On the Altar of England (Tudor Chronicles Book 4)

by Lesley Jepson

  ‘I’m so sorry, pet. We should have told you before this. But your Uncle Henry has already plighted you, Nell. Promised you in marriage.’ Nell put her hands to her ears and shook her head violently.

  ‘No, Mother. He can’t have. I love Philip, and Aunt Mary loves me and she will help us, and we will be happy.’ Tears sprang into Lettice’s eyes at Nell’s obvious distress.

  ‘I am truly sorry, Nell.’ Lettice moved the baby onto her shoulder and pulled up the front of her shift quickly, before moving across to Nell and putting her arm round her daughter’s shoulders as she sobbed. Kissing her hair, Lettice whispered, ‘I don’t think there is anything to be done, pet. For either of you. Lady Mary cannot defy your uncle and her husband, no matter how much she loves you. And Henry Sidney has decided Philip is to marry Frances Walsingham.’

  Nell was shocked into silence at this news, and turned a disbelieving gaze on her mother.

  ‘Frances Walsingham? Dear God, Mother, she is but a child. She might be older than Thea, but she is a milk-sop and poor Philip will go out of his mind with boredom. She does not have her father’s brain, only his wealth. Philip loves me and ….’

  ‘But he cannot marry you, poppet. He needs to marry wealth, as do you. Neither of you have your own fortune, so you must marry one, whether or not you love each other.’ Lettice tried to make her tone firmer, so Nell would understand that there really was no choice.

  ‘I understand it is Philip you love, poppet, but you will marry Robert Riche.’

  Nell wiped her eyes and snorted in derision.

  ‘Riche? Ha! They didn’t have the affectation of an ‘e’ at the end of their name when his grandfather racked Anne Askew for heresy.’ Lettice blinked in surprise at the bitter tone in her normally softly-spoken daughter’s voice.

  Nell extricated herself from Lettice’s embrace and stood, smoothing her gown and wiping the remnants of tears from her lower lashes. She took two or three deep breaths and then looked directly into her mother’s eyes.

  ‘Very well, Mother. I understand. I shall marry where I am bid,’ her breath shuddered out of her lungs and she dragged another, ‘but know this. I am your daughter, and I shall love where I choose. As you did.’

  Nell turned and left the room quietly, as Lettice rubbed her son’s back and worried about her eldest daughter.

  Chapter 23

  ettice wiped her tears away with her fingertips as she looked sadly at Kit. She had sought comfort from her sister-in-law, despite the turmoil of the court packing to leave that day. Servants hurried to and fro with gowns and linens and full clothes-chests in the room where they sat, close together on a settle near the window. In the yard shouts could be heard as the waggoneers tried to coax the horses into their bridles and the grooms saddled palfreys for the ladies. Everywhere was busy, and Lettice knew she wouldn’t be able to speak to Robert properly until they were back in London; she couldn’t worry him with this today. Lettice entwined her fingers with Kit’s and squeezed, taking a shuddering breath.

  ‘I didn’t know what to tell her, Kit. She was so upset.’ Lettice pressed her kerchief to her quivering mouth. Kit shook their entwined hands.

  ‘Tell her what women have been told since time began; marry to please your family and love to please yourself, Letty. You did.’ Kit nudged Lettice’s shoulder with her own, and Lettice gave her a rueful smile.

  ‘She told me that was her intention, Kit. But you are right, that’s what I did in the end, yes. I liked Walter when we were first married, truly I did. But once I had seen Robin, well. I could want no other.’

  ‘And what would you have done if Walter hadn’t died?’ Lettice slid her eyes to her sister-in-law and shrugged.

  ‘I would have done what Lissey Sheffield did. I would have been Robert’s lover until he no longer wanted me. Borne his children, lived anywhere, done anything, for him.’

  ‘So tell your daughter that.’ Lettice widened her eyes at Kit’s advice, as she continued, ‘I was lucky, Letty. I hadn’t spoken to Harry until the morning of the wedding. It was Father’s ambition that put us together. You weren’t there, but of those couples at that dreadful triple wedding, it was Harry and I who couldn’t keep our hands off each other.’ Kit giggled, and a flush crept up her cheek at the memory.

