sparingly. “I’m sure you’re wrong. I’ve nothing to recommend me but the rather precarious gift of royal favor. No title, no land, nothing but the king’s goodwill.”
Her voice was untroubled. “I think the recommendation of your person is quite enough for any lady. And if marriage isn’t to your liking, it isn’t necessarily required.”
Startled into looking at her again, he saw that she was staring at Giles Howard. “Never mind me.” She waved a hand and turned toward him. “You are a favorite amongst the ladies. That is all I meant.”
Dominic smiled slightly. “It’s kind of you to say. However, with the treaty in shambles, I expect at any moment to be sent off and who knows when I’ll return. Now is not the time to begin an affair of the heart.”
It was an eminently practical and reasonable answer and Minuette accepted it with a nod. As Dominic watched the rise and fall of her breathing beneath the star pendant she wore almost continually, he repeated it silently to himself. Now is not the time .
The morning after Eleanor’s wedding, Elizabeth summoned Dominic to attend her and Minuette riding. Though there were also grooms in attendance, the three of them could converse with much less chance of being overheard while on horseback.
Once they were well away into the fields, Dominic asked, “Is this simply checking in or do you have something definite to report?”
“Nothing definite, just hints of provocation. Mary has increased her letters to the emperor—sometimes three a week. And her household is seeing an increase in visitors.”
“I’ve heard,” Dominic said. “Rochford keeps telling Will he should tighten his control of her household. But I’m not convinced Lady Mary has anything to do with Alyce and the broadsheet. It was a man who fathered Alyce’s child and wrote those letters.”
“But a man working for whom? This was not an idle game. You said yourself there was purpose behind it. And I doubt that purpose was so inconsequential as ruining Alyce.”
“She’s not ruined,” Minuette said sharply. “She is dead.”
“I know,” Elizabeth sighed. “But that broadside and its slogan argue a political purpose. There is only one group who wants my brother gone—the Catholics. And the Catholics look to Mary. She may not have known particulars, but wherever there is smoke, there is Mary as the tinder.”
Minuette interrupted. “Dominic, why don’t you have Lord Rochford send you to question Mary? Surely he would do it if you asked.”
“And if I asked, he would want to know why I am suspicious. Aren’t we meant to keep this secret?”
“So we are, which makes my next move all the better. No one could ever suspect an ulterior motive.”
“An ulterior motive to what?” Elizabeth asked warily.
“I’ve been writing to Alyce’s sister. Emma de Clare married a gentleman farmer named Hadley about the time Alyce came to court. It was Emma that Alyce would visit whenever she had leave.”
“Do you think Emma knew her secrets?” Elizabeth asked.
“It’s not the sort of thing one can ask in letter without rousing suspicion: ‘Do you know whom your sister was sleeping with? And might it be the same person who asked her to spy on the queen? Oh, and are you secret Catholic sympathizers, by the way?’ ”
Dominic pulled his horse to a halt, and Elizabeth followed suit. Minuette kept going for a dozen paces before she swung Winterfall’s head round and walked the horse back to them. “What?”
“What,” Elizabeth enunciated carefully, “is your plan?”
“Didn’t I say? Emma has extended an invitation to her home. She would like to speak in person to ‘one who knew my sister well’ these last years. William has given me leave to go.”
“William has given you leave?” Elizabeth let her annoyance leak out. “You are a member of my household.”
“And you would never say no to me.” Minuette smiled triumphantly, then heeled Winterfall round and gave
Her voice was untroubled. “I think the recommendation of your person is quite enough for any lady. And if marriage isn’t to your liking, it isn’t necessarily required.”
Startled into looking at her again, he saw that she was staring at Giles Howard. “Never mind me.” She waved a hand and turned toward him. “You are a favorite amongst the ladies. That is all I meant.”
Dominic smiled slightly. “It’s kind of you to say. However, with the treaty in shambles, I expect at any moment to be sent off and who knows when I’ll return. Now is not the time to begin an affair of the heart.”
It was an eminently practical and reasonable answer and Minuette accepted it with a nod. As Dominic watched the rise and fall of her breathing beneath the star pendant she wore almost continually, he repeated it silently to himself. Now is not the time .
The morning after Eleanor’s wedding, Elizabeth summoned Dominic to attend her and Minuette riding. Though there were also grooms in attendance, the three of them could converse with much less chance of being overheard while on horseback.
Once they were well away into the fields, Dominic asked, “Is this simply checking in or do you have something definite to report?”
“Nothing definite, just hints of provocation. Mary has increased her letters to the emperor—sometimes three a week. And her household is seeing an increase in visitors.”
“I’ve heard,” Dominic said. “Rochford keeps telling Will he should tighten his control of her household. But I’m not convinced Lady Mary has anything to do with Alyce and the broadsheet. It was a man who fathered Alyce’s child and wrote those letters.”
“But a man working for whom? This was not an idle game. You said yourself there was purpose behind it. And I doubt that purpose was so inconsequential as ruining Alyce.”
“She’s not ruined,” Minuette said sharply. “She is dead.”
“I know,” Elizabeth sighed. “But that broadside and its slogan argue a political purpose. There is only one group who wants my brother gone—the Catholics. And the Catholics look to Mary. She may not have known particulars, but wherever there is smoke, there is Mary as the tinder.”
Minuette interrupted. “Dominic, why don’t you have Lord Rochford send you to question Mary? Surely he would do it if you asked.”
“And if I asked, he would want to know why I am suspicious. Aren’t we meant to keep this secret?”
“So we are, which makes my next move all the better. No one could ever suspect an ulterior motive.”
“An ulterior motive to what?” Elizabeth asked warily.
“I’ve been writing to Alyce’s sister. Emma de Clare married a gentleman farmer named Hadley about the time Alyce came to court. It was Emma that Alyce would visit whenever she had leave.”
“Do you think Emma knew her secrets?” Elizabeth asked.
“It’s not the sort of thing one can ask in letter without rousing suspicion: ‘Do you know whom your sister was sleeping with? And might it be the same person who asked her to spy on the queen? Oh, and are you secret Catholic sympathizers, by the way?’ ”
Dominic pulled his horse to a halt, and Elizabeth followed suit. Minuette kept going for a dozen paces before she swung Winterfall’s head round and walked the horse back to them. “What?”
“What,” Elizabeth enunciated carefully, “is your plan?”
“Didn’t I say? Emma has extended an invitation to her home. She would like to speak in person to ‘one who knew my sister well’ these last years. William has given me leave to go.”
“William has given you leave?” Elizabeth let her annoyance leak out. “You are a member of my household.”
“And you would never say no to me.” Minuette smiled triumphantly, then heeled Winterfall round and gave
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