Robert spoke before Rob could forestall him again, nodding his head at his son but keeping his eyes fixed on the Queen, around whose mouth a smile still played.
‘Forgive him, Majesty. He is very interested in charts and maps and constellations, and sometimes they play an inordinate part in his attempts at normal conversations.’ He chuckled to take some of the sting from his words, and also a way to warn Rob to guard his tongue when speaking to the Queen in such a public forum. Elizabeth nodded, still smiling and gazing at Rob as she answered his father.
‘Then we shall have to introduce him to John Dee, my Lord. He too is very interested in the stars and they may have much in common.’ Elizabeth nodded her dismissal and Robert moved away, drawing Rob to his side as he went to speak to Harry Hastings and Kit. Elizabeth turned to speak to Lord Burleigh and clearly, over the pause in conversation could be heard the derogatory tones of Essex, speaking to his cronies.
‘God’s blood, don’t say we have to endure his bastard here as well.’ De Vere and his other companions laughed heartily, and although Elizabeth must have heard the remark, she carried on speaking to Burleigh. Robert spoke briefly to Kit and Harry, and clasped Rob on the shoulder, then strode over to the corner behind the dais.
‘A word, my Lord, in private if you please.’ He bowed briefly to Essex and fixed him with a hard gaze. Essex looked round his companions and huffed an embarrassed laugh.
‘You can say what you need to in front of my friends, my Lord.’ Robert drew himself up to his full height and squared his shoulders, looking down at the young men that surrounded Essex with barely concealed contempt. Again he stared at Essex, and there was steel in his voice as he answered his stepson, brooking no disagreement.
‘I would rather speak privately, my Lord. Matters of family you understand, gentlemen.’ He nodded to them, and they bowed towards him with the utmost deference before melting away to speak to others in the room. Robert opened the door in the corner of the room leading to the gallery stairs and ushered Essex through as inconspicuously as possible.
‘You disrespect yourself and your Lady Mother with your vitriol, my Lord. People will blame her for being neglectful of your manners, so have a care how you speak.’ Robert carefully kept his tone conversational towards his stepson, who looked away from his gaze before answering truculently.
‘Well, it’s embarrassing, that you bring your bastard to court and introduce him to the Queen.’
‘I have no embarrassment about Rob, and neither does your mother. The Court will accept him as my son, on his own merit and because they liked his mother. He should have no impact on your life, and I confess that I have no idea why you dislike my son so intensely.’
‘The way he has just spoken to the Queen, for one!’ Essex’s tone was becoming a spoiled whine. ‘The Queen shows me favour. She has enough flatterers seeking advancement. She does not need more to wheedle and cajole coin from the Royal purse.’ Robert narrowed his eyes as he looked at Essex, who was studiously avoiding his gaze, and wondered how much coin from the Royal purse he hoped to gain for himself.
‘Have a care, young Essex. The Queen’s favour is not always to those who deserve it, my Lord. It is often bestowed through the influence of others. And in your case, that would be my influence.’
Essex finally looked at Robert and snorted a derisive chuckle. ‘Ha! You flatter yourself, my Lord. We are the young bloods. As you once were, we are now. Me, and de Vere and Raleigh and the others.’
Robert shook his head. ‘Never think that influence cannot be lost, my Lord Essex. Have a care you don’t overstep and suddenly lose all you think you have won.’
Essex sneered back at Robert, curling his lip and insolently looking him up and down. ‘Like you did, my Lord. Squandering your advantage for what lies beneath another woman’s skirt?’
Robert clamped his teeth together and balled his hands into fists, clenching and unclenching his fingers as his rage boiled inside him. He dragged a breath and blew it out hard, then took another.
‘That is your mother about whom you speak, and you should not deride her so.’
‘Hmmph!’ snorted Essex, ‘and you are not my father to tell me how to behave.’
Robert shook his head sadly, and narrowed his eyes as he regarded Essex in bewilderment. ‘I have always treated you as my son, my Lord. And I am at a loss to understand where this sudden hatred of me comes from.’
