The Queen's Lady (24 page)

Not yet convinced, Montfleury toyed with the pips on the edge of his plate, moving them around with his fingertip like counters.

James poured himself a glass of wine. ‘You do realize that Jane is quite independent of her father as to what she does with her fortune? Her last husband saw to that. Now I have returned, and her opposition to the betrothal has firmed with my support, she will not bend to your browbeating any longer. We will even defy the Queen if we must and leave the country, but that would be a shame for all parties as we take her fortune with us. Face it, Montfleury, you are going to lose her in any case. Why not salvage what you can? If you follow my advice, you can carry on with your preferred manner of living, without the encumbrance of a wife; you’ll prosper in your business and return home in triumph.’

Montfleury brushed the crumbs of his meal from his sleeve. ‘All right.’

‘All right what?’

‘You have convinced me.’ His gaze lingered provocatively on James’s face. ‘I do not want the girl and you do – that is very clear. We will break the betrothal agreement together so neither party can be sued for breach of promise.’

‘A good point. I had not thought of that.’

Montfleury smiled with condescension at the younger man, letting his admiration for the courage and attraction to his charms show in his expression. ‘You can be assured of my friendship, Monsieur Lacey.’

His fishing trip was spoiled by a dig in the ribs from Silas. ‘Enough of that, man; he’s about to be married and doesn’t share your particular tastes.’

Montfleury gave a philosophical shrug. ‘It was worth a try. There are always those that do, even if they keep it hidden.’ He now turned his assessment on to Silas, making the normally indomitable man blush.

‘Gads, man! And neither do I!’ Silas leapt to his feet, tugging at his collar.

The Frenchman raised his glass to them both. ‘I had guessed – you are both so very strait-laced and proper, but you must allow me to tease.
Eh bien
, I will summon my lawyer and see to the documents.’

James glanced out at the darkening streets. ‘I should return to Jane. We can wait until the morrow.’

‘No need. It will not take long for he is here.’

The third man in the chamber, who had up till now remained silent, brushed the girl from his lap and got up to make a clumsy bow to the visitors, at a disadvantage without his trunk hose. Only now did they perceive he was sitting on the black-satin-edged robes of a clerk.

Silas and James exchanged a look, then gave in to their laughter. Montfleury joined them; more reluctantly so did the man of law.

‘Allow me to introduce Master Wriothesley. Come, let us settle this matter. Landlord, more wine for my guests,’ bellowed Montfleury, banging a pewter tankard on the table. ‘We have a broken betrothal to celebrate.’

23

Durham House

Milly could not believe her good fortune. Her father had arrived at Durham House with James, his mind already made up to bless her union with Diego. She had anticipated many more months of arguments and pleading; instead, he had kissed her kindly, shaken Diego’s hand and asked them what they were waiting for. It left her speechless – not a common state for her.

‘How much do you ask for your daughter, sir?’ Diego asked seriously as Jane and James retired to the other end of the chamber to give them privacy for their negotiations.

Silas groaned. ‘Not that again, lad! You’ve got it all wrong – I am supposed to give you a dowry to go with her.’

‘But I would honour her by presenting you with coin for very many cattle.’

‘And I refuse. I intend to settle two hundred pounds on her.’

Milly put her hands on her hips and glared at both her menfolk. ‘I am here you know.’

‘She’s regained her voice,’ observed Silas to Diego.

‘Aye, I did not expect that miracle to last long.’

‘You,’ she poked her father in the chest, ‘cannot afford to give up your savings but if you wish to invest them in my business, then you are welcome. And you …’ Diego’s breast was the next to receive the dig from her index finger, ‘will need your coin to set up your fencing school, not to mention buy yourself a decent horse so you can lay believable claim to being a riding master.’

Silas turned to Diego with renewed interest. ‘Thinking of teaching the skills of the sword and saddle to the gentlemen at court?’

‘It is one plan,’ Diego admitted. ‘My master supports the idea.’

Silas grinned. ‘Then I think I know where I want to invest Milly’s dowry. I’m more suited to take an interest in your enterprise than in her fancy furbelows.’ He held out a hand. ‘Need a partner, lad?’

Diego shook his palm and grinned. ‘Aye, sir.’

‘When I get booted out of the army, I think my skills might be of use to you. You’ll want some old-fashioned sword work as well as your fancy Italian rapier-and-dagger flummery.’

‘Indeed I will.’

Silas scratched his cheek. ‘There’s a place over in Southwark that might work – near enough to the Queen’s palaces but outside the city boundaries.’

On her feet, Milly batted both men again to get their attention. ‘Before you two start hiring fencing halls, can we settle the little matter of
my wedding
?’

Diego pulled her down on to his knee and kissed her.

‘Enough of that, lad,’ said Silas, shading his eyes, ‘you’re not married yet.’

‘Then let us have a handfasting this night and marry after the banns can be read,’ suggested Diego. ‘In my village we would not wait once the father has agreed the price.’

Milly’s cheeks flushed. ‘This night? So soon?’

‘Aye, why wait?’

