Prisoner of the Queen (Tales From the Tudor Court) (21 page)

“Shall I await a reply?”
the man asked.

The
duchess interceded. “Go and find refreshment in our kitchens, and we shall have you summoned when she is ready with her reply.”

He twirled his hat in a bow again and nodded at the three of us
. “Your Grace. Lady Katherine. Lady Jane.” Then he retreated to find Cook.

When he
’d gone, I stared down at the parchment.

“Will you read it or absorb its contents?”
The duchess’ hands, although resting calmly at her sides, showed fingers digging into her palms, and her gaze shifted from mine to the parchment.

I
’d never seen her look so apprehensive. Her concern made me worry more. My mother’s health had not been the best of late, and she suffered bouts of illness from time to time, but I’d never had cause to think I should worry over it. Obviously, Lady Anne had.

I slipped my thumbnail beneath the wax seal and unrolled the letter to find the neatly scrawled hand of
Master Stokes. He was an excellent Master of the Horse, no doubt, and obviously from his neat script, had been well schooled.

I’d not seen much of the formidable duchess, choosing distance after Jane’s death. But somehow, in that time, I’d been able to find some peace and a modicum of forgiveness.
I was glad for my mother to have married him now—even though when I was younger I had been appalled by the idea. After years of unhappiness, my mother had deserved contentment and love, just as I now sought those same things for myself.

My mind
wandered, since I did not want to focus on what I should. With the sound of Lady Anne’s teeth clicking in irritation, I willed myself to read the letter, blood pumping, hands shaking, afraid if I didn’t read it, she would snatch it away.

Dear Lady Katherine,

’Tis
most unfortunate that I should be the bearer of bad news, but given my station as your mother’s loving husband, such a duty doth fall to me. The Duchess of Suffolk is gravely ill. She has suffered from what the physician has deemed an infection of the lungs. Her constitution never fortified after birthing our two babes who were recalled to His hands. The physician is not certain that your mother will recover, as her fever continues to rage. I think it best, although I would not presume to make judgments on what you deem most suitable, for you to come and see Her Grace. Perhaps knowing a loving daughter sits beside her and wishes her well will bolster her strength and facilitate her body to restore to full health.

Respectfully and most honorably yours,

Master Stokes

I pressed the letter to my heart and closed my eyes, willing the tears to go away. How could what was contained within this letter be true? The fearsome Duchess of Suffolk had come undone from carrying, birthing and grieving over her lowly husband’s issue.

“May I read it?” Lady Anne asked softly, her touch
feather-light upon my arm.

I nodded and handed her the parchment, as Jane rushed to hand me a cup of watered wine a servant
had passed to her from somewhere within their convenient hiding place in the garden.

I sipped
the wine slowly, unsure of how my stomach would react to anything, my nerves were so on edge. I prayed the wine would help to calm me.

“Is everything all right, Kat?” Jane
’s voice was soft and reassuring. She led me to a bench beneath one of the willows next to the pond, and I took respite in the cool shade, a light breeze making the summer heat not entirely unbearable.

“My mother is ill. Master Stokes says the doctor is not sure if she will live.”

Jane nodded. “Let us pray, then, that she will.”

I nodded, and gripping Jane
’s hands in mine, we closed our eyes and prayed.
Oh, most gracious and merciful Lord! Save my mother! Let not another of my family die so tragically when there is still so much left to live for!

Some moments later, I felt Lady Anne
’s presence beside us. “I have arranged for your safe travel to Sheen.”

I nodded, wishing the
queen had given Mother back Bradgate, my home, which had been stripped after my father’s execution.
“Thank you, my lady. I shall return before long.” If I planned on returning to Hanworth and prayed for my mother to regain full health, it would happen, would it not?

Lady Anne shook her head as if she heard my thoughts. “Katherine,” she said informally, “do not rush to return to us when you must take care with what is most
vital. We shall await your return whether it be here or at court, your presence is always welcome. Beau shall attend you on your journey.”

I nodded emphatically. “Yes, I had planned to take the pup
. I could not leave him behind. We’ve grown so attached.”

The
duchess narrowed her eyes a moment and then smiled briefly. “I refer not to your pet, but my son, Lord Beauchamp.”

What?
I could not have heard her correctly. He would accompany me to visit my ailing mother? The duchess had been adamant about keeping us apart, and now she would put us together?

She pressed the parchment back into my hand and raised her brows. “
You have my blessing. I have been…narrow-minded on the topic. Perhaps he has cause to speak privately with the Duchess of Suffolk?”

Jane smiled
widely beside her mother, and her glee rolled off in waves.

Inside
, my heart soared for a future with Ned, even while it broke for my mother’s ill health.

“I shan
’t be bold enough to hope,” I responded.

The
duchess actually laughed aloud. “But not too bold to beg for a kiss?”

Heat flared in my cheeks at her words.
She had heard.

“Do not suffer so! I have not said it to see my words cause you embarrassment, only to jest with you, child. My son is very much in love with you, and I have given him my blessing to court you. Although, I must tell you to tread lightly.
Queen Mary is in ill health herself, and I daresay when Princess Elizabeth reigns in her stead, she may not take too kindly to the match.”

But she did not say more about her thoughts on the matter, and even if she
had I could not have heard her. I was too elated at her approval of a match between Ned and me! And to think he should escort me to see my mother and seek her approval… Perhaps this bit of happy news would be just the device to push her humors back into alignment.