‘Now I am grown I do not need your favour, my Lord. And you should have a care to your own behaviour.’
Robert was taken aback with this remark. ‘Mine, sir?’
Essex curled his lip again, and a smirk appeared on his face. ‘You are embarrassing, my Lord. At Sidney’s wedding, when the Queen was not in attendance you chased after my mother like a rutting stag, and she is like a bitch on heat when she is around you. It is disgusting in people of your age.’
‘Yet you prowl round the Queen.’ Essex flicked his dagger in and out of his scabbard and didn’t comment, although Robert thought he could see a faint flush creeping up the boy’s neck above his collar. Essex drew a breath to answer and let it go, as if considering his words. He looked at Robert sideways, keeping his head bowed.
‘She likes me, my Lord. She listens to me and enjoys my company.’ Essex narrowed his eyes at Robert and finished spitefully, ‘which is more than Mother does now she has managed to whelp you a live pup.’
Robert felt his stomach drop in amazement, and he looked at Essex with new eyes. Behind him, just coming up the stairs at the end of the gallery were Kytt and Tom, moving quietly but confidently, ready for action should the war of words take on a physical aspect. Robert knew they would have been sent by his sister Kit. He lowered his voice to a whisper; he did not want to embarrass his stepson further now they had an audience.
‘Is it that, my Lord Essex? You are jealous?’
Truculence again entered the tone of his voice, and Essex looked out of the casement window rather than meet Robert’s eyes.
‘No,’ he thought for a moment, ‘but I was always the youngest, and now I am not.’
Robert felt the fury drain from him, and he saw the jealous boy behind the rich trappings that the young nobleman had adopted now he was at court. Robert shook his head despairingly, then looked beyond Essex to the men behind.
‘Kytt, take his Lordship to the stables, would you, and have your mounts saddled. The Earl would benefit from a long hard ride to balance his humour while I attend the Queen.’
‘My Lord.’ Kytt bowed and smiled at Robert, who grasped his arm briefly and nodded in thanks.
‘Oh, Essex, use my stallion if you wish, he could use a good gallop.’
A bright smile suffused the younger man’s face and he clasped Robert to himself excitedly, taking the older man quite by surprise. ‘Oh, thank you, my Lord. That would be wonderful.’ Essex released Robert as abruptly as he had held him and threw his arm across Kytt’s shoulders eagerly.
‘Come on, Kytt. I’ll race you to the lake.’ Kytt obviously made an appropriate response because Essex let out a roar of laughter and they clattered down the stairs noisily in their haste to get to the stables. Robert gazed at Tom in bewildered exasperation and rolled his eyes.
‘I must return to the Queen, Tom. Could you take a message to Lily for me to say I will be home for supper? A private supper? She will understand.’
‘Of course, my Lord.’ Tom bowed briefly and went back down the stairs as Robert, sucking in a deep breath, opened the gallery door and slipped inside again.
Chapter 32
ady Jane, Lady Jane.’
Jane’s head lifted and a smile crossed her lips as she negotiated her way around the courtyard, carefully holding both the
hands of Robbie as he tottered in front of her.
‘Good morning, Dickon.’ Dickon reached the little group of Jane, Daisy and Robbie, who was practicing moving one foot in front of the other in the sunshine.
‘Good morning, my Lady.’ He gave her a courtly bow, and Jane smothered a smile at his formality. The baby beamed up at Dickon, proudly showing new teeth through a river of saliva. He gurgled and blew out some bubbles, and Daisy wiped his mouth with a piece of linen clutched in her fingers.
‘And good morning to you too, Lord Denbigh.’ Dickon bowed, deliberately tickling the baby with the feather in his hat. Screeching with laughter, the little boy tried to grasp the feather but Dickon was too fast. He straightened and Daisy swept up the tiny boy, who was becoming dangerously unbalanced on his feet in his quest for Dickon’s hat. She distracted him with a game of peep behind the linen kerchief while Jane and Dickon walked further away to continue their conversation.
