Elizabeth Tudor- Ancestry of Sorcery Read online

  Of course, she saw herself as the magnificent Saint Mary who would grant me, the Protestant bastard, a book of hours so I might study and learn of my wickedness.

  Or perhaps she thought that the day of my birth was the perfect time to remind me that my mother was the cause for England’s break with Catholicism.

  Or worse, she might think that I was so uneducated and naive that a copy of the prayers translated from Latin to English would fascinate me, as if I did not already know Latin, or any other foreign tongue. I dare say I spoke French better than even she! She could at least have presented me with a challenge by translating them into Spanish, which I had only begun learning. That, at least, would be interesting. Not to mention it would be a gift befitting a giver so obsessed with her Spanish mother’s memory that she could think of nothing else.

  I tried very hard to not let any of this anger become apparent on my face, and instead of saying all that was in my mind, I took a slight breath in. “Thank you, Mary. How very thoughtful.”

  Kat must have been able to tell my feelings and spoke up at this point. “Should I ring for breakfast, my Lady?”

  I instantly replied, “I was thinking of eating in the hall today. I am hoping to glimpse Father before he leaves.” With that, I left the room, leaving the book with Kat.

  Several of Father’s party were there in the hall, lounging in groups as they chatted.

  I sat near the head table. To my left, and down a few places, sat Sir John Dudley and his son, John Jr. As Prudence filled a bowl of pottage for me, I overheard their conversation.

  “If we dispatch the French over the channel, storming Boulogne-sur-Mer could be quick, and the one bit of leverage we need to succeed. Besides, I feel like this is the time to make my move. The king knows that I am loyal and useful now. He will be pleased with our success.”

  John Dudley was a good enough man, but very ambitious, which seemed necessary, for he and his wife were always having children, and after most of his lands fell to the hands of his cousin, he had to vie for position. The details of that loss were privileged information and he had done a fantastic job of keeping them private—not a talent to be scoffed at.

  As I listened, the conversation got passionate, and tedious, so as soon as there was a lull, I quickly spoke up. “Sir, forgive me for the interference, but do you think my father the king a simpleton? He would never enter a war when the only justification is amusement.” I kept my face serious and instantly saw the man’s face pale.

  I was, of course, playing with him. Every monarch considered war an enjoyable pastime, albeit an expensive one. After making him and his son stumble over their words for several minutes, I smiled, gave up the act, and saw their sudden relief.

  “I am sorry to play with you,” I said to the elder. “I only felt the conversation a touch tense for the morning meal. I thought grownups left the serious conversation for when the children were not present.” I smiled merrily at him and he and his son laughed heartily at my joke.

  When they were finished the son said to the father, “Her humor and manner of delivery reminds me of someone. Can you guess who?”

  “No, I do not think I know,” the father said, looking at his son with surprise and a little hesitancy. I was sure he did not want his son to give offense to the daughter of the king.

  “Come now, Father. He is always saying things to shock us all.”

  “Oh yes!” He laughed again. “You mean Robert, of course.” He then looked to me and said, “I assure you, my Lady, my son pays you a compliment. He is saying that your wit is in the same company as that of my younger son, Robert. He is but a few years older than yourself, I believe. He was ten this June.”

  I nodded my head slightly, trying not to show my indecision of feeling, and took a small bite of my pottage. This man was comparing me to his son? How very odd. I must not have hidden my slight offence too well, for the father went on in a hurried manner.

  “What my son is saying is that Robert is always keeping us on our toes with his humor. He is a joy to have around. Pardon us, my Lady. I hope no offence was taken. If you could yourself meet Robert, you would understand what we are trying to convey.” I wanted to relieve the panic that was forming on his face, but my mouth had food in it and I was not sure what to say yet. After a few moments of fumbling, his face lit up and he said in a hurried tone. “I have an idea. You, my Lady, are living at Hatfield, correct?” I nodded again. “Let me bring Robert to meet you there. I will go and fetch him and be back to Hatfield before a fortnight has passed. You will be home by then and will have plenty of time to prepare to receive us.”

  I considered this for a moment. I was curious to meet this boy I had been compared to, so I said, “I am having a birthday celebration on the twenty-second. If you and your son would do me the honor of joining me for that occasion, I would be pleased.”

  His eyes lit up. “My Lady, you do us a great honor indeed.”

  This man was no fool. What member of court in his right mind would want to come to the birthday celebration of a nine-year-old bastardized daughter of the king?

  Still. he did not want to burn bridges. Very good of him. I was sure that many people would suddenly be overly obliging to me now that my relationship with Father was on the mend, just in case something came of it.

  “Very well, I will see you there and am looking forward to it.” I knew that my pottage was almost cold, so I ate the remainder of it as quickly as possible and left to tell Kat and Blanche all that I had schemed.

  September 1542

  Hatfield House, Hertfordshire

  The day that Robert and his father arrived, Kat received the strangest message. We were sitting in my favorite part of the garden, discussing the properties and medicinal uses of honey and the differences between a wasp and a bee, when Alice, a gardener’s wife, almost passed us by while about some task. She stopped abruptly and turned shyly back around to face us. I was watching her and not really listening, which always irritated Kat, so she stopped talking to look at Alice also. Because she was annoyed, she snapped a little at the poor woman, “What is it, Alice?”