Lady Anne and Jane ushered me back inside to eat the noon meal, which I floated through in a haze of dreams—a wedding trousseau, the groom, our own home, the wedding night…

After the noon meal was over, Jane ushered me up to my chamber to order the maids about in preparing for my trip, all the while chattering away. But despite her excitement about my possible betrothal, I could see her color fading.

“Jane, you should go and rest. I shall come to you before I depart, but I could never live with myself if my situation”
—I wanted to say good fortune in regards to Ned, but I felt such words negated my mother’s suffering—“were to make you ill once more. You’ve truly come around and are on the mend. Go now. I promise to seek you out.”

“Oh, posh, Kat! I am perfectly well.” But even as she said it
, she swayed and clutched the footpost of the bed to steady herself.

I waved a maid over. “Please see Lady Jane back to her room. Have a posset of
sage, wormwood and comfrey made for her.”

“Kat, really!” Jane placed her hands on her hips, but the movement proved to unsteady her further, and she nearly fell, save for the caring hands of the maid. “Well, I suppose I am in need of a bit of rest, but you must prom
ise to attend me before you depart.”

“I would not dream of doing otherwise.”

After Jane left, I flopped onto my bed and closed my eyes. A bit of rest would do me some good, too, but there was entirely too much to accomplish. So many conflicting emotions inside me, too. Fear for my mother. Fear for the future. Uncertainty. Always, always the uncertainty. Then there was excitement for the future—a future with Ned. But then the fear returned. We would not be able to live the life I dreamed of. A life where it was just the two of us, our children and our pets, living in peace. No, I did not see such a thing ever happening in my life. I was a princess of the blood—it was my duty.

I must have fallen asleep
, for a knock at the door jarred me awake. I sat up quickly, feeling rumpled and groggy.

Mrs. Helen
poked her head through. “My lady, Lord Beauchamp awaits you in the great hall.”

“
’Tis time already? Yes, of course, come and fix my hair. I fear I’ve ruined my gown, too.”

“My apologies, dear, but I had not the heart to wake you.”

I nodded. “We shall be departing for Sheen then?”

“Aye, my lady. Everything was packed in the appropriate trunks while you slept and sent on ahead with a few servants
. I do believe the dogs have remained behind to travel with you.” Mrs. Helen unpinned my hood and ran her fingers through my hair, and I winced as she caught a few snags along the way.

“You will be accompanying me?”

“Yes, my lady.”

I was relieved to have my longtime companion with me, but at the same time a little disappointed that I would not be with Ned entirely on my own. What had I expected
, though? It would have been entirely inappropriate for there to be no chaperone at all, and Lady Anne was anything but inappropriate. She lived and breathed propriety. Mrs. Helen finished my hair, and handed me a cool wet cloth to wash my face and hands, before straightening my gown and smoothing out the fabric.

“You must have laid very still, my lady, and fallen quite perfectly
, for your gown has nary a wrinkle.”

I smiled at
Mrs. Helen and ran my hands down the front of my brocade skirts. It was time to leave.

“Is Lady Jane still abed?”

“I am not aware, my lady. Shall I check for you?”

I shook my head. “No, I will see to her myself. I promised to say
good-bye before I left.”

I traversed the darkened corridors, with only every other torch
bracketed to the wall lit, until I reached Jane’s chambers. I knocked lightly and was surprised when Jane herself answered.

“Oh, good! I know Beau has arrived
, and I thought you might forget to see me.” She put her arm through mine and maneuvered me back down the corridor toward the stairs. “I want to see you both off.”

When we reached the great hall, my breath caught in my throat. Ned knelt to the floor, scratching behind the ears of my little greyhound pup. He cooed to the sweet animal and then rolled him onto his back to scratch his belly. The scene was sweet, but what
took my breath away was Ned himself. The muscles of his calves strained against his hose. His doublet was the perfect cut to show off his broad chest and shoulders, his flat belly. His hair was mussed, as always, giving him a feral look that had my blood pumping rapidly through my body. He looked up when we walk toward him, his smile alluring. Wide, full lips parted to show pearly white teeth. Whenever he smiled, I felt as though he held secrets he wanted to share with me and me alone.

He stood quickly
, showing how agile he was and effected a perfect bow toward us.

“My Lady Katherine, my dear sister, you have caught me at play with that little devil. I say, he has quite stolen my heart.” He met my gaze with intensity
, as if to say,
And so have you.

According to the
duchess, he would ask for my hand soon. I groaned inside, heat rising in my chest and inflaming my cheeks. Was I ever to have a normal pallor whilst in Ned’s company or was I doomed to be cherry red?

I curtsied to Ned
, and he gripped my hand in his, pulling it to his lips. His eyes stayed locked on mine as he did it, but his lips did not touch me, just hovered, his warm breath caressing my skin and sending gooseflesh to battle along my arms.

“Lady Katherine, it is an honor to escort you on your journey.”

“I am grateful you are willing to do so, my lord. I am most worried about my mother.”

He nodded soberly.
“Indeed, I, too, would be most apprehensive. Shall we depart?”

I nodded and turned to give Jane a hug.

“Godspeed, Kat. My prayers will be with you.” She pressed her lips close to my ear. “And I shall pray not only for your mother’s health, but news of your betrothal.”

I tried hard not to smile but
without success and so reached for my pomander to lift it toward my face. But Jane stayed my hand. “We know why you go, but we also wish you happiness.”

The
duchess entered the great hall then in a formidable swish of skirts. She walked straight-backed toward us, her gait purposeful.

“
Beau, do take care with Lady Katherine. We want her to arrive at Charterhouse in the best of health.”