‘Your father has given me permission to court you, my Lady.’ Dickon bowed his head and smiled shyly at Jane, who laughed merrily and placed her hand on Dickon’s arm.
‘Court me, Dickon? You feel you must pay court to me?’
He blushed furiously at her words, and Jane smiled up into his bright blue eyes.
‘I would like to court you, Jane. I would like to take your hand in the dance and bring you sweetmeats and flowers.’ Jane laughed delightedly and squeezed his hand.
‘Oh Dickon, you are so sweet. I would love to be courted by you.’ She slid her eyes up to his through her lashes and dimpled, then looked quickly away.
‘How long shall we court before we marry do you think?’ she whispered.
Dickon blinked in astonishment at her words, and Jane watched as he took a breath, swallowed and then took another breath before he spoke.
‘But my Lady, after the courting comes the betrothal, and that means you ask my permission before dancing with anyone else, and you can sew your trousseau while I seek a position at court that pays me enough money for me to support you. Then we ask our parents to arrange the wedding.’
Jane looked down quickly so he didn’t see her trying to stifle her laughter at such a long and pompous speech from someone so young. When she was sure she wouldn’t giggle, she widened her eyes and looked at him directly.
‘Goodness, but that seems such a long and complicated process, Dickon.’
He patted the hand that still rested on his arm as they walked. ‘Marriage is a serious business. Jane.’
Jane looked at him and whispered, ‘So it would seem.’
Then Jane gathered herself. As much as she wanted to laugh at Dickon, she knew he would misunderstand her amusement. That they had grown up together, seen one another every day for most of their lives, yet he still felt he had to court her touched her heart unbearably. She knew he had loved her for all that time, and she had waited patiently until he had realised that he was also actually in love with her.
She looked at him, and pulled at his sleeve to make him halt, smiling her mother’s gentle smile.
‘I would be honoured if you would court me, Sir Richard.’ Jane smiled up at him and he ducked his head in embarrassment again; she found she couldn’t resist.
‘And I shall have a word with Mother and Letty about my trousseau. To see if we can stitch more quickly.’
Dickon stood with his mouth agape, so Jane stood on tiptoe and kissed a brief peck on his cheek and then turned to run back to Daisy and the baby.
***
Nell gazed at the letter in her hand, sanding the ink before she folded and sealed it to give into Lord Robert’s keeping.
My only love
Philip, the first thing I must tell you is that I am with child. I know not if it is yours or my husband’s. If it is yours, I shall love it all the more for being the part of you I might keep. I am grateful for my condition, as it has had the happy result of keeping my husband from my bed. He does not wish to offend his God. As I see no hand of God in my marriage, just the hands of venal old men, I cannot thank God for his absence, just be relieved that it is so.
I miss you, my love. More each day, as your wife chooses to share the most intimate details of your time together with the other ladies in the Queen’s service. I imagine your hands on my body when she speaks of you, your lips on mine, not hers. That she too is with child will not be news to you, I’m sure. Her father will have written when he sent the instructions for the campaign. Papa is looking forward to joining you at some stage.
Uncle Henry has arranged a match for Thea at last, with Harry Percy. It has angered me that he betroths my sister to the Lord of the North, while he bestows me upon the highest bidder. I know not what plans he has for Essex. The way my brother is behaving at the moment, he will need an heiress of the highest fortune in the land. His gambling is legendary, but his conscience about paying his debts leaves a lot to be desired. Mother is beside herself with worry, and Papa has had to have quiet words with his creditors, to extend the time he has to repay.
My love, I did not put pen to paper to tire you with the problems of my family, but to tell you how I long for you, how I hope you return soon so that we might find some way we can be together, for however brief a time. I love you, as much now as ever. I miss you dreadfully and I long to feel your kiss upon my lips and your delightful hands on my body once more.
