‘No, my Lord. Not any more. Lord Robert always knows the right thing to say. He will be amusing her with tales about the Progress he has planned.’ The Queen’s other ladies began to whisper delightedly at the thought of going on Progress at last, but Raleigh looked surprised.
‘Progress?’
‘Yes, my Lord. We are all going on Progress soon, around the great houses of the country. If you are not back at sea, I am sure the Queen will expect you to attend.’ Bess smiled at him enquiringly and he returned her gaze before glancing round at the other ladies and clearing his throat.
‘I am looking for backers for my next voyage, mistress. Sir Philip Sidney has promised to contribute but I need more.’ Raleigh smiled at the other girls in the group, whose eyes had become rounded at the thought of an exciting sea voyage in the future. He noticed that one of the ladies kept her head downcast and her eyes on her needle as it flew through the fabric swiftly. His curiosity was piqued at her lack of attention when all the other ladies fluttered round him like silver grey butterflies. He dragged his mind back to Bess, who was still speaking.
‘I had thought the Progress would have started by now, my Lord, but we have had to wait for Lord Robert.’ Raleigh looked at her curiously, aware that the girl’s stitching had stopped abruptly.
‘Why did the court have to wait, Mistress?’ The girl to his right finally looked up from her sewing and to his astonishment met his gaze with her own bright eyes and answered before Bess had the chance.
‘He is in charge of the Royal Progress, and he loves my sister, my Lord. We couldn’t have left until he knew his son had been safely born and he was equally assured of his wife’s safety.’ Raleigh gazed at the speaker in astonishment, watching the way her lips formed the words and the way her dark eyes snapped and shone as she spoke. Raleigh bowed gracefully towards her, and then rose with a smile, recognising her as the girl who had brought him the wine.
‘And your name, my Lady?’
‘I am Elizabeth Knollys, my Lord. Sister to the Countess of Leicester, cousin to the Queen.’ Beth curtsied gracefully and Raleigh completely missed the tightening of Bess Throckmorton’s lips as he failed to drag his gaze from the beautiful creature in front of him. Beth gazed up at him shyly, and a flush crept up her cheek at the heat of his gaze.
The large doors to the Queen’s Presence Chamber opened and the throng moved as one towards the larger salon to continue their interrupted day. The Queen’s voice rang out above the gossip and laughter of the crowd as they came back into the room.
‘Come and sit by me, Master Raleigh. Let Lord Robert tell you about the Progress. You will come with the court, of course, and at Leeds Castle there will be jousting.’ Elizabeth extended her hand, and Raleigh bowed over it reverently. Elizabeth beamed at him as she made herself comfortable in her chair, and nodded her assent that he might speak.
‘Majesty, it will be an honour to accompany the court. But I am afraid I only have a borrowed mount. He will be adequate for a journey, but for jousting…?’ Raleigh smiled his winning smile at the Queen and shook his head regretfully.
‘Then Lord Robert will select you a mount from the royal stable,’ Elizabeth nodded at Robert, who was standing in a carefully nonchalant pose by the side of Elizabeth’s chair. Robert gazed back at the Queen and raised his eyebrows.
‘As you command, Majesty. I live to serve.’ Robert made a small bow and nodded at Raleigh. Elizabeth tapped Robert on the arm with her fan, ‘And make sure it is a worthy one, my Lord Robert. An Andalusian or an Arabian. Not a dray horse.’ The surrounding courtiers laughed at the Queen’s jest and Robert bowed again, carefully hiding his expression from both the Queen and Raleigh.
‘I would be honoured to accompany you and your household, Majesty, and I thank you for the gift.’ Raleigh bowed again before taking hold of the Queen’s hand and kissing her knuckles in his thanks. The court held its collective breath, as touching the royal person without invitation could be construed as treason if the Queen was so minded.
Elizabeth beamed at Raleigh and tapped his arm with her fan, then indicated he should step up to be beside her, as Robert melted away into the melee of courtiers. Elizabeth tilted her head towards Raleigh and whispered excitedly, ‘After Kent, my Lord, we shall go to Gloucester and Lincoln, then Nottingham and as far north as York. Then we shall spend three weeks at Kenilworth for the hunting, so you will need a good mount for that.’
