I thought.
‘I think we have chosen well, Eleanor. Will it not be delightful to have new clothes?’ Without waiting for a reply, Maria continued, lowering her voice confidentially: ‘I have heard how shamefully your mother has neglected you of late, you poor child.’ Maria leaned forward and squeezed my hand. I whipped it away.
‘What do you mean?’ I demanded abruptly.
‘We must forgive her, though,’ she said, ignoring my question and nodding compassionately. ‘I see it is a painful subject for you, but your mother cannot help being sick, you know. It is very tragic.’
‘Mother is not sick,’ I uttered in a choked voice. ‘Unless being deprived of her freedom, being locked in a tower, can make her so.’
Miss Maria looked startled for a moment, but then smiled again. ‘But it is for her own safety. And it is natural that you should wish her to be well. It is hard to lose your mother. But she is not likely to live much longer, Sir Walter tells me.’ She leaned forward to stroke my cheek. I thought there was a look of greedy anticipation on her face. I leapt to my feet to avoid her and walked away across the room.
‘It is my father who is sick,’ I exclaimed indignantly. ‘He goes mad and locks people up or beats them!’
The look of shock on Maria’s face gave me pause. I bit back the next words I had been about to utter. This was clearly a friend of my father’s. She might repeat anything I said. He would flay me alive.
The servant entered at that moment with wine and cakes, and his entrance gave me time to gather my scattered wits and put on an act.
‘Indeed you do not know what you are saying,’ uttered Mistress Maria gently once the servant had left us. ‘You are upset and it has unbalanced your mind. Perhaps your father should send for a doctor for you too?’ She spoke with false concern, and took a step towards me. ‘Perhaps I should tell your father how wildly you speak?’
My stomach tightened with fear and I realized how stupid I had been. To retrieve the situation, I stepped back away from her, and put a trembling hand up to shield my eyes. I swayed a little, feigning dizziness.
‘No indeed. There is no need. You are quite right: I am greatly distressed for Mother. I sometimes think it will drive me quite mad. I am so frightened for her.’ I gave a stifled sob. I hoped it sounded realistic.
‘Of course,’ came the honeyed tone. I could smell her overpowering perfume once more: the awful woman had come closer and might hug me again at any moment. ‘Sit down and take a glass of wine, my dear Eleanor,’ her voice purred in my ear. ‘You will feel better for it.’
‘No, I need to lie down,’ I gasped and turned and fled the room.
‘That’s a good idea,’ I heard her say as I left. ‘I will look in on you presently.’
I must be more careful, I thought as I took the spiral steps to my room two at a time. No one is on my side. They are all my father’s spies.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Dear Eleanor,
Your note has relieved my mind. The castle sounds much busier than usual. Even in my seclusion I hear the change. Tell me the news!
Your loving Mother
Guests continued to arrive at Farleigh. Noblemen and men of power and influence were quartered within the castle. Lesser men pitched camp in the fields beyond the lists. All of them made merry whilst awaiting the arrival of the king and the start of the tournament.
From the castle windows, I could see how the camp soon filled with gaily coloured tents topped with fluttering pennants. By night I could see the numerous campfires. The sound of voices and laughter drifted up to the castle. My home was become a bustling hive of activity, the formerly silent, empty corridors transformed into busy thoroughfares for guests and servants. I did not like the change. I risked being recognized every time I left my room. I borrowed a servant’s veil from Betsey and tied my distinctive hair up in it. I kept my head down.
‘Why will you
‘I think we have chosen well, Eleanor. Will it not be delightful to have new clothes?’ Without waiting for a reply, Maria continued, lowering her voice confidentially: ‘I have heard how shamefully your mother has neglected you of late, you poor child.’ Maria leaned forward and squeezed my hand. I whipped it away.
‘What do you mean?’ I demanded abruptly.
‘We must forgive her, though,’ she said, ignoring my question and nodding compassionately. ‘I see it is a painful subject for you, but your mother cannot help being sick, you know. It is very tragic.’
‘Mother is not sick,’ I uttered in a choked voice. ‘Unless being deprived of her freedom, being locked in a tower, can make her so.’
Miss Maria looked startled for a moment, but then smiled again. ‘But it is for her own safety. And it is natural that you should wish her to be well. It is hard to lose your mother. But she is not likely to live much longer, Sir Walter tells me.’ She leaned forward to stroke my cheek. I thought there was a look of greedy anticipation on her face. I leapt to my feet to avoid her and walked away across the room.
‘It is my father who is sick,’ I exclaimed indignantly. ‘He goes mad and locks people up or beats them!’
The look of shock on Maria’s face gave me pause. I bit back the next words I had been about to utter. This was clearly a friend of my father’s. She might repeat anything I said. He would flay me alive.
The servant entered at that moment with wine and cakes, and his entrance gave me time to gather my scattered wits and put on an act.
‘Indeed you do not know what you are saying,’ uttered Mistress Maria gently once the servant had left us. ‘You are upset and it has unbalanced your mind. Perhaps your father should send for a doctor for you too?’ She spoke with false concern, and took a step towards me. ‘Perhaps I should tell your father how wildly you speak?’
My stomach tightened with fear and I realized how stupid I had been. To retrieve the situation, I stepped back away from her, and put a trembling hand up to shield my eyes. I swayed a little, feigning dizziness.
‘No indeed. There is no need. You are quite right: I am greatly distressed for Mother. I sometimes think it will drive me quite mad. I am so frightened for her.’ I gave a stifled sob. I hoped it sounded realistic.
‘Of course,’ came the honeyed tone. I could smell her overpowering perfume once more: the awful woman had come closer and might hug me again at any moment. ‘Sit down and take a glass of wine, my dear Eleanor,’ her voice purred in my ear. ‘You will feel better for it.’
‘No, I need to lie down,’ I gasped and turned and fled the room.
‘That’s a good idea,’ I heard her say as I left. ‘I will look in on you presently.’
I must be more careful, I thought as I took the spiral steps to my room two at a time. No one is on my side. They are all my father’s spies.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Dear Eleanor,
Your note has relieved my mind. The castle sounds much busier than usual. Even in my seclusion I hear the change. Tell me the news!
Your loving Mother
Guests continued to arrive at Farleigh. Noblemen and men of power and influence were quartered within the castle. Lesser men pitched camp in the fields beyond the lists. All of them made merry whilst awaiting the arrival of the king and the start of the tournament.
From the castle windows, I could see how the camp soon filled with gaily coloured tents topped with fluttering pennants. By night I could see the numerous campfires. The sound of voices and laughter drifted up to the castle. My home was become a bustling hive of activity, the formerly silent, empty corridors transformed into busy thoroughfares for guests and servants. I did not like the change. I risked being recognized every time I left my room. I borrowed a servant’s veil from Betsey and tied my distinctive hair up in it. I kept my head down.
‘Why will you
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