myself, my Lady. I think of no-one but you.’ As she drew back in the dance, he saw she was trying to smother her laughter. They turned and drew together again.

  ‘You obviously think of Bess Throckmorton too, my Lord. She takes great pleasure in reading your verses to her aloud.’ He felt a
flush creep up his cheek at her words as they danced apart and turned once more.

  ‘If you would but give me a word or a sign, dear Lady, I would write for no other.’ They came together for the last hand-clasp before they had to change partners, and he had to take the opportunity, ‘Meet me in the corridor after the dance, my Lady, I beg you.’ Beth shook her head, making her sapphire earrings dance again, and she curtseyed before moving to the next partner in the dance

  ‘I cannot, my Lord. I must not.’ He watched her step sideways, pale blue gown swaying with the movement of her feet, and it took him a moment to realise his new partner was waiting for his formal bow.

  ‘My Lord,’ Bess Throckmorton gazed at him with her bright blue eyes and a smile on her lips, ‘I longed for the music to continue long enough so that we might be partnered.’ She curtseyed and leant forward to give him a good view of her bosom. He bowed and smiled at her.

  ‘Mistress Throckmorton, how very fortunate I am that the dance has smiled on me.’ He took her hand and moved in a circle round her, brushing her fingers with his lips as he did so. ‘Will you smile on me, my Lady? Will you meet me after the dance?’

  He saw her eyes slide to the side as they parted and then came together again, and he watched her moisten her lips with her tongue before she looked up at him, eyes huge in her face.

  ‘I will, my Lord. I am not on duty with the Queen tonight, so I will slip away after the dance.’

  He smiled in satisfaction. ‘I shall meet you in the gallery yonder, beautiful Lady. I don’t share my room, so we can be quite private, if that is agreeable to you?’ He watched her as she seemed to ponder his question, and they danced in silence for a while.

  ‘Very agreeable, my Lord,’ she breathed, as she dipped her final curtsey and whirled about in a flurry of maroon silk and polished garnets. He gave her a few minutes to leave discreetly, then he worked his own way round the room, gathering two goblets of wine from a passing servant and entering the door to the gallery. He smiled as he saw her concealing herself behind one of the hangings in the gallery, and he walked silently towards her.

  ***

  Raleigh blinked his reverie away and turned to look at his companion beside him. His movement disturbed the fine linen sheet and it fell away exposing a round firm breast with a rosy tip.

  He stroked the nipple with his thumb until it hardened to his touch, then bent his head and touched the puckered peak first with his lips, then his tongue. Bess gave a throaty moan in her sleep and shifted slightly under his touch. He slid his hand down over her ribs and the soft mound of her belly, then dipping his fingers, found she was still moist from their exertions of last night. He smelt his own loamy scent on her body and felt himself harden with his explorations of her hidden places.

  Gently he moved her thighs apart and moved over her, entering her swiftly and smoothly, and burying his face in her neck. As he thrust into her, he felt her become fully awake and part her thighs further, digging her heels into the backs of his thighs and meeting his thrusts with her own.

  She sighed and squirmed beneath him, rocking as he rocked and digging her long, sharp fingernails into the skin on his back; more gouges to match those of the previous night, he thought dimly. Their breathing grew more rapid and she began to groan and sink her teeth into his shoulder, which hastened his climax and he emptied himself into her, consciously biting back the name that came unbidden to his mind - “Beth”. As he did so, she attained her own satisfaction and he held her tightly as she shuddered and clenched upon him. Slowly they regained each of their senses and he felt her head dip into his chest and heard her giggle.

  ‘Oh, my Lord.’ Bess turned her blue eyes upon him and he kissed her lips quickly and rolled to her side, stroking her breast as he did so, and drawing gentle scroll patterns on her skin with his fingertips.

  ‘Oh, my Lady,’ he laughed and she wrinkled her nose at him and stroked her fingers through the beard roughening his cheeks. He turned his lips and kissed her palm.

  ‘I must leave soon, my Lord. I am on duty with the Queen from noon, and we ladies shall have to supervise the packing of the Queen’s chests before we move on to Gravesend.’

  ‘It is still early, Bess. I would stay a while with you while we can.’ He smiled at her as she pushed herself into a sitting position and bared both breasts to his gaze. He lifted his hand and fondled her, and she closed her eyes in pleasure.

  ‘I wish I could stay, my Lord, but I have to get back into my gown and creep back to my room. I am not private in there, so I will have to be very quiet so that I am not observed.’ She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and snatched up her shift from the chair, dropping it over her head and trying to pull it down as Raleigh knelt up on the bed behind her and pulled her back against his chest, kissing her neck as it emerged from the fine lawn fabric but keeping his hands on her skin beneath it.

