The Lady in the Tower (29 page)

‘Have you heard the news?’ he asked gravely as soon as the door was shut behind us.

‘News, my dear?’ asked his wife. ‘We have heard nothing.’

‘A week ago Cromwell was accused of treason and thrown into the Tower. He was executed this morning.’

‘Oh my, then it was indeed his head you saw on London Bridge, my dear!’ exclaimed my aunt. ‘I scarcely credited it at the time.’

I nodded, but could not speak. I felt numb. If Cromwell was dead, what of my father?

‘Oh, Edward!’ said my aunt. ‘Do tell us everything you know. When did the arrest take place?’ She was agog with curiosity about this latest scandal. I sat silent, feeling sick, wondering if this arrest had anything to do with me. Another piece of news from my uncle startled me from my uneasy reverie.

‘The king has had his marriage to Anne of Cleves annulled,’ he announced solemnly. ‘We heard a few days ago. He is to marry Catherine Howard instead.’

‘Mercy!’ cried my aunt, pleasantly shocked. ‘Well, I declare, I’ve only been gone a couple of weeks, and the country has been turned upside down. What a lot we shall have to talk about, Edward. And we have not gone short of adventures either, I can tell you.’ She leaned forward to pat her husband’s hand and he twinkled merrily back at her. ‘You shall have to tell me all about it at supper, for that is the bell ringing now,’ he replied.

I was touched to see these two people so happy in each other’s company.

Supper was served in a large, cheerful apartment, which overlooked the pretty garden, just now bursting with summer growth and flowers of every colour. I reflected how much more comfortable such a house might be to live in than a rambling, draughty castle.

As soon as the servants had withdrawn, my aunt recounted our adventures to my uncle, calling on me to corroborate many details. I was pressed to tell of the escape from Farleigh. Finally I summoned up the courage to ask the question which was troubling me.

‘Sir, Cromwell has been executed. Have you heard anything about Sir Walter Hungerford?’

‘No, though rumour has it he was not with Cromwell when he was taken. I heard he had set out for Farleigh some time before. General opinion is that he is in grave danger. He and Cromwell stand together, you know. They were too close not to be implicated in one another’s actions.’

I nodded dumbly, my hands clenched together in my lap. It mattered not that I loathed my father: I still did not wish to be guilty in his downfall. More than ever, I wished my words to the king unspoken.

‘At least if the scoundrel is arrested, you and your poor mother will have some peace,’ my uncle said gently.

I got little rest that first night in London. The noise was far worse than anything Mother and I had endured in Bath. The town crier and the night watchman startled me awake several times, and the morning bustle of the city began very early. I arose heavy with tiredness to face an anxious day.

A week passed with no news. My aunt and I were sitting over our stitchery in the shade of the garden. It was stiflingly hot, and despite the abundant verdure surrounding us, the scents of honeysuckle and roses could not entirely mask the stench of the city beyond the garden.

I was bored to tears both with waiting and with sewing. I longed to throw it in the bushes and go for a ride over the hills or through the woods, anywhere where there would be some air. But I had neither Arianna nor access to pleasant countryside here.

Suddenly my aunt yawned and tossed her own embroidery aside. ‘Well, that’s as much as I can stand in this weather!’ she announced, and rang for a servant to bring some drinks out to us. I laid aside my own sewing. My aunt was watching me, eyes twinkling. ‘Do I detect some relief there, Eleanor?’

‘To be honest, Aunt, my needle has never been my favourite occupation,’ I confessed.

‘Nor mine, indeed!’ said my aunt merrily. ‘I would rather sit idle and gossip at any time. But your mother—now there is a fine needlewoman! She is younger than me, you know, but I could never equal her neatness or her industry. Such beautiful work she did. Our mother was always holding her up to me as an example, shaming me with my own sloppy work! I thought your mother must have brought you up to sew like her, so I have been trying to set you a good example.’

I laughed. ‘I wish you had told me before,’ I said. ‘Mother tried, but failed to instil any skill or love of sewing in me.’

‘Well, now we know, Eleanor. We need only pick up our sewing when there is someone by to impress.’

I looked ruefully at my piece. ‘Sadly, I fear this would impress no one,’ I said. I told her the story of my sampler that Mother had thrown in the fire the very day she had been arrested. We laughed merrily together over this story, and then my aunt wiped her eyes. ‘Your poor mother,’ she sighed. ‘I wish I had not believed Sir Walter’s smooth tales of her illness. I had letters sent to her, you know. And begged to be allowed to see her. But he assured me that any visitors disturbed her deeply and that she needed absolute rest. If our parents had been alive, he would not have got away with it so easily.’