Silas nodded and pushed back from the table. ‘My lady, Master Lacey, our turtle doves here want to exchange their promises. Will you stand witness, Lady Jane? And Master Lacey, will you preside?’

James brought Jane forward, her arm linked in his. ‘It will be our pleasure.’

Diego took Milly’s hand and raised her to her feet. They stood facing each other in front of the fireplace, James between them, Jane and Silas standing behind Milly giving her their support.

James took the right hand of each. ‘I know not the words for such a ceremony, certainly no fine ones, so I will keep this plain and simple. Diego, do you swear you will love this woman all your life, protect and cherish her, be faithful to her?’

‘I will.’

Milly’s eyes filled with tears as he gazed lovingly down at her.

‘Millicent Porter, do you swear you will love this undeserving knave, Diego, for the rest of your life, keep him from harm as much as you are able, and be faithful unto him?’

‘Yes, oh, yes!’

James smiled broadly at her enthusiasm and joined their hands, wrapping both of his round to press them tightly together. ‘Then, God bless you both. Congratulations, Diego, and good luck, Mistress Milly.’

Diego swooped on his handfasted bride and kissed her. When they broke apart, Milly frowned.

‘What is the matter, sweetheart?’ Diego asked.

‘You have no surname. What am I to be called?’

He laughed and kissed her wrinkled brow. ‘What foolish things worry you English.’

Silas stepped forward and clapped his hand on Diego’s shoulder. ‘Here, I’ll adopt you lad. Milly, you stay a Porter; we’ll just bring him into our family.’

‘Very neat,’ agreed Jane. ‘And you won’t even have to change the initials on your handkerchiefs.’

James enfolded Jane in his arms and bent her back a little so he could look in her face. ‘But you, love, will you be happy to alter the stitching on yours to J. L.?’

Jane nodded her head shyly. ‘If the Queen allows.’

They all knew the Queen was unpredictable in her moods and took a strong dislike to any of her ladies marrying so that was by no means a certainty.

‘And if she refuses? What think you of turning colonizer and going to Roanoke with Ralegh’s settlers?’

Milly thought Jane would be about as useful in a new colony as an ermine cloak in the tropics – an estimate of her abilities with which Jane evidently agreed because she did not look thrilled by the prospect James offered her.

‘I want to be with you whatever the cost,’ Jane admitted, a frown wrinkling her brow, ‘but I pray it does not come to that.’

James kissed her hands. ‘So do I.’

Diego nudged him from behind. ‘Admit it, sir: you are not so very opposed to the idea. You would rather enjoy seeing your lady adopt local customs, style of dress and so forth.’

Now it was James’s turn to look uncomfortable. ‘Diego, hold your peace.’

And though, later that night, Milly tried to winkle out of Diego what exactly he meant by that remark, he remained stubbornly silent about which local customs he had in mind and distracted her instead with a kiss.

Whitehall Palace

After a week’s recovery, which had given her plenty of time for reflection as she read and reread James’s letters, finding each one a balm soothing the sore places in her heart, Jane decided it was time she took matters into her own hands. She had the assurance of his love in written form to give her strength; with that behind her, surely nothing could defeat her? Thanks to James, she had Montfleury’s agreement to end the betrothal with no blame on either side; Jonas had made sure she was financially independent of her father so she need not fear her father and brother as long as she married quickly before they had time to move against her. Men had helped her to this point but England was in the power of a woman, and Jane’s future was going to be decided within this feminine sphere: only with the Queen’s approval, would her path be clear. James, bless him, in his renewed vigour to be her champion, did not understand this; he was still discussing at length with his elder brother how to gain agreement to the match, talking dynastic considerations and other such masculine perspectives. But Ellie and Milly knew: they agreed with her that a female touch was now needed; the Queen should be approached as a woman as well as a monarch – a tricky assignment. Without alerting the Lacey brothers to their risky move, Jane had conferred with her friends to prepare for her gamble, leading up to this morning’s visit to the royal apartments.

Knowing how Her Majesty hated her ladies taking advantage of their position, Jane had never as yet used her appointment so close to the sovereign’s own person to further her personal ambitions. Today she was going to make an exception.

Mistress Parry emerged from the bedchamber to select the Queen’s jewels for her first engagement. Twisting the Rievaulx ring for luck, Jane dipped into the bedchamber and curtsied by the door. Elizabeth, seated by the window with two attendants putting the final touches to her elaborate headdress, looked up. Her pale skin was almost translucent in the bright light – a ghost inhabiting the regalia of the queen.

‘Lady Rievaulx, I am pleased to see you have recovered. Approach.’

Jane took five more paces across the room, curtsied again as was customary, then closed the distance until she knelt at Elizabeth’s feet.

‘You are well?’

‘Yes, thank you, Your Majesty.’