  ‘Father expected us to wait, because I was so young. But we didn’t, so even when father was disgraced, being married to Harry saved me. He didn’t repudiate me when my father and brothers were in the tower. We had fallen in love. So tell Nell that once she is wed, she can follow her heart.’ Lettice smiled at Kit and then sighed, shaking her head.

  ‘Can’t Harry get her out of the contract, Kit? Give her some time and choose someone else?’

  ‘I doubt it. Riche is a lawyer like his father and grandfather. I would imagine there to be no loophole we might use to wriggle Nell free.’ She thought for a moment. ‘I suppose you could ask Rob to have a word with the Queen? She could withdraw her permission. That would perhaps be the only way.’ Lettice shook her head sadly.

  ‘I couldn’t ask that of him, Kit. Give her more chances to humiliate him and then say “No”? It wouldn’t make the slightest difference to the outcome, it would just give Nell false hope.’

  ‘Then she will marry Riche, Letty. And Philip will marry Frances Walsingham and they will both be wealthy beyond their dreams. Riche is trading his fortune for a noble name in his house, and Philip is bringing his name in exchange for Walsingham’s wealth.’

  ‘But they will both be unhappy, Kit.’

  Kit shrugged, and shook Lettice’s fingers again, ‘They will find their own way to happiness, Letty. Like you did.’

  ***

  Lettice had known she wouldn’t be able to say goodbye to Robert, so they had said their goodbyes the previous evening, making love from the minute they closed the chamber door until the first streaks of grey announced the dawn. The Progress was to call at Banbury and Oxford as it wound its way back to London, although many of the courtiers would choose to visit their estates on the way back. The return journey of a Progress was never as busy, so the houses they stayed in overnight didn’t need to be as large or as well-equipped.

  She allowed Kit to go and supervise as the maids packed all the belongings of the little girls, and then decide which carriages could take one or two of the children without discomfort, and Lettice made her way downstairs and out into the stable yard. Thomas immediately came to her side.

  ‘My Lady?’

  ‘Good morning, Thomas. Is everything in order?’ Lettice blinked a sheen of tears away and looked around at the confusion, astonished at the noise and the smell of so many horses. She saw Dickon and Jane at the far end of the yard, laughing and speaking to Tom, who was already in his saddle waiting for her husband to mount his horse. Robert, she knew, would be at the front of the house, helping the Queen into her carriage.

  ‘Yes, my Lady. Lord Robert is just making sure that the Queen’s coachman understands his instructions before taking his leave. The ladies carriages are all at the front waiting, and the baggage wagons are here, as you see.’

  She smiled up at Thomas and placed her hand on his arm gently. ‘Thank you, Thomas, for all your hard work these three weeks, keeping the squires organised and helping Robin arrange the hunt and the tournaments.’

  ‘It is an honour, as always my Lady.’ Lettice beamed at him and squeezed his arm before dropping her hand. She sighed and looked at him again.

  ‘Is my son with the Queen’s party at the front? And Kytt?’ She saw Thomas’ throat bob as he swallowed and took a breath before giving her his terse answer.

  ‘They are, my Lady.’

  ‘I shan’t go round. Essex won’t want me there, and I have already sai
d my farewell to Robin.’ She pressed her lips together to stifle the sob she could feel building and took a deep breath. ‘I shall speak to Tom, and wish him a safe journey.’

  ‘My Lady.’ Once more she blinked away the film across her eyes and began to step carefully across the stable yard, avoiding soiling her silken slippers in the piles of muck and debris littering the yard. Thomas stayed beside her, and although both her hands were busy holding her skirts clear of the filth, Thomas held her elbow carefully so she didn’t stumble.

  ‘Letty! Letty!’ A loud voice boomed across the enclosure and Lettice raised her eyes to see her brother bearing down upon her, heedless of where he stepped.

  ‘Ed. How did I know it was you?’ She laughed up at him and he grasped her by the waist and lifted her clear of the floor so he could kiss her on the forehead, setting her down gently in a clean space.

  ‘I’ve come to say farewell. I go with Drake down to Plymouth from here, so I won’t see you when you return to London.’ Lettice smiled up at her brother and nodded. ‘And I need to say goodbye to Tom, and I need to see the lovely Mistress Ursula, and make sure she doesn’t forget me.’ He wiggled his eyebrows at Lettice and she swatted his arm, knowing he was only making a jest.