‘You came as soon as you knew, Aunt Jane,’ I told her soothingly, for she looked quite tearful. ‘And I think Mother is happy now.’

‘Yes, indeed,’ smiled my aunt. ‘Sir Thomas is a lovely man. I’ve known him for most of my life. Your mother will meet nothing but kindness at his hands.’

I must have looked sceptical, because my aunt spoke earnestly.

‘I know it is hard for you, Eleanor, to let someone else in, when you have longed to be with your mother yourself. But nothing could be better for Elizabeth than this. She will be taken care of, respected and valued—’

We were interrupted. A servant entered the garden with a visitor following her. I did not recognize him at first. Then I gasped.

‘Why, Doctor Horde!’ I cried. Impulsively, I rushed to shake his hand. He embraced me and then held me at arm’s length to look at me.

‘You are looking very well, Mistress Eleanor,’ he told me.

‘You look so different out of your habit!’ I exclaimed, before realizing how tactless such a remark was. A shade of sadness crossed Dr Horde’s face.

‘And how do you do?’ I asked him hurriedly. ‘Or should I ask
what
do you do now? I feel so dreadful that I brought all that trouble upon you. I am glad of the chance to say so. And I want to thank you from my heart for sending my aunt to us.’

Dr Horde and Lady Jane exchanged a smile.

‘I told you at the time, my child, it was only ever a matter of time before the priory was closed. And as to how I do, why I have been singularly fortunate. I have truly seen that God is good—and some men too.’

I clapped my hands delightedly. ‘Tell me!’

‘I have been so fortunate as to be befriended by a gentleman who has several livings in his gift. He was deeply sympathetic to my situation, and has most generously offered me one of them: I am to be a vicar, Eleanor. I exchange my priory for a comfortable parsonage and a village church. Hence my change in clothing.’ He indicated his priest’s robes with a sweep of his hands. ‘It will be a great change, to be sure, but not an unpleasant one.’

‘I am so happy,’ I told him sincerely. It was a great relief to me to know that this friend at least had not been so very harmed by my actions after all.

‘And so, who is this kind gentleman?’ asked my aunt curiously. ‘I know him, surely.’

‘I imagine you do, my lady,’ responded Dr Horde. ‘Eleanor most certainly does, for I first met him at Farleigh, in the spring.’

I was intrigued at once. ‘Who can it be?’ I wondered.

‘Can you think of no one, Mistress Eleanor, who is so charitable?’ asked the Doctor. I sensed he was teasing me, and that there was a smile lurking behind his serious manner. I shook my head.

‘Truly, sir, I took little notice of most of the guests, and became acquainted with few of them.’

‘I think, though, that you had some acquaintance with Lord Stanton?’

I was dumbstruck. But Dr Horde clearly expected some response from me.

‘I am certainly happy to hear he has been so kind to
you
, sir,’ I said with a slight curtsey.

‘What’s this?’ he asked, with a glance at my aunt. ‘Are you not betrothed?’

‘Yes, they are,’ replied my aunt.

‘No,’ I said at the same time.

Dr Horde looked from one to the other of us, puzzled.

‘Eleanor?’ asked my aunt.

‘I broke it off,’ I told them, my voice sounding oddly tight. ‘At Bath.’

‘But, Eleanor!’ exclaimed my aunt. ‘It was not in your power to do so! That would be breach of promise. You could be sued. Did he accept your decision?’

‘Not exactly. I am not sure. If he wants to sue me, he’ll have to find me first,’ I said. I was angry with them both. What did they mean by standing there looking at me disapprovingly? ‘The betrothal was not of my making,’ I added.

‘No, it was the king himself who blessed the proposed union,’ said Dr Horde seriously. ‘Such a contract cannot lightly be put aside.’

‘Well, I believe Lord Stanton accepted my refusal,’ I said defiantly, but their words had made me anxious. Could he really insist on my marrying him?

To my relief, my uncle walked out to join us, causing a welcome interruption. I smiled at him, but his face was grim. He came up to me and took my hands in his.

‘Eleanor, I have grave news.’ I could feel my heart beating quick in my chest and could sense the hushed expectancy in the others too.

‘Is it Sir Walter?’ I asked. ‘Or Mother?’ He paused a moment before speaking.

