‘How dare you,’ he hissed viciously, ‘I am Essex, not Rob. I do not answer to that bastard’s name any longer. And how dare you insinuate that the Queen looks foolish by her association with me?’ Nell shrank back from the malice she saw in her brother’s eyes.
‘I apologise for using the wrong name, brother. I still haven’t got used to it. And I didn’t mean to suggest you made the Queen look foolish. I just find it hard to understand that she could be so at ease with someone she has really only just met.’
‘She liked our father. She told me he was one of the bravest soldiers she had ever known, and I said I would be like him.’ Nell looked in amazement at the change in him, from towering rage to an almost child-like search for approval within a few moments. She wondered how Kytt managed to stay on friendly terms with such a mercurial character as her brother.
‘I’m pleased you found something to talk about, Essex.’ Nell took a deep breath and forced a smile, patting her brother on the arm, ‘But next time you need money, ask me and I’ll try to help. No more stealing. Promise?’
Essex nodded his head, smiling now they were friends again, ‘I promise, sis. I will try not to lose at cards, and I promise not to steal from you.’
Nell really wanted to say “good boy”, but she managed to bite back the words; she didn’t want Essex to fly into another rage. She watched him fasten the clips on his doublet and fasten his dagger belt round his slender waist before he offered his arm.
‘Come, sister. I will accompany you back to your chamber before I go and see where on earth Kytt has got to. He had better not have gone in to supper without me.’ Essex looped his arm through Nell’s, sweeping her out of his room and down the gallery before he kissed her hand and carried on his way.
Nell shook her head at his retreating figure and then went inside her chamber to ask Thea to help her with her hair and change her gown.
***
Raleigh watched Beth Knollys over the rim of his wine cup as she danced with her brother in law. From her silver-tissue gown he knew she was on duty with the Queen, just as he knew, from the magenta silk worn by Bess, that she was not.
He could feel the bulk of the parchment he had folded into his belt-purse, and he wondered how he would manage to see Beth alone in order that he might give her the poem. He desperately wanted her to read it and see the depth of his regard for her before they left Kenilworth, and the days were passing; they would soon be back on their way to London.
Raleigh knew that he would be unable to commence his new voyage until the spring tides, and that frustrated him greatly. He had taken so long on this Progress to entice new investors, but finally he had sufficient funds to man and equip a ship to sail again to the New World. He had sent money back to his captain, who had ensured the ship was re-caulked and the sails were renewed and in good order. Provisions would be purchased nearer the time, and men found for the crew; there were always men looking for work on good ships.
It irritated him beyond belief that Drake could sail as and when he chose, with a loyal crew always available, but Drake was funded by the Crown, and the crew rewarded from the booty. The irony was not lost on him that he had extracted a promise for financial support from the Queen and she would use Spanish gold captured for her by Drake as finance for his next adventure. But his lengthy quest for funds had meant that his own voyage must be postponed until the end of March. Until then he would have to divide his time between the court and keeping the Queen entertained, and riding to the docks to oversee the fitting of his ship.
The dance came to an end, and he watched Beth closely as she was escorted by Lord Robert to sit with her sister, the Countess. The similarity between the two sisters was remarkable, and as they giggled together he saw in the Countess’ lovely face how Beth would look a few years hence. He had to think of a plan to make her read the missive in his purse, and he swallowed more wine as he thought about his dilemma.
Suddenly he felt an arm snake around his midriff and slide down the front of his fashionably puffed breeches, and he turned with raised brows to see a slyly smiling Bess.
‘You are neglecting me, my Lord,’ she leaned forward to whisper in his ear, and he felt the patchouli oil she used as a perfume fill his senses.
‘I would rather die than neglect you, my Lady.’ Raleigh retrieved two goblets of wine from a passing servant and handed one to Bess, who wrinkled her nose at his words.
‘Well, I have almost died while waiting for you to ask me to dance, my Lord, yet I find you skulking behind a pillar, drinking when you could be dancing with me.’ Raleigh forced a smile.