  Bess leaned her head against him and sighed softly. His hands moved further down onto her belly and she sighed again, but just as he was about to stroke his fingers between her legs, she pulled away from him and stood quickly, letting her shift drop over her slender frame and hiding herself from his heated gaze.

  ‘I must find my stockings, my Lord, and my petticoats and gown.’ Bess gazed around the room, looking where her garments had fallen in their haste to remove them last night. She stepped into the heap of petticoats and hooped skirts and pulled them up over her shift, tying the laces quickly in front of her, then she shrugged into the bodice of her dark red gown and reached behind her to tug the lacing closed.

  Raleigh watched her with solemn eyes from his recumbent position on the bed as she looked around for her silken stockings before slipping her feet into her slippers.

  ‘Does my Lady need these?’ he asked, holding up her stockings triumphantly. Bess hissed in annoyance and went to take them from him. He avoided her grasp and dangled them in front of her eyes. ‘Let me help you put them on, my Lady, and I will allow you to leave.’ Raleigh wiggled his eyebrows humorously and Bess laughed.

  ‘Very well, my Lord, but quickly. I wouldn’t have anyone know about this.’

  He slid off the bed naked in front of her and knelt to slip her stocking over her toes, smoothing it up her calf to her knee, then tying her ribbon garter neatly at the side. His hand continued up her leg to her inner thigh and her eyes fluttered closed.

  ‘We are both free, are we not, Bess?’ He stroked higher and her breath started to catch in her throat.

  He felt himself harden again at her response and slid his fingers inside her vault. With a low growl he pressed his lips to her throat and pushed her back on the bed. Instantly her legs were round his waist and he thrust into her again, more quickly this time as he could hear the servants clattering in the corridor outside his door. With a few more thrusts he emptied himself once more and stood, taking care that he didn’t mar her gown. She smiled shyly up at him and took her other stocking from his hand, sliding it on her leg and then sliding her feet back into her slippers.

  ‘Yes, my Lord. We are both free. But I cannot take a suitor without the Queen’s permission. And as you are currently one of her favourites,’ Bess titled her head as she looked at him slyly, ‘she will never give permission for us to be together.’

  ‘So we must be discreet, Bess.’ Raleigh twitched the sheet over his hips as she stood to shake out her skirts and smooth her hair into a jewelled net.

  ‘We must be more than discreet, my Lord, we must be secretive. And we cannot rely on having private accommodations until we reach Cambridge, which will be in two weeks. Until then, we may have to wait.’

  ‘Until then, Bess, we may have to take any opportunity. But I swear I will be discreet. No-one will know about us from my lips, I promise.’ She bent over him as he sat on
the bed and kissed his lips gently.

  ‘Thank you, my Lord. And I look forward to our next meeting.’

  ‘As do I, my Lady,’ he replied, returning her kiss, ‘as do I.’

  Chapter 14

  ife at Kenilworth settled into a pattern as the days lengthened and the weather became warmer.

  Wanting to save her beautiful new gowns for when the court arrived, Lettice dressed more simply when she wasn’t expecting visitors, although she did wear the beautifully delicate new undergarments Robert had sent as a way to keep him close to her heart while she waited for him to come to her.

  The baby grew and thrived; Lettice fed him herself every time she could, and the wet nurse supplemented the feeds as his appetite was prodigious, making Lettice observe, ‘He will be the size of Dickon before his father sees him again.’ Every change was remarked upon, and his every new accomplishment celebrated.

  As the garden came into bloom in the sunshine, Lettice showed Ursula and Jane how to pick the petals and distil them into perfumed water and sew them into scented sachets to fragrance their linen. She helped the housekeeper, Grace, to plan a herb circle for the kitchen garden, and they enjoyed many meals flavoured with fresh herbs that they had grown themselves.

  As Kenilworth had a full complement of staff of its own, Cissy and Alice had few duties, so Lettice set them the task of taking apart all her large gowns that she had worn during her pregnancy so the fabric could be re-made into other garments and the jewels saved or re-used. She also began to refine their training to make both of them competent ladies’ maids as well as helping them with their reading and writing.

  Thomas was relieved of his stewardship duties by William, and so he started increasing the training of the squires, making them work harder at their sword practice and setting up butts in the nearest meadow so they could practice archery ready for when the court arrived. Spending more time outside darkened the skin on his face and lightened his sandy hair and beard, making his ice-blue eyes even more startling.