never been beleaguered so on my account."
"Had you a sweeter and more amiable disposition, like your sister, you might have been married sooner, Kate," her father replied.
"Never fear, dear Father," Catherine said pleasantly, with only the barest trace of sarcasm in her voice, "I shall be married soon enough, and sweet and amiable Blanche will surely follow hard upon, for all the panting swains who trip over themselves to find her favor. Then, when you are at long last rid of both your daughters, doubtless you shall find the peace and carefree solace you have always longed for."
"Indeed, the day cannot come soon enough for me," he said, stepping aside to let the tailor and his apprentices out the door. He wrinkled his nose as they passed and raised a small pomander on a gold link chain to his nose. The little golden ball was perforated, so that the scent within could escape and help mask offending odors. "Good evening, Elizabeth."
"Good evening, sir," she said, lowering her head, though not so much out of respect as to conceal her smile and barely-suppressed giggle at Catherine's face, which was perfectly mimicking her father's expression of distaste behind his back.
"I could just scream," said Catherine, after he had left and shut the door behind him. She rolled her eyes. "The way he goes on over this wedding, one would think he was out at the elbows."
" 'Tis a most elaborate and costly affair, though, you must admit," Elizabeth said. "Her Majesty's own tailor makes your wedding gown, a grand, costumed progress on the Thames is being planned, to say nothing of the players and the fair being held to commemorate the occasion… indeed, your father spares no expense."
"But do you think any of it is truly for
me?"
asked Catherine, as her tire woman helped her out of her large hooped, canvas and whalebone farthingale, which she had worn over a simple homespun long tunic for the fitting. "He does it all only for himself, so that all of London shall talk of nothing but the wedding of Godfrey Middleton's daughter. Such a spectacle! So grand! So fabulous! And to think what it must have cost him! That, my dear Lizzie, is the true object of this entire exercise."
"But everyone knows full well how rich your father is," Elizabeth replied, with a slight frown. "How does he profit by reminding them?"
" 'Tis not everyone he wishes to remind," said Catherine, as she removed her long tunic and was assisted into a simple kirtled skirt of marigold velvet accented with gold and silver embroidery. "Mind you, he wishes everyone to speak of this Olympian wedding festival for months on end, but only so that an important few may hear."
"But why?" Elizabeth asked.
"Well, you know, of course, that each year at about this time, the queen sets out upon her annual progress through the countryside," Catherine replied. "She takes a different route each time, one year moving with her entire court from Whitehall to Suffolk, then to Norfolk and from there, on to Cambridgeshire, perhaps. Another year, she will travel from Westminster to Sussex to Kent, or else to Northamptonshire, and then on to Warwickshire and Staffordshire… but each and every year, with never an exception, she begins her progress the same way. Her first stop is always at Green Oaks, where Sir William Worley entertains her lavishly. And each and every year, Elizabeth, at about this very time, my father nearly wears his teeth down to the gums for gnashing them because the queen has chosen to sleep beneath Sir William's roof instead of ours. He would do anything to have her stay at Harrow Hall, instead, even if 'twas only once, for once is all that it would take to vault him into the vaunted ranks of the queen's favorites. And once he can number himself amongst that exclusive company, he will have attained influence at court, prestige, and power, which is what he desires above all else. Meanwhile, what his daughter may desire concerns him least of all."
"I know only too well how
"Had you a sweeter and more amiable disposition, like your sister, you might have been married sooner, Kate," her father replied.
"Never fear, dear Father," Catherine said pleasantly, with only the barest trace of sarcasm in her voice, "I shall be married soon enough, and sweet and amiable Blanche will surely follow hard upon, for all the panting swains who trip over themselves to find her favor. Then, when you are at long last rid of both your daughters, doubtless you shall find the peace and carefree solace you have always longed for."
"Indeed, the day cannot come soon enough for me," he said, stepping aside to let the tailor and his apprentices out the door. He wrinkled his nose as they passed and raised a small pomander on a gold link chain to his nose. The little golden ball was perforated, so that the scent within could escape and help mask offending odors. "Good evening, Elizabeth."
"Good evening, sir," she said, lowering her head, though not so much out of respect as to conceal her smile and barely-suppressed giggle at Catherine's face, which was perfectly mimicking her father's expression of distaste behind his back.
"I could just scream," said Catherine, after he had left and shut the door behind him. She rolled her eyes. "The way he goes on over this wedding, one would think he was out at the elbows."
" 'Tis a most elaborate and costly affair, though, you must admit," Elizabeth said. "Her Majesty's own tailor makes your wedding gown, a grand, costumed progress on the Thames is being planned, to say nothing of the players and the fair being held to commemorate the occasion… indeed, your father spares no expense."
"But do you think any of it is truly for
me?"
asked Catherine, as her tire woman helped her out of her large hooped, canvas and whalebone farthingale, which she had worn over a simple homespun long tunic for the fitting. "He does it all only for himself, so that all of London shall talk of nothing but the wedding of Godfrey Middleton's daughter. Such a spectacle! So grand! So fabulous! And to think what it must have cost him! That, my dear Lizzie, is the true object of this entire exercise."
"But everyone knows full well how rich your father is," Elizabeth replied, with a slight frown. "How does he profit by reminding them?"
" 'Tis not everyone he wishes to remind," said Catherine, as she removed her long tunic and was assisted into a simple kirtled skirt of marigold velvet accented with gold and silver embroidery. "Mind you, he wishes everyone to speak of this Olympian wedding festival for months on end, but only so that an important few may hear."
"But why?" Elizabeth asked.
"Well, you know, of course, that each year at about this time, the queen sets out upon her annual progress through the countryside," Catherine replied. "She takes a different route each time, one year moving with her entire court from Whitehall to Suffolk, then to Norfolk and from there, on to Cambridgeshire, perhaps. Another year, she will travel from Westminster to Sussex to Kent, or else to Northamptonshire, and then on to Warwickshire and Staffordshire… but each and every year, with never an exception, she begins her progress the same way. Her first stop is always at Green Oaks, where Sir William Worley entertains her lavishly. And each and every year, Elizabeth, at about this very time, my father nearly wears his teeth down to the gums for gnashing them because the queen has chosen to sleep beneath Sir William's roof instead of ours. He would do anything to have her stay at Harrow Hall, instead, even if 'twas only once, for once is all that it would take to vault him into the vaunted ranks of the queen's favorites. And once he can number himself amongst that exclusive company, he will have attained influence at court, prestige, and power, which is what he desires above all else. Meanwhile, what his daughter may desire concerns him least of all."
"I know only too well how
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