‘I was waiting for the Queen to take to the floor with Drake or Essex, so I knew I wasn’t offending her by stepping out with the most beautiful woman in the room.’ He swallowed another mouthful of wine before continuing, ‘I dare not offend her, Bess. She has promised me much gold, and a dance seems such a small recompense.’
Laughing, Bess gestured with her goblet, and Raleigh knew it wasn’t her first of the evening.
‘She is dancing with Essex at the moment, my Lord, so you are quite safe with me.’ Bess leaned forward again, making sure he could see down the front of her gown, saying, ‘And when the evening is over, my Lord, I have nowhere else I need to be. You have a room on your own here, do you not?’
‘That I do, my Lady. I would be honoured to show you…..my room.’ He carefully removed the goblet from Bess’ hand and placed it on the table, then he led her towards the dance floor.
‘Come, my Lady. Allow me to hold the most charming lady at the banquet in full public view, before we find somewhere more secluded.’ Raleigh whispered in her ear as they walked to join the line, but his eyes watched Beth as she kissed her sister’s cheek and returned to the dais ready to serve the Queen after the dance.
***
Raleigh had arranged with Bess to meet separately in his room. He had told her that he didn’t want to compromise her reputation by having her seen being escorted to a gentleman’s apartment. The subterfuge of this strategy had appealed to Bess and she had readily agreed to make her own way to Raleigh’s bedroom on the west gallery.
He, however, walked along the east gallery to the door of the room he knew was occupied by Beth and her sisters. He had sealed the parchment carefully, and had deliberately written Beth’s name in bold black ink on the outside. Gently he slid the folded paper under the door, and then turned to make his way back to his own room, where he knew Bess was waiting.
***
Bess collapsed on top of Raleigh, shuddering and clenching onto him as he grasped her hips and thrust himself to achieve his own peak, crying out as he climaxed. He brushed her hair from his face and tried to calm his breathing as she continued to kiss his neck and squirm tantalisingly against him. Eventually her aftershocks subsided and she sat up, still holding him inside her and pushing the hair from her eyes.
‘That was delicious, my Lord. I have been looking forward to that for a while.’ Raleigh smiled at her directness and lack of modesty; attributes he found refreshing, but he still couldn’t replace the delicately slender image of Beth in his mind with the round blonde plumpness of the woman currently straddling him. He hoped the poem would have the desired effect on the woman he truly sought.
‘As have I, Bess. I cannot see you without wanting you. You have a very definite effect on me.’ She smiled happily at his words and untwined their bodies, lying beside him with her head on his shoulder and her fingers playing in the dark hair covering his chest.
‘I have something to tell you, my Lord.’ Her voice in the darkness was but a whisper, but Raleigh felt the prickle of alarm along his spine.
‘What do you have to tell me, Bess? A secret?’ He felt her head nod against his chest, and her fingers tracin
g lazy patterns on his skin. He felt cold.
‘Yes, a secret. But a secret that cannot be kept for long, I’m afraid.’ Her fingers continued their pattern, but more hesitantly than before. Raleigh felt his stomach drop and his scalp prickle with fear. He closed his eyes and swallowed, knowing what she was going to say and not knowing how to stop her saying it. Unable to speak, he made a questioning noise in his throat and she stilled her hand, keeping it flat over his heart.
‘I think I am with child, my Lord.’ Her voice had no inflection in it, but he could feel that she held her breath waiting for his response. In his mind he was breaking apart, seeing his opportunity with Beth, his position as one of the Queen’s favourites, his impending voyage to the New World all drifting from his grasp, and being left with only Bess, the woman he had shamelessly used as a substitute for the woman he really wanted. He grasped her hand and brought it to his lips, pushing down all the things about which he wanted to shout and rage.
‘Then we must marry, Bess,’ he heard her excited intake of breath but continued before she could speak, ‘but it has to be another secret, for now. Neither of us can afford to jeopardise our positions with the Queen.’ She nodded her head against his chest enthusiastically.