  “Lady Katherine, I was just wondering if you, by chance, got the message that a man from Hertford Castle come here to see you while you and her majesty were at Pyrgo.”

  Kat’s shoulders relaxed, and her eyebrows wrinkled up as she replied, “No, Alice, I did not receive this message. Who, pray tell, was this man?”

  “Mr. William Dunsy, milady. He said that he is a cobbler at Hertford Castle, and the story he did tell…well it was mighty strange, milady. He said that several years back, a lady all veiled in black came to him in the dark of night asking a service. She gave him a box and a letter and said he was to deliver it to Lady Katherine Champernon on the seventh of September, but in the year fifteen hundred and forty-two.” Kat and I looked at one another in wonderment as Alice went on. “He was very excited to learn that you lived here but upset that you were not at home. I figured him upset because of the travel and he did not even get to deliver the box personally. But no, he said he could not leave it. He said that he would come back soon to try again.” She bit her bottom lip thoughtfully. “Oh yes, and he said that the woman paid him twenty gold pieces to complete the task for her and he has never seen her again, not that he would recognize her since her face was veiled and all, but you get my meaning.”

  Kat looked over to me. “Well, I must say that is very odd.”

  “Yes, very odd indeed,” I said thoughtfully. “And why would it be so important for it to be delivered on that day? That happens to be my birthday, as you well know. What an interesting coincidence.”

  Kat raised her eyebrows at me. “Of course, I saw that right away.”

  “When was this task asked of Mister Dunsy, Alice?” I asked incredulously.

  “He did not exactly say, milady. I have told you all I know. Now if it please you, I will get back to my work.”

  “Yes, yes, of course, and thank you, Alice,” I said gracio
usly, because Kat was too involved in her pondering to pay attention to such a politeness.

  The plump woman walked away, and after a few moments Kat finally started to talk.

  “I feel as if I remember the cobbler at Hertford. I believe he is the very man who made my square-heeled riding boots.”

  I knew the pair, but did not know where Kat had had them made. “I know that I am observant, Kat, but to remember a pair of your boots? Honestly!”

  Kat took one look at my face and knew I was playing with her. “You remember everything, my Lady. I know you would not let a pair of shoes escape your all-seeing eye.” She smiled at me as she teased me back, but then her eyes became unfocused as she pondered. She said aloud to herself, “If you do not recall the situation then you must not have been there. Well, that narrows it down a bit. When have I been to Hertford without you?” She continued to think, and her face lit up again, “I have not been without you since I took this charge. I do not think I can recall a single day completely out of your presence.”

  I had been thinking also and had to agree with her. Since my late nursemaid, Lady Bryan, left to take care of my brother, Edward, Kat had spent almost every moment with me.

  “It had to have been over five years ago. I cannot think of a single reason that man, if he is the same one, would have any cause for contacting me—and in such a cryptic way.” She squinted her eyes in deep thought for a moment and then shook her head with annoyance. “What a story. Some woman came to him with a gift. Pah! What is he playing at?”

  “It could be he is telling the truth.” She regarded me with uncertainty and I instantly understood her defensiveness, so I went about reassuring her. “Kat, I do not believe that you asked some poor cobbler to meet you here for a lovers’ foray. It would be too elaborate a plan, and what a faithful man to wait five years to come to you.” I paused and assessed her face before making light of the situation. “A man such as that does not exist in England, but if you have found one and if he is handsome and not so very poor, I will have to give you my leave to marry him, for I doubt God made two such men.”

  Kat laughed at me and blushed as she always did when the subject of marriage was introduced. I did not understand why men would not see to it that this sweet lady be married. Kat was nearing forty and had never been asked. There must be some man to do the job. I could find few faults with her, and she possessed, from what I had heard, the greatest asset a man could desire: chastity.

  Just then, we heard people talking rather loudly. Turning, we saw John Dudley and his son, presumably, coming up the lawn from the house. I’d had Blanche tell them it was my study time and thus they would have to wait until I was finished to be presented. Obviously, that was not satisfactory, for here they were, traipsing across the grounds to see me.

  As they got closer, the first thing I noticed was that Robert had a very playful walk, sort of like he was trying too hard to look like an expert swordsman with slinky gait and sinewy movements. He almost pulled it off.

  “He must practice that often,” I said quietly to myself.

  Kat looked over to me, smiled mischievously, and whispered, “His walk?”

  I nodded my head ever so slightly and we both held back smiles.

  From this distance, I could not quite see the details of his face. His hat was low and large and distracted my eye. I saw dark brown hair and a smile. He wore fashionable clothes and I thought he might be slightly shorter than me.

  A butterfly landed on my shoulder and took my focus away from the approaching men. I carefully watched it flutter its wings about and extend its proboscis, testing my vivid blue dress. As I was about to try and transfer the insect to my finger, a hand gently maneuvered it off my shoulder. Annoyed, I looked up at the intruder.

  It was Robert Dudley.

