catch up with them now, had I willed it.
He went on to explain that he had been married young, at his mother’s urging, to a great heiress. They were both children at the time, so they did not live together for twelve more years. Within a short time, his wife left him for another man, with whom she bore children.
“According to the Scriptures, I was free to remarry,” he said. “And after . . . courting . . . some women, I came to know Elisabeth Brooke, and with her faithfully spent twenty-two years, until her death. Parliament had declared my first marriage void; I wed Elisabeth in all honor and rightness.”
“And so?” I asked.
“Queen Mary declared my first marriage valid, and my second null, and imprisoned me in the Tower for treason, as you knew. When that queen died, there came a new government, which declared my marriage to Elisabeth valid. She, of course, died. But the current government is not sure but that there is a cloud over my marriage. My first wife still lives, and as the marriage has been valid and void, valid and void, there is some confusion.”
“I see,” I said. I dwelt in the silence for a moment before speaking. “Neither my faith nor my honor will permit me to live with you as husband and wife while unmarried.”
He nodded and spoke softly. “I would not have it otherwise. I had thought to have this righted by now, but it is not. I understand the queen has offered you a position among her ladies.”
“Yes,” I said. “I hadn’t understood then why.” I did not look at him but at my hands. I heard the queen’s birds singing mournfully in the distance. “What shall become of me?”
He drew near to me, and I leaned into him. “It shall be quickwork to make right. And then we will marry and you will be mistress of all my property as you are now of my heart. Meanwhile, I shall see that you want for naught while at court or in my homes.”
We rode to the palace, which gave me time to think. I trusted him implicitly, and yet he hadn’t told me of this while I still had the chance to change my mind. Perhaps it was an oversight, and, truth be told, I wouldn’t have changed my mind anyway. I was aware anew, though, of how vulnerable I was. I was in a strange land with no family to protect me or my interests. The queen had seemed pleased with me, but I knew as well as any how fickle royal favor could be.
We arrived at court, and William promised to be back within a few days. I felt alone, nervous, and perhaps somewhat abandoned as I watched him ride away. He had his own quarters at all of the queen’s residences, of course, so we would see one another often. But I would also have duties waiting upon the queen. William had told me that it had been but a year since Kat Ashley, the woman who had raised the queen, had died. Since then, Blanche Parry, who had also been with the queen since childhood, had become the queen’s “mother at heart,” and she was very motherly indeed. Her Majesty had asked Mistress Parry to see that I had everything I needed.
“Her Grace has given you apartments near her own lodgings,” she said, showing me to a small suite of well-appointed rooms close upon the Royal Suite, and with an enchanting view. She lowered her voice. “The other maids of honor share chambers and maids, so it’s a singular honor that you’ll have your own rooms, a lady maid and servants, and a horse of your own. You are also excluded from the sumptuary laws, so you may dress in a manner which will befit accompanying Lord Northampton.”
“Oh, thank the queen for me, please,” I said. “I am overcome.”
“You can thank her yourself, Elin.”
“Helena, please,” I said. “I am an Englishwoman now. My name is Helena.”
• • •
I soon learned the queen’s daily routine and my part in it. We ladies were never to interfere in her politics or her court. At first I was downhearted about that, thinking that though I loved cards and games and
He went on to explain that he had been married young, at his mother’s urging, to a great heiress. They were both children at the time, so they did not live together for twelve more years. Within a short time, his wife left him for another man, with whom she bore children.
“According to the Scriptures, I was free to remarry,” he said. “And after . . . courting . . . some women, I came to know Elisabeth Brooke, and with her faithfully spent twenty-two years, until her death. Parliament had declared my first marriage void; I wed Elisabeth in all honor and rightness.”
“And so?” I asked.
“Queen Mary declared my first marriage valid, and my second null, and imprisoned me in the Tower for treason, as you knew. When that queen died, there came a new government, which declared my marriage to Elisabeth valid. She, of course, died. But the current government is not sure but that there is a cloud over my marriage. My first wife still lives, and as the marriage has been valid and void, valid and void, there is some confusion.”
“I see,” I said. I dwelt in the silence for a moment before speaking. “Neither my faith nor my honor will permit me to live with you as husband and wife while unmarried.”
He nodded and spoke softly. “I would not have it otherwise. I had thought to have this righted by now, but it is not. I understand the queen has offered you a position among her ladies.”
“Yes,” I said. “I hadn’t understood then why.” I did not look at him but at my hands. I heard the queen’s birds singing mournfully in the distance. “What shall become of me?”
He drew near to me, and I leaned into him. “It shall be quickwork to make right. And then we will marry and you will be mistress of all my property as you are now of my heart. Meanwhile, I shall see that you want for naught while at court or in my homes.”
We rode to the palace, which gave me time to think. I trusted him implicitly, and yet he hadn’t told me of this while I still had the chance to change my mind. Perhaps it was an oversight, and, truth be told, I wouldn’t have changed my mind anyway. I was aware anew, though, of how vulnerable I was. I was in a strange land with no family to protect me or my interests. The queen had seemed pleased with me, but I knew as well as any how fickle royal favor could be.
We arrived at court, and William promised to be back within a few days. I felt alone, nervous, and perhaps somewhat abandoned as I watched him ride away. He had his own quarters at all of the queen’s residences, of course, so we would see one another often. But I would also have duties waiting upon the queen. William had told me that it had been but a year since Kat Ashley, the woman who had raised the queen, had died. Since then, Blanche Parry, who had also been with the queen since childhood, had become the queen’s “mother at heart,” and she was very motherly indeed. Her Majesty had asked Mistress Parry to see that I had everything I needed.
“Her Grace has given you apartments near her own lodgings,” she said, showing me to a small suite of well-appointed rooms close upon the Royal Suite, and with an enchanting view. She lowered her voice. “The other maids of honor share chambers and maids, so it’s a singular honor that you’ll have your own rooms, a lady maid and servants, and a horse of your own. You are also excluded from the sumptuary laws, so you may dress in a manner which will befit accompanying Lord Northampton.”
“Oh, thank the queen for me, please,” I said. “I am overcome.”
“You can thank her yourself, Elin.”
“Helena, please,” I said. “I am an Englishwoman now. My name is Helena.”
• • •
I soon learned the queen’s daily routine and my part in it. We ladies were never to interfere in her politics or her court. At first I was downhearted about that, thinking that though I loved cards and games and
Similar Books