‘I shall keep the secret as long as I can, my Lord. And I shall be a good wife to you, I swear.’ He kissed her fingers again and squeezed her hand gently against his chest.
‘I know you will, Bess. But we must be careful. It is imperative that we be very, very careful.’ She turned her face up to his and he kissed her lips gently, tasting salt and realising that she had been weeping while by his side. Whether through fear of his response or pleasure at his promise he hardly knew. Truthfully, he could scarcely care, but he knew he had no prospects with Beth Knollys any longer.
His poem now might as well be just words on the wind, with less substance or import than a summer breeze.
Chapter 21
ifting the latch quietly, Beth slipped inside Lettice’s apartment. She had spoken to Thomas, who had assured her that Lord Robert had gone down to the stables already. Beth wanted to speak to her eldest sister alone, before the duties of the day claimed her. She clutched a piece of parchment in her hand, covered with bold black writing as she knocked gently on the chamber door.
‘Letty,’ she called softly, ‘it is Beth. May I enter?’ Silence answered her and she knocked again, louder this time. ‘Letty, it’s Beth.’
‘A moment, pet. I will be there in a moment.’ Lettice’s sleepy voice reached her though the door and Beth heard her sister move round her room. Beth took a seat in front of the hearth, although the fire was unlit and in its place was a fragrant arrangement of lilies and roses from the garden. She turned her head as she saw her sister come out of the bedroom, smoothing her lawn nightgown and fastening her robe as best she could.
‘Good morning, pet. You are about early today.’ Beth watched Lettice try to blink away her fatigue as she pulled the bell-cord to summon the maid.
‘I wanted to see you urgently, Letty, before the day starts. I don’t know what to do.’
Lettice raised her brows at Beth’s words, then turned and smiled as Alice entered the room quietly. ‘Alice. Would you bring us some ale and some fruit please? And ask Daisy to bring the baby here for me when he wakes.’ Alice bobbed a curtsey and scurried away, and Lettice smiled at her sister.
‘We can break our fast together, and I can feed the baby while we talk. I cannot dress until I do.’ She wrinkled her nose ruefully and then looked enquiringly at Beth.
‘Tell me what is troubling you, my dear. There is obviously something.’ Lettice sat down beside her sister on the long couch.
‘Letty,’ Beth swallowed and looked at her hands before gazing into her sister’s dark eyes, ‘it would seem I have another suitor, who claims to have fallen in love with me.’
‘I see. Does he know you are betrothed, Beth?’ Lettice looked at her sister, nervously twisting the rings on her fingers.
‘Yes,’ Beth nodded, ‘and I haven’t encouraged him, Letty, I swear. But he is so dashing, so adventurous. He has seen so much of the world, whereas I ……’
The door opened and in came Alice with a tray of warm rolls, pats of butter and slices of cheese, together with a plate of fresh fruit and a jug of small ale. She carefully placed the tray on the table and poured two cups of ale, then bobbed another curtsey.
‘Daisy says she will change the little Lord’s clout when he wakes and then bring him to you, my Lady,’ she murmured, realising she had interrupted something important. Lettice beamed at her, and nodded her thanks as Alice hastily left the room and closed the door quietly. Lettice covered Beth’s hands with her own, her tone urgent.
‘Dear God, Beth. If you are speaking about the man I think, you risk so much, my pet, even to entertain a conversation with him.’ Beth drew a shuddering breath and gave Lettice a pained look as she continued her warning, ‘He is a favourite of the Queen, poppet. She won’t tolerate being made to look foolish by a sister of mine. Even by spending time in his company, she might take it as an insult and you could end up being banished, or worse.’
‘What could be worse, Letty? What could be worse than the fate you endure?’ Beth watched as Lettice walked over to the table and brought the ale across to the couch, passing a cup to Beth and taking a sip before continuing.