‘I shall look forward to it, Majesty. It will give me an opportunity to find some more sponsors for my next voyage.’ Raleigh gazed round the faces encircling the Queen and smiled.
‘Tell us more, my Lord. All my ladies want to hear about where you are planning to visit next time.’ Elizabeth nodded to Raleigh and he began listing the places he wanted to travel to when he next set sail.
Chapter 10
ettice rested happily on the chaise in her solar, helping herself to the honeyed sweetmeats made following one of her mother’s treasured recipes. Her baby son nestled comfortably in her arms, sleeping peacefully as she listened to Nell’s excited chatter telling her about the honour of being asked to do the Queen’s makeup.
‘Mama, I was so nervous, I could hardly keep my hands still.’ Nell’s eyes were enormous in her lovely face as she recounted her tale. Lettice smiled at her eldest daughter.
‘Well, poppet, she was obviously impressed with your skill, to ask you to do her makeup in the future.’
Nell nodded happily. ‘Lady Parr, Sir William’s wife always used to do it, Mama. But she’s getting so old, her hand isn’t as steady as it needs to be. And she makes the powder into a paste. No wonder it cracks as it dries.’ Nell giggled. ‘The Queen was relieved, I think, that I had a lighter touch. She was very kind, Mama.’
Lettice merely smiled at this, and refused to be drawn into any criticism of the Queen in front of her children and the servants. From the depths of the huge armchair in front of the fireplace, she heard her son’s dissatisfied voice.
‘I can’t believe you’re not going to sell that hair ornament, sis. I would, if she had given it to me.’
Nell wrinkled her nose at her younger brother as she held the jewel up to the window. ‘Well, I’m not. I shall treasure it.’ An idea occurred to her and she turned towards Lettice again, ‘You could make her some perfume, Mama. From your roses. The Queen always uses rose perfume.’ Nell didn’t notice how Lettice’s eyes tightened at her words, she was too busy admiring how the light shone through the hair clip. Lettice shook her head quickly.
‘She wouldn’t want perfume I had made, poppet. She wouldn’t accept it.’ Lettice began to rock the baby in her arms as he began to wake, making small snuffling noises in his blanket. Robert Devereux’s sulky tones came again from the chair, snorting derisively.
‘She would accept it quickly enough if he gave it to her.’ Lettice sighed and looked over her baby’s head at her elder son.
‘Robbie, please do not speak about your stepfather in that tone. Either call him Papa as the girls do, or Lord Robert. He has done nothing to earn your disrespect.’ Her tone was sharper than she usually used with her children, but she was becoming tired of the unwarranted resentment and spite Essex continually displayed.
‘Don’t call me Robbie, mother. I’m too old for that name. Besides, he might need it.’ Essex nodded to the babe Thea was reaching to take from her mother, and tossed another nut into his mouth. He chewed angrily and started to speak again, ‘And I am horrified that you are allowing your husband’s bastard to come here to live.’
‘Well, my Lord of Essex,’ her eyebrows raised in mockery of the formal title she used to speak to her son, ‘he is Robert’s son, as much as this one is,’ she nodded to her baby as she stood to pour herself a cup of small ale.
‘Another Robert Dudley though, Mother? It’s embarrassing.’
'It doesn’t embarrass me, my son. Or Lord Robert. So it shouldn’t embarrass you. And what, might I ask, are we supposed to call you, if Robbie is beneath you now? Rob? Robert?’
He waved his hand negligently, an affected gesture that irritated Lettice intensely. ‘Call me Essex. There are too many Roberts in the house as it is, and I would rather people knew who I was in my own right.’
Nell and Thea both rolled their eyes at one another at their brother’s attitude, and Lettice suppressed a sigh and said gently, ‘Everyone knows who you are, Robbie. Make no mistake, everyone is aware you are the Earl of Essex.’ She sipped her drink slowly and watched as Essex abruptly stood up and strode angrily to the door.