  ‘Tom is over there, Ed. Speaking with Jane and Dickon. Ursula won’t be far, if Jane is there.’ He turned and bellowed again, making Lettice jump and Thomas clutch more securely at her elbow. She smiled up in gratitude and he nodded his head as ever.

  ‘Dickon! Tom! Lady Jane! I am away!’

  ‘Ed, do actually walk over and speak to them. There is no need to bellow quite so loudly, brother.’ Lettice gave his broad back a gentle shove, and he bent and kissed her cheek.

  ‘Next time I see you, I expect that little Lord of yours to be walking, Letty. Give my love to your beauties.’ He walked backwards speaking to Lettice on his way to see Tom, heedlessly stepping in a pile of manure. Disgusted, he looked down at his boot, then shrugged, grinned and swept a bow with his hat before turning to say his goodbye to the others. Lettice shook her head and chuckled, then saw a flash of pink silk beyond Jane’s blue gown and Dickon’s bronze doublet and she knew Ursula was saying her farewell too.

  ‘My Lady.’ A sudden voice at her elbow made her turn with a pleased smile.

  ‘Kytt! I thought you would be with my son.’

  ‘He is with the Queen’s party, my Lady. I shall ride with your husband and Tom, but I thought I would say farewell first, and give you my thanks.’

  ‘No thanks are necessary, Kytt. We enjoy your company, and we shall see much of you back in London, yes?’ Lettice beamed at the fair young man, who bowed and kissed her hand. Her brows rose at his expression of chivalry.

  ‘I do hope so, my Lady.’ He grinned and bowed again, then looked at Thomas by her side, ‘Uncle.’ Thomas nodded and Lettice noticed again how hard Thomas swallowed. Kytt put his hat back on his head and strode over to Tom, who was holding his rein with Robert’s. Kytt swung easily into the saddle and then turned his horse to ride round to the front yard, while Tom waited for Lettice to reach him.

  ‘Letty, I bid you farewell, but I also have news.’ Lettice raised her brows in amusement at Tom, high on his favourite stallion, and she could see beside her Jane bouncing with excitement.

  ‘Exciting news, evidently Tom?’ she smiled, tilting her head towards Jane. Tom laughed and twisted his mouth wryly in appreciation of the jest.

  ‘News from my father, Letty.’ Lettice’s brows rose; she had been expecting something to do with Jane, or more likely with Ursula. That Tom had news from her Uncle Ralph was a surprise, as her Aunt Meg hadn’t mentioned anything of import in her last letter, just babies and country living.

  ‘My Lord Burleigh received it in this morning’s packet, Letty. That’s why you haven’t heard it from my mother. The Queen has awarded my father the Chancellorship of the Duchy of Lancaster, as reward for his dealing with Norfolk and the Scots Queen.’

  ‘A reward indeed, Tom. And most justified, in my opinion.’ Lettice put her arm round Jane’s shoulders and squeezed affectionately, ‘And what does Aunt Meg think? Do you know?’ Both Tom and Jane shook their heads.

  ‘Father didn’t say, Letty. I don’t even know if they have to go up there to live. Mother won’t like that at all.’ Lettice’s mouth twisted wryly, remembering how much of a home body Meg was. It had taken this Progress to persuade her to stay with her daughter for a while, and now Lettice would be in London shortly, she expected Meg would return to Sutton House as soon as she could.

  ‘I shall look forward to hearing all about it from Aunt Meg then, Tom,’ smiled Lettice, ‘and I wish you a good journey.’

  ‘Can I prevail upon you, Mistress Ursula, to wish me a good journey?’ Ed’s voice boomed out in the brief silence, and he grasped Ursula round her waist and pulled her into a deep kiss. Momentarily stunned, Ursula stood helplessly and allowed Ed to kiss her, then she began to push at his shoulders and tried to wrench herself away. Tom Sadler’s face was a mask of fury and Lettice stepped quickly up to her brother and punched him in the arm.

  ‘Let her go, Ed. This instant.’ Lettice’s usually gentle, laughing tones had changed to a hard demand and she had never resembled her mother so closely. She shoved him again to attract his attention, and Ed lifted his head from Ursula’s slowly, eyes twinkling with mirth. Gazing round at the shocked expressions of Lettice, Jane and Dickon, he raised his eyes to Tom, still astride his horse and glowering at his friend.