  Hat gone, his brown waves of hair framed a symmetrically oval face. A perfectly straight nose blended into a pair of full lips which, as he looked from my face to the butterfly on his finger, parted into a gloriously uncrowded smile. His cheeks were still smooth and boyish, and they matched his expression.

  When our eyes met, I did not remember how to speak. His eyes…they were glorious. Bright and wise and merry. My breath came faster, and I could not stop myself from blinking foolishly.

  As soon as I realized what was happening, blood rushed to my cheeks and I quickly turned toward his father, who was watching me closely. Trying for a bit of composure, I said, “Would you be so kind as to introduce me to your son, Sir John?” It came out quite breathy.

  “Yes, of course, my Lady.” He cleared his throat formally. “Lady Elizabeth, this is my son, Robert Dudley. Robert, this is Lady Elizabeth.” I have no idea how I did it, but I stayed erect as Robert bent and lightly kissed my outstretched hand. I could not say a thing to this boy, for, in this moment, I would sound like a complete idiot.

  Thankfully, I did not have to say anything, for he started to talk. “My Lady, you do the roses in this garden an injustice! How are they supposed to carry on with their job of beautifying God's earth when the crown of his creation walks by them daily?” Inspired by my blush and breath, no doubt, he impertinently leaned over and kissed my hand yet again. “Who would look at a rose when Elizabeth is near?”

  John laughed. “You see, my Lady? He is a regular riot.”

  I did not laugh.

  I only breathed and wished he would kiss my hand again.

  Episode 4

  September 1542

  Hatfield House, Hertfordshire

  Kat was obsessed. The identity of the man with the message was making her mad. It was all she could talk about or think of. Excepting a few quiet comments about Robert’s handsomeness, and what a fool I’d made of myself in response to his ridiculous compliments, she kept up a constant dialogue about the strange message she had received from Alice.

  “I wonder if the veiled woman was someone whom I have wronged and she is sending me some sort of curse.”

  I had stopped commenting on her absurd ideas and took to pretending to listen to her, while I thought of other things.

  Robert.

  I had never really noticed a boy before—well, not in the same way that I had noticed Robert, but I supposed that I had never met someone that appealed to me as much as he did. He had everything I considered beautiful in one face. Still, the only thing I knew about attraction was that it came before love, and all I knew of love was that it could come and go as easily as a head could be taken off.

  Kat was in the middle of another theory when I cleared my throat and said, “Kat, I have an idea. Why not go to Hertford today and hunt the man down? It is but eight miles. We ride that distance easily when we take the horses out. Go, take Larken and Henry, the gardener’s son. He will serve as an escort. I will have Blanche to look after me, so you can be away for two or three days and no one will miss you—least of all me.” I smiled slyly at her. I would not miss her if this was all she talked of.

  Kat looked absolutely uncertain.

  “I will have Master Parry give you pocket money so that you can eat well, and a letter so that you can stay in the castle. Come now, Kat, you know that I will not hear the end of it until you find out.”

  Finally, she acquiesced. “I will discuss it with Master Parry, if you are certain.”

  It was decided she would leave before the midday meal and be home before that same meal day after next. When she finished dressing me, and we had our breakfast, it was study time. I preferred to do this outside on nice days. However, when Kat and I came out of my rooms, Robert was leaning against the rather ornate tapestry of a hunting expedition that faced my doors. He wore casual white linen and held a fishing pole in the crook of his arm.

  “Would the ladies like to go fishing this morning?” he asked cheerfully.

  I looked at Kat, assessing her mood while I spoke. “I have studies to attend to, Robert.” I knew it was rude to not look at him as I spoke, but I did not want to chance making a fool of myself again. When I peeked quickl
y at him, he looked disappointed, so I sighed and stared down the hall. “Come on, then,” I said to both as I swept past them. My mind continued working up a scheme as we walked. “Robert, you could join us for studies this morning. We will only work until ten o’clock, and then Kat must get ready for a little trip she is taking.” At this, I turned to look at her. She was glancing sideways at Robert with a look of uncertainty on her face. I continued in a hurry. “Blanche is busy with plans for my birthday dinner, but she will be in the kitchen most of the morning. The lake is visible from there, so yes, Robert, after studies I will go down to the lake with you for a little fishing expedition.”

  I smiled, as he laughed and said, “Fantastic!”

  I considered the morning as I sat brushing my hair.

  Studies went particularly well, I felt. Robert and I both felt the need to show off, so as not to be outdone by the other. The problem was I was far more educated and, hard as it was for me to accept, he was more intelligent. He figured the problems out faster than me, but I always had the right answers to the questions. School had never been so much fun. I told him that a little competition had improved my lessons dramatically and insisted that he visit every day he could. He agreed with eagerness, but I could tell that Kat was worn out by the time we were finished.

  I pulled the brush through my hair one last time and smoothed my plain linen skirt. I wanted to throw on my prettiest dress and have my hair tied back. “Not for fishing!” I told myself again.

  As I exited my room, Robert’s hand came out of nowhere and began dragging me down the hall. We ran as fast as we could, skidding around corners and almost sliding into furniture. Not wanting to seem too slow or not up to the task, I sped up, so he did not have to pull me.