‘I’m going to the stable yard to find Kytt, Mother. He knows who I am, and shows me proper respect. We can get some practice in before we leave to go to damned Kenilworth.’ He slammed the door behind him, and the baby woke suddenly, whimpering at the unexpected noise. Lettice took him from his sister and sat down, opening the front of her gown and offering the fractious child her breast.
‘Hush, sweetheart. He’ll calm down soon,’ Lettice whispered as she soothed her baby son. She completely missed the anxious glances her daughters exchanged as their brother stormed out of the room.
***
Beth gazed round at the huge train of carriages, horses and carts moving slowly on the Royal Progress. She knew how hard her brother-in-law had worked to make sure that everything was in order for this Progress, and wondered how he managed to organise the court to move on such a grand scale. She supposed it was experience, as Lord Robert had been responsible for the Queen’s Progress every year since she had come to the throne.
Today Beth had chosen to ride, although she knew she could have had a place in one of the carriages had she wanted one. But the day was mild and clear, although not hot, and Beth would rather be in the fresh air than squashed into a carriage with several of the other ladies-in-waiting. At least out here she could breathe, and there wasn’t too much dust, thanks to a brief overnight shower of rain.
She could see the Queen’s carriage at the front of the line, surrounded by men at arms either side carrying the Queen’s standard. After that came the fleet of carriages carrying the ladies and gentlemen of the court who didn’t wish to ride. Then the courtiers who did ride, chatting and laughing amongst themselves as their horses walked quietly in the vast train. Lastly were dozens and dozens of wagons carrying the baggage for the whole court, including carpets, plate and the odd chair someone couldn’t bear to be without. Spare mounts were tied to the wagons, and to Beth the train seemed to stretch for miles. All along the train were members of the Queen’s guard making sure they were safe as they travelled through towns and villages and along the quiet country roads.
Beth heard swifter hoofs than hers coming up from behind her, and she turned to see who it was that wanted to travel more quickly than the rest of the train. The rider reined his horse in abruptly as he reached her side, and she saw it was Raleigh slowing his mount to match her own.
‘My Lady,’ he nodded and his teeth flashed as they always did in his tanned face.
‘My Lord,’ Beth nodded her own greeting back and waited for him to start the conversation. Her heart beat a little faster under her riding jacket and she tried to control the flush that was beginning to creep up her throat.
‘Tell me, my Lady. Is the Progress always this ….huge?’ Raleigh stood in his stirrups and looked behind him before seating himself and looking for her answer.
‘It takes a great deal of planning and a great number of horses to move the court, my Lord. My brother-in law-says it is like moving an army, or a small city, from place to place, and he has to make sure of our accommodation every night. He is always exhausted and my sister ….’ Her words trailed away as she looked up at him watching her.
‘And in which carriage does your sister travel, my Lady?’ His teeth flashed again and Beth felt the flush creep further up her cheeks.
‘My sister Maisie is attending the Queen today, so she will be in the Royal carriage,’ Beth nodded her head forward, setting the feather in her russet hat wobbling, ‘and Bella will be behind us, with my niece and helping Lady Hastings with the younger girls.’ She inclined her head to the rear, indicating the crowded knot of riders and open carriages full of excited youngsters chattering and laughing and squealing in delight on their first Royal Progress.
‘Which sister is the Countess of Leicester, my Lady?’ Raleigh’s brows rose and Beth could see that it was an honest question.
‘My sister Lettice is Lord Robert’s wife, my Lord. She has just had a son and is not at court. She will be at Kenilworth when the court stops there and sojourns for three weeks.’ Beth felt this information to be quite sufficient, and Raleigh seemed satisfied with her answer, not questioning her further. They rode in silence for a while, then he turned to her again.
‘The green shade of your gown suits you, my Lady. If I might be so bold as to mention it?’ Beth felt the flush reach her scalp, but she turned to Raleigh with a smile.
‘Thank you my Lord. It makes a pleasant change to wear a colour, and of course, shades of white wouldn’t be suitable for the ride.’