‘It is indeed Hungerford,’ nodded my uncle. ‘He’s been arrested and brought to London under armed guard.’

‘And?’ demanded my aunt. ‘What more?’

‘He has been accused of treason and attainted.’ The other two gasped. I heard the word treason and felt faint with terror.

‘Uncle, what … ’ I faltered. ‘What does attainted mean?’ I had never heard the term before.

‘A bill of Attainder means that all Sir Walter’s lands, possessions, and titles are forfeit to the crown,’ my uncle explained gently. ‘Farleigh Castle has already been seized. It also means that Hungerford can be sentenced without trial. The king must be angry indeed. He is likely to show him little mercy.’

I swallowed. There was a lump in my throat.

‘May God have mercy on his soul,’ said Dr Horde. ‘He was a good friend to me for many years, and I would not have him meet such an end. No matter what his crimes,’ he added.

I tried to speak, but I found I could not, so I only nodded my agreement.

‘His crimes were heavy indeed,’ said my aunt. ‘But he is likely to pay with his life. The consolation, my dear Eleanor, is that you and your mother will be safe. In a few weeks or months, Lady Elizabeth will be a widow, and she can marry that nice Sir Thomas.’

‘My dear,’ chided her husband, with a warning look in my direction.

‘Marry him?’ I cried aghast. ‘Surely not?’

‘Oh, it was plain Sir Thomas was besotted with Elizabeth,’ said my aunt comfortably. ‘He won’t care about the scandal living quietly in Bath, away from the king’s court. He’ll make your mother as happy as anything, you wait and see.’

‘My dear.’ Sir Edward tried again to stem his wife’s outspokenness. ‘Perhaps it would be more tasteful to discuss such matters at a later date.’

‘But what will become of me?’ I asked miserably. I did not wish to go and live with Sir Thomas and watch him and Mother making sheep’s eyes at one another. Neither could I bear the thought of staying here in London. My uncle and aunt could not be kinder, but I did not enjoy city life. I missed my riding, and the sights and smells of the country.

‘That brings us back to the subject of Stanton,’ commented my aunt, and she proceeded to relate to my uncle what I had said of my refusal to marry Stanton and the possibility of breach of promise.

‘I will look into it, as discreetly as possible,’ my uncle promised.

I rose abruptly and took a turn about the garden. As if I could think of marriage in the midst of such dreadful events. I would know no peace now.

‘Oh!’ I cried out suddenly. ‘What of Walter? Little Walter, my brother. What has become of him?’

My uncle hurried to reassure me: ‘I have already thought of that, Eleanor. I despatched a messenger to your mother before I came out to speak to you. I have recommended that Sir Thomas take some men to Farleigh with him and take charge of the boy, if he is still there.’

‘If?’ I cried, distracted. My brother and I had grown so far apart over the years, but he was still my brother whom I had played with when he was a baby.

‘Your mother is the properest person to take charge of him now,’ said my uncle soothingly. And with that, for the time being, I had to be content.

I had thought we should have to wait a week at the very least to hear from Mother. I was astonished the next day when a message arrived from Bath and was brought to me as I sat at breakfast with my aunt.

I turned the letter over with shaking hands. ‘Perhaps Mother has heard of Sir Walter’s arrest?’ I said.

‘Open it, Eleanor, and we shall know,’ said my aunt sensibly. I broke the seal, and spread the parchment on the table. I read aloud:

My Dearest Eleanor,

Please convey my warmest regards to your uncle and aunt.

Sir Walter was arrested yesterday at Farleigh and taken to London. Lord Stanton and Gregory Hungerford brought me the news, and they also brought me my dear Walter.

‘Oh, Aunt Jane! Did you hear that? My cousin took Walter to Mother!’

‘And Lord Stanton, you see. He is a good man, Eleanor.’

‘How did he know where to find Mother?’ I asked wonderingly.

Aunt Jane looked momentarily uncomfortable.

‘I told him,’ she confessed after a pause. ‘He called on me before we left Bath.’

‘Aunt Jane!’ I exclaimed reproachfully. ‘I told you we could not trust him. Does he know where I am too?’

My aunt did not reply, but instead drew my attention back to the letter. ‘What else does Elizabeth say?’

Imagine my joy, Eleanor! To be reunited with my son.

‘There are several paragraphs about that,’ I said skimming over them. ‘She says Walter is very unhappy and wishes to go back to his father and Farleigh.’