everything ready for Anne's escape tomorrow?"
"You will, you always do. Now, leave me for a while. I must rethink our position at Court."
"Position at Court, you say, what position at Court? Had your sister," she said derisively, "welcomed the King to her bed as her sister Mary has done before her, our position as Court would be secure."
"She would not be the King's whore as Mary has been nor would I ask it of her. And you, Mistress, will keep such thoughts to yourself, for if I ever hear you have spoken to Anne about this…" his voice trailed off as his wife disappeared behind the screen.
The maid-servant pushed Elisabeth before her, while grabbing Sarah's hand. "Pardon m'lady, here be the tardy wenches,” she said dipping a deep curtsey.
Elisabeth flashed the girl an angry look. "Yes, pardon, my lady. We have only just arrived from York Place. My lord Cardinal sends his greetings," Elisabeth said as she dipped a graceful bow, pleased to see Sarah execute a serene curtsey.
"Yes, yes, I can see that," Lady Rochford snapped. Never at ease when addressing servants, Jane fumbled with the keys that hung from her waist; looking at Elisabeth's grey tick habit, she said sharply. "No-one told me that I was to house a disgraced nun. The child is yours, I presume."
"Oh no, my lady," Elisabeth said holding her curtsey. "Sarah is the daughter of John de Roche, a master mason in the employ of Cardinal Wolsey. She comes at the invitation of the King. As my lord Cardinal has placed her in my care, I am here to accompany her."
"Hmmph. Alys, see these two to their room. They will join Cook in the kitchen; see to it that they earn their keep. My sister, the Lady Anne, returns from Court and will want an early start tomorrow. Now, leave me," the thin shrew-faced woman growled turning her back on the servants.
Alys spun on her heel, escaping into the buttery, signaling Elisabeth and Sarah to follow quickly.
"Aye, she's a hard one," the girl said, now safely out of earshot. "Best to mind what you say, better even, if you say nothing," the girl mumbled angrily as she led Elisabeth and Sarah up the narrow stone steps to a small chamber crowded with packing boxes in various states of disarray. Elisabeth's eyes searched the room for a bed. Finding none, she turned to Alys, who pointed to a pile of straw covered by a moth-eaten grey blanket.
"Aye, it's not much, but 'tis only for one night. At least you be dry here." A sudden late summer storm had arisen and could be seen through the slender arrow-slit window.
Elisabeth flinched as a deafening clap of thunder broke overhead.
"Now, you heard m'lady. You’re to come to the kitchen to help," Alys said. Looking at Elisabeth's fine hands, she frowned. "What good you'd be I doan't know. Still I will find something for you to do."
Elisabeth dropped the heavy carpetbags near the straw pallet. She looked around the chamber forlornly. It was a far cry from her room at York Place, with its cheerful fireplace and mullioned windows. Sarah stood by Elisabeth's side, her big blue eyes clouded with tears. Elisabeth took the child's hand as she slipped to her knees beside the pallet. "It is not so bad, the straw is clean and it is only for tonight. On the morrow we leave on our grand adventure to Kent and the Lady Anne's home."
The child nodded eagerly as she nuzzled close beneath Elisabeth's chin. Elisabeth rocked Sarah gently in her arms, willing God to send her the strength to face whatever lay ahead.
NINE
SATURDAY, JUNE 28 TH
"You will, you always do. Now, leave me for a while. I must rethink our position at Court."
"Position at Court, you say, what position at Court? Had your sister," she said derisively, "welcomed the King to her bed as her sister Mary has done before her, our position as Court would be secure."
"She would not be the King's whore as Mary has been nor would I ask it of her. And you, Mistress, will keep such thoughts to yourself, for if I ever hear you have spoken to Anne about this…" his voice trailed off as his wife disappeared behind the screen.
The maid-servant pushed Elisabeth before her, while grabbing Sarah's hand. "Pardon m'lady, here be the tardy wenches,” she said dipping a deep curtsey.
Elisabeth flashed the girl an angry look. "Yes, pardon, my lady. We have only just arrived from York Place. My lord Cardinal sends his greetings," Elisabeth said as she dipped a graceful bow, pleased to see Sarah execute a serene curtsey.
"Yes, yes, I can see that," Lady Rochford snapped. Never at ease when addressing servants, Jane fumbled with the keys that hung from her waist; looking at Elisabeth's grey tick habit, she said sharply. "No-one told me that I was to house a disgraced nun. The child is yours, I presume."
"Oh no, my lady," Elisabeth said holding her curtsey. "Sarah is the daughter of John de Roche, a master mason in the employ of Cardinal Wolsey. She comes at the invitation of the King. As my lord Cardinal has placed her in my care, I am here to accompany her."
"Hmmph. Alys, see these two to their room. They will join Cook in the kitchen; see to it that they earn their keep. My sister, the Lady Anne, returns from Court and will want an early start tomorrow. Now, leave me," the thin shrew-faced woman growled turning her back on the servants.
Alys spun on her heel, escaping into the buttery, signaling Elisabeth and Sarah to follow quickly.
"Aye, she's a hard one," the girl said, now safely out of earshot. "Best to mind what you say, better even, if you say nothing," the girl mumbled angrily as she led Elisabeth and Sarah up the narrow stone steps to a small chamber crowded with packing boxes in various states of disarray. Elisabeth's eyes searched the room for a bed. Finding none, she turned to Alys, who pointed to a pile of straw covered by a moth-eaten grey blanket.
"Aye, it's not much, but 'tis only for one night. At least you be dry here." A sudden late summer storm had arisen and could be seen through the slender arrow-slit window.
Elisabeth flinched as a deafening clap of thunder broke overhead.
"Now, you heard m'lady. You’re to come to the kitchen to help," Alys said. Looking at Elisabeth's fine hands, she frowned. "What good you'd be I doan't know. Still I will find something for you to do."
Elisabeth dropped the heavy carpetbags near the straw pallet. She looked around the chamber forlornly. It was a far cry from her room at York Place, with its cheerful fireplace and mullioned windows. Sarah stood by Elisabeth's side, her big blue eyes clouded with tears. Elisabeth took the child's hand as she slipped to her knees beside the pallet. "It is not so bad, the straw is clean and it is only for tonight. On the morrow we leave on our grand adventure to Kent and the Lady Anne's home."
The child nodded eagerly as she nuzzled close beneath Elisabeth's chin. Elisabeth rocked Sarah gently in her arms, willing God to send her the strength to face whatever lay ahead.
NINE
SATURDAY, JUNE 28 TH
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