The air smelt of a heavy flower scent. The sovereign prized cleanliness, bathing regularly and using the finest perfumes. On a table at her right hand lay the cosmetics the Queen used to deaden her skin to the spectre-white she favoured. The pallor made a striking contrast to her curled wig of red curls threaded with gold and silver locks. From a distance, Elizabeth remained an imposing figure; close to, it was hard not to notice the spider’s web of lines on her skin and the signs of age around her increasingly scrawny neck. No longer beautiful, she was still Gloriana. Jane admired her mistress’s determination to maintain her image; all the ladies understood that on it depended the strength of Elizabeth’s hold over the fickle men of her court, and by extension over the country. It was the ladies’ secret and their privilege to ensure she was never seen in less than resplendent form.

‘You missed your wedding day.’ The Queen’s lips crooked into a smile. ‘I see you are devastated.’

‘It proved to be a fortunate delay, Your Majesty, as it gave my Lord Montfleury and I a period for reflection.’ Jane’s heart thumped as if she had just run up seven flights of stairs and she struggled to control the nervous trembling of her hands.

Elizabeth waved a finger, inviting her to explain.

Jane cleared her throat. ‘After the impetuous haste with which we rushed into the betrothal, we realized we would not suit. We have parted on good terms.’

The Queen motioned Mistress Parry to approach with her burden of rings and necklaces. ‘This is the second time you have been party to a broken betrothal, Lady Rievaulx. I do not like my ladies to blacken their names with such bedroom sports. The marriage should proceed.’

‘There was no bedroom sport, madam, a mere misunderstanding on the part of an overly anxious father.’

Elizabeth held a diamond up to the light. ‘But appearances are everything for a woman.’

‘I agree with your opinion on the matter, Your Majesty. Which is why I do not think it wise for me to remain single for long. I would like to put myself above reproach.’

Elizabeth cast the diamond back into the casket. ‘Lady Rievaulx, I am not a fool. You have something to ask.’

Jane feared she might faint with the fearful risk she was about to take. The Queen might request plain speaking but she rarely liked it when someone dared to comply. ‘My first desire is to serve Your Majesty,’ Jane began.

Elizabeth inclined her head, accepting the obedience as her due.

‘But I also wish to marry James Lacey, brother to the Earl of Dorset.’

The Queen frowned, attempting to recall the face of one of the many gentlemen that thronged her palace corridors.

‘He is recently returned from America,’ prompted Jane.

‘Ah yes, Ralegh spoke of him favourably. This would be a brilliant match for him, would it not? Your fortune is substantial.’

‘But he deserves greatness. I believe you would find him a faithful servant to Your Majesty. My fortune could not be better spent than raising a worthy man in your service.’

The Queen stroked a string of pearls, famous for having belonged to her rival, the imprisoned Mary Queen of Scots. In this kingdom, most things eventually became Elizabeth’s, except love and marriage – sweet fruits she dare not taste. But would she allow such happiness to befall another? ‘You were once betrothed to his brother.’

‘The Earl and Countess of Dorset are my very good friends, Your Majesty, and fully support this match.’

‘I do not doubt it, or you would not dare speak of it but go marry hugger-mugger and then pray for pardon as others have done. I detest such subterfuge.’

Jane knew it well. The Tower had many guests who had offended the Queen in this manner. ‘I have no wish to go behind Your Majesty’s back in that way. I speak to you as your faithful servant, begging that you will grant me this wish so I can serve you even more loyally in the future.’

‘You do not intend to ask leave to withdraw from court?’ She chose a ruby hairpin from the jewellery box and handed it to Mistress Parry. ‘I do so hate disturbances in my household.’

Humbly, Jane shook her head. ‘No, madam. My marriage would allow me to stay. Montfleury had intended to take me away so I dare to hope that you will think that this arrangement is far more preferable.’

The Queen’s silence was painful: her future lay in the balance as Elizabeth ran her fingers over the perfectly matched pearls of the necklace.

‘Your father?’

‘I hope to persuade him that this connection is to our advantage once he has reconciled himself to the loss of Montfleury as son-in-law. I comfort myself with the thought that he once sought an alliance with the Laceys.’

The Queen smiled. ‘Well argued, Marchioness Rievaulx. I never did favour your father – too dismissive of our sex for my taste. And as for the Frenchman, he was not a convincing lover, was he?’

The tension in Jane slowly shifted to relief as she sensed the Queen swing her way. ‘No, madam, I do not think it would have been congenial for either party.’

The Queen snapped her fingers. ‘The diamond-and-pearl brooch, Blanche. I am seeing the Venetian ambassador and it was his present to me at New Year.’

Jane remained kneeling, waiting for the verdict which she knew was coming.

‘We have many demands on our time this day. Ladies, you will be required to attend me in the council chamber.’ The Queen stood, accepting a mantle of fine gold cloth. ‘Lady Rievaulx, why are you still there?’

‘Your Majesty?’

‘I would have thought you of all my ladies have no time to dawdle. Not only do I require your presence at the Privy Council meeting – wear the ivory satin, it is very becoming – but you also have a wedding to arrange, do you not?’ Elizabeth swept out, followed by her train-bearer.

Blanche Parry paused to kiss Jane on the top of the head. ‘Well done, my dear. Now I think you can be spared an hour to go tell your young man the good news.’