The Highwayman (30 page)

“Your Majesty, I feel responsible for bringing this man into your presence and causing this disturbance. Please allow me to apologize and make amends,” Alex said.

Elizabeth regarded her thoughtfully. “This man is your servant, Lady Selby. What would you have me do with him?”

Alex took a deep breath. “If he was taken unlawfully, as he says and Captain Markham does not deny, perhaps you should let him go.”

“And give that example to every beggar who’s planning to jump ship in the next port?” Markham yelled. “Your Majesty, I beg you, refrain from doing so severe an injury to your navy and to me.”

“Perhaps if you treated my sailors better they would not be induced to flee at their earliest opportunity to do so, Captain Markham,” Elizabeth snapped.

Markham subsided prudently as they all waited for the queen’s decision.

“Take him away,” she finally said. “Detain him at Ludgate whilst I bethink myself on the subject.”

Alex watched helplessly as Burke was marched out of the room between two uniformed guards.

“Now, Captain Markham, if we can avoid any further theatricals, I am ready to receive your report,” Elizabeth said, drumming her fingers on the carved arm of her throne.

Alex cast one stricken glance at Mary Howard and then looked away, afraid that the other courtiers would notice her distress.

The doors of the presence chamber opened and closed as Burke was taken away.

* * * *

“Can you believe the miserable mischance that brought Burke together with that naval captain on the very same day?” Alex said to Mary Howard later, when they were alone. “I find it hard to keep my courage up when luck moves against us at every turn!”

“The bad luck was in Burke showing up here,”

Mary replied. “Captain Markham has been at court for over a month. It could have been any day during that time.”

“Oh, why did I let Burke come with me?” Alex moaned. “I knew in my bones that it was an ill-bethought scheme, but I could not endure to leave him again.”

The two women were supposed to be airing the queen’s summer clothes, but the rich garments lay piled about them on the canopied bed and other furniture in the privy chamber as they discussed Burke’s plight.

“Best to leave off these recriminations and think how to get him out of jail,” Mary said.

“I’m going to ask the queen’s permission to visit him.”

“Do you think that’s wise? You should be wary of showing too much interest in him. He’s supposed to be a servant, after all.”

“I have to talk to him, find out what he wants me to do. If I act without his knowledge, he may thwart my efforts, thinking to protect me or to pursue some other plan of his own.”

“Pray tell him not to attempt flight, it will only worsen his case. Even if he got away, he would be a fugitive forever more.”

“Try explaining that to him,” Alex said. “I’m certain he’s planning his escape right now, and that’s one reason why I must get to him quickly.”

Mary sighed. “You should catch the queen early in the day, when she is in a good humor. Once the council sessions start...” She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“Maybe tomorrow morning, after breakfast.”

“Not tomorrow,” Mary said. “Lady Essex is coming to plead her husband’s case. It will not be a good day.”

“He’s not still at Grafton?” Essex had formerly been placed under house arrest at the Oxfordshire house of his uncle, Sir William Knollys.

“No, but the queen will not hear his name spoken. She flies into a rage or falls mutinously silent if any so much as mention him.”

“Is there any chance for him?”

Mary shrugged. “When Lady Rich wrote the queen a letter pleading for her brother, the queen placed her under house arrest, too.”

“Oh, no,” Alex said. What chance did an Irish deserter stand if the queen’s one-time favorite could tumble into such a pit?

“What are you thinking?”

“Maybe I could tell Her Majesty the truth, throw myself upon her mercy.”

Mary stared at her in horror.

“She likes me,” Alex said. “You’ve said as much yourself.”

“Alex, you’ve taken leave of your senses. Don’t even consider it.”

“I may have no choice.”

“Have you forgotten that less than a year ago Burke was fighting Her Majesty’s forces in Ireland? Right now she thinks he’s a mistreated, albeit miscreant, sailor, and he’s already in Ludgate. Can you imagine what might happen if she finds out he was one of those men who forced Essex to a truce, a truce she abhors and which resulted in Devereaux’s disgrace?”

“She might admire Burke’s courage.”

Mary closed her eyes.

“All right,” Alex said, “don’t disturb yourself on that account, I’m getting ahead of myself in any event. I must make suit to see him first.”

“Wait a goodly time after Lady Essex visits. I’m told she’s bringing the child, Frances, in hope that seeing the babe will soften Her Majesty’s heart toward its father.”

“That may not have the exact result Lady Essex anticipates.”

Mary nodded. A crying, fretful child would not help the Essex cause at all.

“Three days. I’ll wait three days,” Alex said.

Mary picked up a silken ruff and shook it out firmly, examining it for wear.

Alex followed suit, and her hands became busy while her mind wandered elsewhere.

* * * *

“Your Majesty, I crave a boon of you,” Alex said as she removed Elizabeth’s breakfast tray. The old lady was still in her dressing gown, but fresh and seemingly well favored at the beginning of the day.

“What is it?” the queen said.

Alex exchanged a glance with Mary, who was laying out the queen’s clothes for the morning. Alex put down the tray and moved a step closer to the queen.

“I would have your permission to visit my servant, the man who was taken into custody on Captain Markham’s testimony of desertion.”

“Why do you wish to see him?”

“I would make certain that he is well treated,” Alex said, and then regretted it.

The queen looked at her with one eyebrow raised. “Think you that my prisons are charnel houses?”

“Certainly not, Your Majesty,” Alex said hastily. “I merely wish to inquire if I can be of any service in his case. My estate manager set great store by the man’s services and would be extremely sorry to lose him.”