  ‘Sorry, sister,’ he ducked his head shamefacedly, ‘my apologies, Mistress Ursula. I wanted the good fortune that a kiss from a beautiful woman would bestow on my next voyage. But I should have asked first.’ He grasped his hat in both hands and kept his eyes on the floor, then peeked up with one eye at Tom, whose face was clearing a little. ‘But pirates have to be cunning, young Tom. And I had no hope of permission, did I?’ He lifted his head and burst into booming laughter, cramming his hat over his curls.

  ‘I do apologise, to all of you. It was simply a jest.’ He grasped Ursula’s limp hand in his and grazed her knuckles with his lips. ‘My abject apologies to you most of all, Mistress,’ he gave her a theatrical wink and jerked his head towards Tom, ‘but it certainly focussed his attention, my dear.’ Again Ed laughed loudly and then swept the group a bow and went to find his own mount.

  ‘Are you all right, Ursula?’ Lettice placed a gentle hand on the girl’s arm, and Ursula nodded shyly, avoiding Tom’s eyes.

  ‘Yes, my Lady. I was simply surprised, that is all. I’m not hurt.’ Lettice nodded and then looked at Tom, high on the stallion. She walked closer to the steed, lifting her face and Tom bent down to hear what she wanted to say.

  ‘I think it’s time I had Robin contact Ursula’s father, Tom. Don’t you?’ His expression softened and his eyes went across to Ursula, now speaking softly with Jane.

  ‘That would be wonderful, Letty. I shall inform my father when we get back to London.’ He lowered his voice further, ‘Would accepting my suit please her do you think, Letty?’ Lettice patted Tom’s boot in the stirrup firmly.

  ‘Oh, Tom. Don’t you know? Nothing would please her more.’ Tom grinned widely, nodding happily and Lettice stepped back as he turned his horse and led Robert’s towards the front of the house.

  Lettice once more gathered up her skirts, as did the two girls, and with Thomas at her elbow guiding her though the muck of the stable yard, they made their way back inside.

  ***

  Philip brought his horse up and rode beside Nell in silence for a while.

  ‘I see by your gown that you are in the Queen’s service today, Nell. Yet you ride. Were you not required in the carriage?’

  ‘There was no room, my Lord. The Queen has Lady How
ard and Lady Parr with her, but she wanted to speak to Lord Burleigh on the journey, so we were allowed to ride.’ She nodded her head forward, in the direction of other ladies in their white or off-white gowns mounted on their palfreys and following the Queen’s carriage.

  ‘”My Lord”, Nell? We are returned to formality then?’

  Nell bit down on her bottom lip and looked away until her tears had subsided and she could speak. She looked across at Philip and saw his own sorrow reflected back at her.

  ‘Formality seems a safer option for us, my Lord. Although I see by your eyes and the set of your mouth that you are not pleased by what has been arranged for our futures.’

  ‘Pleased? How can I be pleased? I love you, Nell. That hasn’t changed, no matter what the arrangements might be. I am just thankful I didn’t dishonour you in the heat of my ardour.’ He looked away across the vast green fields that ran beside the road, so he might compose himself, then looked back at Nell.

  ‘Dishonour me? Dishonour me?’ Nell’s voice rose in distress and she looked round quickly to see if they were being overheard, then dropped her voice to an angry whisper. ‘You told me you loved me. A physical expression of that love would not be dishonouring me, my Lord.’

  Philip held her gaze for a while as he searched for an answer, and Nell regarded him with her eyes snapping in barely-concealed fury.

  ‘Nell, you are very young,’ Nell snorted her disgust but Philip continued, ‘and you are to be married. As am I. It would seem that we have to make the best of the situation, as our families have arranged this without consulting us.’

  ‘And I am to be sold as a virginal brood mare, to improve their stock with my aristocratic blood. Improve the length of their leg, or the set of their carriage, as you would with horses? I am a Howard, and a Devereux, yet I am being sold into a family of cloth merchants! God only knows on whom Uncle Henry has planned to throw Thea away. And you also, my Lord, are being put to the stud for your lineage.’