‘The Tower, pet. She could send you to the Tower like she did poor Catherine Grey.’ Lettice shook her head in sadness and Beth remembered the fate endured by the sister of Jane Grey, cousin to the Queen and imprisoned for marrying without permission. Then Lettice looked at her over the rim of her cup and smiled such a beatific smile that Beth could not doubt the sincerity of her words.
‘And my life is all I could want, Beth, truly. I have my girls, and young Essex. I have my beautiful baby, and I have Robin, the love of my life.’
‘The love of the Queen’s life, you mean?’ Beth’s words were sharp but Lettice smiled with equanimity, shrugging her shoulders and sipping her ale.
‘That may be, pet,’ Lettice gave a low chuckle, ‘but she didn’t want him, and I did. So very much.’ She smiled a satisfied smile and then went to the table for some fruit, letting Beth formulate in her mind what to say next. Beth’s hand slid to her side and she produced the piece of parchment, holding it out to her sister.
‘Raleigh has written me a poem, Letty, telling me how much he loves me.’ Lettice raised her brows as she brought the fruit over and passed Beth a platter and a fork.
‘Has anyone seen it? Does anyone know?’
‘No. Letty. He pushed it under my door last night. It was awaiting me after I left the Queen, and no-one has seen it but me.’
Beth nervously passed Lettice the square of parchment and she read the lines it contained, then read aloud a passage from it;
“Yet what is Love, I prithee, say?
It is a work on holiday,
It is December matched with May,
When lusty bloods in fresh array
Hear ten months after of the play;
And this is Love, as I hear say.”
Lettice read the rest of the poem silently to herself, then looked at Beth, who was pushing fruit around the plate disconsolately.
‘He knows he is too old for you, Beth. ‘December matched with May’? That says everything.’ Lettice handed the parchment back, a warning note in her voice. ‘Don’t endanger your match with Thomas Leighton, pet. It is a good one, and Father is pleased. Tell Father you want to marry as soon as Thomas returns from the Netherlands.’
‘I will, Letty, I promise. I do like Thomas immensely and I know we can be successful together.’ She shook her head and shrugged, tossing the parchment aside carelessly. ‘Raleigh is exciting and dash
ing, I must admit, although I have found him a little too …. forward for my peace of mind.’
Beth laughed her first genuine laugh since she had come to Lettice’s room, and felt real relief that she had discussed this with her sister. Lettice’s cautionary words had made her realise that what she had, and what her father had planned for her, was too precious to throw away on a romantic but impossible whim. Her laughter grew louder, and Lettice began to giggle at her sister’s amusement. Beth managed to draw enough breath to give voice to what was causing her such merriment.
‘But whenever I see him, Letty, I can’t help but wonder who he’s just left. Who else might enjoy him being exciting and romantic.’
‘The Queen, for one, Beth,’ Lettice remarked wryly.
‘And Bess Throckmorton for another, Letty.’ Beth collapsed into more relieved laughter and Lettice joined her, both sisters giggling helplessly in front of the hearth.
***
The heady days of summer while the court was in residence at Kenilworth passed quickly for Lettice. The Queen loved riding to the hunt, so many of the days were taken up with half the court joining in and following the Queen.
Those were the days when Lettice stayed behind with her baby and caught up with the gossip from all her friends who also chose not to ride. She helped Kit with the little maids of honour, reading their Latin translations and finding other poems in Robert’s vast library for them to practise on, a merciful relief from Ovid for many of them.
To the brightest, and at Kit’s behest, she began teaching a few words of conversational German. Her girlhood had been spent in Germany and Austria as her parents waited out the persecution of Protestants that so marred the reign of Queen Mary; they had no wish for themselves or their children to stoke the fires of Smithfield. Lettice remembered her time there with affection, and enjoyed teaching the little ones some pleasantries that might stand them in good stead in the future, should any of their husbands be posted abroad.
On the Altar of England (Tudor Chronicles Book 4) Page 17