‘Of course not, my Lady. But do you not wear colour very often?’ Beth smiled again and shook her head, attracting his eyes towards her jaunty hat.
‘We are only allowed to wear colours when it is not our day to serve the Queen, my Lord. Then we can wear any colour we choose, except black. But if it is our day on duty with her Majesty, we must wear white, or silver, or palest grey.’
‘Ah! I had wondered about that, I will admit. But why not black?’
‘It is from before the Queen came to the throne, my Lord. She was made to wear black by her sister, Queen Mary. To show piety, I understand. So now, she never wears black and will not allow any of her ladies to wear it either.’
‘Yet she insists you all wear white, or a shade of it at least. What is that to signify, I wonder?’ Raleigh looked at Beth and opened his eyes wide as if his question were genuine.
‘Our purity, my Lord. The Queen expects her ladies to exhibit modesty and purity, as she herself does.’ Beth was careful to keep her tone even and her eyes downcast. If this conversation was being overheard, she didn’t want any blame to be attached for immodesty.
‘But, my Lady,’ Raleigh’s amused tones carried through the air, ‘surely everyone knows…’
‘My Lord,’ interrupted Beth quickly, ‘I feel this conversation has gone far enough. I wouldn’t have my own reputation compromised by conversing too long with an unattached gentleman. I must go and see if Lady Hastings needs any help with her girls.’
Beth turned the head of her mount gently and walked her horse back to the carriage containing Robert’s sister Kit and several excited little girls. Raleigh bowed in his saddle as she departed, but didn’t follow.
‘A suitor, Beth?’ laughed her sister Bella, who was riding alongside the carriage and talking to Kit.
‘Don’t be foolish, Bella. I am betrothed to Sir Thomas, and I have no wish to have another suitor.’
‘Does Master Raleigh know that, Beth?’ teased Bella as she brought her horse to walk alongside that of her sister. Beth gazed at her with snapping eyes.
‘I do not care what he does or doesn’t know, Bella. He is nothing to me, and he asks many awkward questions.’ The sisters rode in silence for a few moments, then Bella leaned slightly across to whisper to Beth, nodding towards Raleigh on his horse a considerable distance in front.
‘It looks like Bess Throckmorton is answering some of those questions, sister.’ They both heard Raleigh’s booming laugh drifting back on
the air, coupled with the affected high pitched giggle Bess used when she was in male company.
‘She had better be careful, Bella. It isn’t only answers he wants, I assure you. I wonder if he thinks that the colour of her gown suits her.’ Beth’s tone made Bella laugh.
‘Perhaps he’s more interested in the colour of her shift, Beth?’
‘I’m sure he is, pet. And knowing Bess as we do, it won’t be long before she shows him, will it?’ Bella burst into gales of laughter at her sister’s sour tone and Beth smiled as they rode on, taking turns to answer the questions of the excited little girls in the carriage about what would happen when they got to Leeds Castle.
Chapter 11
ettice relaxed into the cushions of the huge fireside chair Robert usually used, holding her son in her arms and gazing at the bustle in the room with a smile. Jane and Ursula were instructing Cissy and Alice what to pack, while many of the other servants hurried around bringing newly washed linens for the clothes chests.
Jane carefully placed all the rich new gowns Robert had bought for after her confinement across the huge bed, while Ursula looked through the dozens of pairs of slippers Lettice possessed to match the colours to the gowns.
‘Letty, these must have cost a fortune,’ breathed Jane as she stroked her hand over one of the richly embroidered skirts, which had tiny birds embroidered in gold thread, and flowers of ruby silk on a delicate pink background. Lettice shrugged and laughed.
‘Robin wanted to buy me new gowns when I was huge, Jane. I made him promise not to, and save his money for when I was slender again.’ She shrugged again. ‘I think he must have had a brainstorm at the dressmaker’s premises.’
‘My Lady, Alice has brought all these up from downstairs.’ Ursula’s eyes were huge at the pile of snowy white cotton in Alice’s arms, as the maid tried to bob a curtsey and not drop her burden.
On the Altar of England (Tudor Chronicles Book 4) Page 8