Until we meet again, my love, know I think of you constantly and know I wait.
Your Stella
***
Essex prowled round the Queen’s chamber waiting, as did the rest of the court, for the Queen to make an appearance. He spied his sister near an open window, trying to quell her sickness with fresh air. He moved towards her and leaned both elbows on the sill, but with his back to the window so he could watch the court move around in a never-ending sea of motion and gossip.
‘Dear God, sister, you are as pale as milk.’ He snorted his amusement as Nell gazed at him with narrow eyes, then turned to look out of the window. ‘You make a bookend with little Frances over there.’ Essex nodded to a group of ladies sewing further down the room, amongst them Frances Sidney and Bess Throckmorton.
‘Don’t be hateful, brother.’ Nell closed her eyes and turned her face to the slight breeze lifting the soft curls escaping from her pinned-up hair. Essex turned innocent eyes on his sister, but saw his expression wasted, as her eyes were still closed.
‘I am sympathising sister, so you will sympathise with me. Can you lend me some money until my monthly allowance arrives?’
‘No.’
Essex’s face fell and his brows drew together as he looked to see if anyone might be near enough to overhear his words. Without shifting his position he leaned his head towards Nell, smiling into the room, yet his voice lowered to a spiteful hiss.
‘Well then, perhaps your husband might need to be warned that the child you bear him might be twin to the one Frances has in her belly?’ Nell’s eyes flew open and she looked at her brother aghast.
‘Essex, you absolute beast. That is such a lie. Why would you suggest such a thing?’
‘Sister, like all good lies it has a basis in truth, and whether your child comes out resembling Riche or Sidney is of no matter to me.’ Essex suppressed a smile as he saw Nell bite her lip and realised his guess might not be so wide of the mark after all.
‘Your husband might not be so forgiving, however.’ He beamed round the room, his gaze resting on the group of ladies he was watching earlier. He could see Frances Sidney whispering and blushing as she stitched, and he watched Bess Throckmorton smile at her words. Then he noticed Bess’ hand flutter over her own midriff as Frances began to speak again. He dismissed the thought that passed through his mind and smi
led at Nell, who was feeling in the pocket of her gown.
‘Here’s a gold piece, brother. Do try not to lose it.’ She held out the gold and he bowed over her fingers as he surreptitiously took the coin, then kissed her hand and grinned at her.
‘Ha, it is already lost, Sis.’ He swept another bow and then walked further down the room to greet his friends noisily until the Queen arrived.
***
My love
Your letter was a welcome respite in my life here. I do not see God in this conflict either. We are poorly provisioned and badly equipped. I have petitioned Walsingham for more funds but have not yet had a positive response. Thank heavens we are only subjected to skirmishes, as we would struggle in a battle proper. Yes, Frances has written with her news, and it saddens me that she feels it appropriate to share the details of our union with others, for the heartache it must bring you. I too, long to see you again, and I hope for a swift conclusion to our involvement in this conflict.
Until my eyes feast again upon your beauty, I remain your
Astrophel
Nell kissed the letter that her mother had sent to court with Kytt. Although she didn’t trust her brother, she did trust his companion, as she saw in him the attributes of loyalty and steadfastness that so marked the service of his uncle Thomas. She opened the casket and placed the letter inside, locking it again and hiding it at the bottom of her clothes chest. Standing slowly, she returned to her duties at court, hugging to herself the secret of Philip’s love.
Chapter 33
eaning on one elbow, Raleigh ran his hand over Bess’s hard belly and kissed her lips, sated. She chuckled softly as he stroked her skin, and he considered again what a willing wife he had. She had always been an enthusiastic lover but now she was with child, she seemed insatiable, and he searched his mind for a topic that would distract her while he recovered from their tumultuous lovemaking.
‘Is it any easier in your apartment since Lady Devereux married, my love?’ She turned onto her side and cuddled up to him, tracing her fingers through the hair on his chest.
On the Altar of England (Tudor Chronicles Book 4) Page 25