“And you, Lady Selby?” the queen asked. “Would you be sorry to lose him?”

Alex looked back at her, unable to reply. Was it possible that the old lady, intuitive as she was, suspected Alex’s true relationship with Burke?

“He’s very decorative, is he not?” the queen asked.

Alex looked at Mary, who looked alarmed. “I... why, I suppose so, Your Majesty,” Alex said.

“I myself once had a most decorative horsemaster. Have you ever heard tell of him?”

Both Alex and Mary froze.

Alex decided that honesty would be the best tactic. “Yes, Your Majesty. You are referring to Robert Dudley, the earl of Leicester.”

The old lady nodded slowly. “Dead these twelve years. It is a fearful thing to outlive all those you love, Lady Selby. Life becomes a lonely place.”

Alex said nothing.

“For I did love him,” the queen went on, “so much that I raised him high and thus gave others reason to attach scandal to my name. When Robin’s first wife died, Mary of Scots was heard to say, ‘The queen of England is about to marry her horsemaster, who has murdered his wife to make room for her.’”

Alex listened silently, touched to see the old lady’s eyes fill with tears.

“Pretty Amy fell down a flight of stairs and broke her neck,” the queen continued. “She’d been ill, and the inquest deemed it an accident, but since Robin was my chosen cavalier many thought I had wished him free and so contrived at Amy’s death.”

“No, Your Majesty,” Alex said.

“Oh, yes. I had to send him right away, and I missed him sorely. I was at his wedding, of course you would not know that. As a young princess I danced to enhance his marital joy but was later accused of ending it.”

Alex didn’t know what to say.

“I did love him,” the queen repeated softly. She blinked rapidly and raised her head. “Go and see your horsemaster, Lady Selby. I will send word for the guard to admit you this afternoon.”

Alex curtsied deeply and left the room speedily, taking the tray with her.

* * * *

The prison at Ludgate was used for petty criminals, debtors and such, and for detainees in transition whose cases had not yet been settled. Burke fell into the latter category. So far he had been charged with nothing, but he was being held while the queen decided whether his behavior merited prosecution.

“Why didn’t you ask the queen if she was planning to let Burke go?” Mary Howard inquired breathlessly, panting from the climb up the hill as the two women entered the stone building, passing armed guards at the door.

“It’s too soon to press his case. I have to proceed slowly with her, let her think that leniency is her own idea.”

“She’s not that easily led, don’t underestimate her,” Mary said. “And don’t forget how rapidly she changes suits. She’s of one mind on Sunday and another on Monday.”

“Yes, I know.”

They halted at the warder’s desk, where Alex showed a pass from the queen’s lord chamberlain. Mary was detained in the corridor while an attendant took Alex into an anteroom containing a table and several chairs. She waited a short time and then Burke, his wrists manacled together, was led inside. The guard shoved him forward and then took up a position in the corner.

“Her Majesty did promise me privacy for this interview,” Alex said to him, stretching the truth.

The guard shrugged. “I’ll be right outside the door, miss,” he said, and went out, closing the door behind him.

“How are you?” Alex said to Burke, who was surveying her expressionlessly.

“Grand, considering I’m back behind bars again.”

“You must admit that this place is an improvement over Carberry’s dungeon.”

“Are you saying I should be happy here?”

“I’ll get you out.”

He snorted. “And how do you propose doing that?”

“I’m working on it.”

“How?”

“With the queen.”

He shook his head. “Alex, abandon this cause. Abandon me. Isn’t it clear by now that you were right? We aren’t meant to be together. I was planning to leave you at Whitehall and go back home. Just pretend I’ve done that and leave off this visiting.” He looked away. “It won’t help me to forget you.”

“I don’t want you to forget me.”

“Do you want me pining, is that it?”

“I want you free.”

“Some hopes.”

“Are you giving up?”

“I’m giving in, Alex—to fate, to the will of your vengeful English God, whatever it is that has the scales so weighted against us, and against me.”

“I’ve never heard you talk like this.”

“Are you surprised that I’ve finally had enough?”

“But you don’t know what the queen will do!”

He threw up his hands. “I deserted from her navy, Alex, the pride of England, the reason for the victory against the Armada. She’s not going to forgive that.”

“She didn’t like the story of how you were taken on board. She might yet be influenced.”

“You heard Markham. They must make an example of deserters, else they’ll be knee deep in them.”

“Just bide your time here and let me try.”

“I don’t want you to risk your position with the queen, your future and that of my son, in annoying her by pleading for me.”

“She was not annoyed when I asked to see you. She expected me to take a hand in your case. She interests herself in the problems of her loyal servants. Why should I be different?”

“Her sympathy would vanish if she knew our true situation.”

“I’m not so sure of that,” Alex said softly.

He lifted his chin. “Why do you say so?”

“She was once in love with someone she couldn’t have.”

“But what of all those tales you told me about her harsh treatment of those guilty of indiscretions?”

“Those tales are true.”

“Then you are dreaming. As I said before, think of yourself and the child, and relinquish all efforts on my behalf.”

Alex rose. “I see that you are in no mood to listen to my counsel. I will be back as soon as I am given leave to visit you.”

“It would be easier for me if you did not return,” he said.

“Will you refuse to see me?” Alex demanded, putting up a brave front. Inside, she was quaking. She had never seen Burke so hopeless.

He smiled slightly. “I don’t think I could ever do that.”

“Then look for me.”

“Always,” he replied, and Alex felt a little surge of encouragement as she left the room.

“Everything all right, miss?” the guard asked her politely as she passed.