Queen of This Realm - Plaidy Jean - Страница 23

“That is what my master thinks you should do, my lady.”

As soon as he had gone I went to bed, and sure enough later that day Northumberland's messenger arrived. He begged to see me at once and was told that I was sick. I sent Kat down to see what he had to say.

She returned breathless. “The Duke of Northumberland sends hastily to you. The King is grievously sick and wishes to see you.”

I thought to myself: Edward is already dead. Oh, William Cecil you are a very good friend to me.

Kat returned to tell the messenger that I was much too ill myself to leave my bed but as soon as I was well enough I should go to my brother.

That had to satisfy him for the time.

Kat came back to me a little reproachfully. “The King has been a good brother to you, my lady.”

“Indeed he was.”

“And what is this sudden sickness?”

“An attack of wisdom, Kat. Northumberland wants me in the Tower. He knows the people will not easily accept Jane Grey.”

Kat was bewildered, but I told her what I knew, so that we could talk together.

A few days later, the news was released.

The King was dead, and before he had died, since both of his sisters were declared bastards, he had named Lady Jane Grey heir to the throne. For that reason the Duke of Northumberland, following the King's wishes, had proclaimed Lady Jane Queen of England.

Even though I had been expecting this, it was hard to believe it. How dared Northumberland! John Dudley was a bold man, I knew, but this was madness. He had made Jane his daughter-in-law with this in mind, of course, but the country would never accept this flouting of the natural laws of succession. I would be ready to swear that my sister Mary was already gathering forces to take the crown. But… which way would the battle go? So much depended on the people. Mary was the rightful heir but did the people want an ardent Catholic? Mary had right on her side, but Northumberland was a very powerful man.

The country was aghast. I heard that many believed that the great storm which had thundered while the King lay dying was an indication of God's wrath because the wishes of King Henry VIII had been set aside and his daughters disinherited for the sake of his sister's granddaughter.

Would the people accept the violation of the law?

But, to my outrage, the fact remained that Lady Jane Grey had been proclaimed Queen of England.

I WAS RIGHT when I had thought the country would never accept this flagrant violation of the rights of succession. Men flocked to Mary's banner and deserted that of Northumberland. Within a week or so the Duke and Jane Grey, Guildford Dudley with her, were in the Tower. My sister Mary was proclaimed Queen of England. Poor Jane, she had never wanted to be Queen; she had even had to be beaten into submission before she would agree to marry Guildford Dudley, and I heard that she had fainted when they had told her that she was the Queen. She was not yet seventeen and had never been ambitious; she was merely the tool of power-seeking men. I was very sorry for her. She had been ensconced in the White Tower, living with the state of a queen awaiting her coronation, and straight from there was taken to the House of the Lieutenant of the Tower, there to await the axe. Guildford was sent to Beauchamp Tower with his brothers. I thought fleetingly of Robert and supposed this would be the end of him. He must have been fighting with his father when he was captured. I was sorry; he had been an interesting boy and I had noticed him from the first. I remembered now how something had been said about marriage and I had replied very firmly: “I have no intention of marrying… ever …” which had made him laugh and tell me I was only a girl and would change my mind later. Strange that I should remember that. I supposed it was because he was now a prisoner in the Tower destined for imminent death. The Tower, where my beautiful mother had lost her head! I had felt this sadness at the time of Katharine Howard's death, and I thought again now how close the axe was to us all. And perhaps a little nearer to some than others!

I should have to be even more wary. I was only one step from the throne now and Mary was not exactly a robust lady, nor was she very young. She would have to be quick if she were going to produce an heir to the throne. And if she did not…I could grow dizzy contemplating the prospect. But none knew more than I that there were dangerous times to be lived through first.

What should I do now? I needed William Cecil to advise me. My own wits told me that I should do nothing until commanded to by the Queen. I wondered what Mary's attitude to me would be. My great dread was that she would try to make a Catholic of me. I must not accept that. I had guessed the mood of the people and I knew they did not want Catholicism again in this country, and from now on my actions were going to be those which would best please the people. But I must needs disguise my religious convictions meanwhile. Such as they were.

Messengers from my sister arrived at Hatfield. It was her wish that I should ride beside her when she made her triumphant entry into London. Now was the time for me to recover from my illness and prepare for my journey.

On the twenty-ninth of July I left Hatfield and attended by two thousand horsemen armed with spears and bows, I came to Somerset House, which now belonged to me. With us came the members of my household, all very splendid in green coats faced with velvet, taffeta or satin. I was proud of them, for I did not want to show myself to the people of London as a pauper.

The next day I set out for Wanstead where my meeting with the Queen was to take place; but I did not take my armed band with me this time. My instinct told me that this would displease my sister and her advisers and very likely suggest to her that I wished to display a show of might. I wanted to convey to her that I was not only her affectionate sister but her loyal subject.

We met at Wanstead. Mary had disbanded her army and had merely a bodyguard and her attendants to show that there was no need for protection; she came as the acknowledged Queen. She greeted me with a show of affection and kissed me. The watching crowds cheered. I was aware all the time that I was the one they watched, the one they smiled at, and I knew that they cheered more for me than for my sister. I presented some of my ladies to her and she kissed them to show friendship.

Beside Mary I felt young and vital and I was convinced that everything I ever wanted would one day be mine. It was a wonderfully exhilarating feeling as we rode side by side. I was twenty, and at moments like this I always looked my best; I was taller than Mary and straighter; the bright color of my hair attracted attention and it was accentuated by the milky whiteness of my skin, whereas Mary was thirty-seven and she looked it. I could not help the glow of satisfaction which it gave me to consider the contrast we must make. When the people cheered I smiled at them and lifted my hand in acknowledgment. Mary gave no smiles. Perhaps she thought it was beneath the dignity of a queen to do so. I do not think she understood the people as I was beginning to do.

And so we rode to Aldgate and from there to the Tower of London.

As we entered the fortress I could not help wondering whether Jane Grey could see us from her prison window, or perhaps Robert Dudley. Would he remember the little girl who had danced with him at that Court function long ago? I was very different now; so must he be.

Then I forgot about the prisoners, for we were being received by the Lieutenant of the Tower and other officers and everyone was eager to show homage to the Queen.

Mary thanked them with grace and dignity, and to show that she meant to be a merciful Queen, several of the prisoners received their pardon. They were all Catholics. First there was the same Duke of Norfolk, who had been saved from execution by my father's timely death; the next was Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, who had been a prisoner in the Tower for some years. I had never liked him; he was a bigoted Catholic and one of those who had tried to bring about the fall of Katharine Parr—and that was something I would never forget. He had in the last reign offended Somerset with his religious insistences and as a result found himself in the Tower. When he fell on his knees before Mary she was very moved and bade him rise and gave him his freedom. Whereupon he declared his greatest joy would be to serve her with his life. My heart sank. He was an enemy of mine and he would now, I was certain, receive a high place at Court.