she stirred against him he released his embrace. Elizabeth looked up at him, her eyelashes, dark in contrast to her hair, in clumps.
“Thank you,” she said softly. And then, turning, she walked back to the house.
Chapter 4
L ord Cambridge had quite forgotten how long and tedious the trip from Friarsgate south could be. But then Elizabeth’s ingenuous-ness over so many new sights began to infect him with his old enthusi-asm. He remembered the first time he had traveled the route with Elizabeth’s mother, Rosamund, in his charge, and then later her two older daughters. The days began to pass quickly. Suddenly, one afternoon they found themselves riding up the drive to Thomas Bolton’s London house where an elegant female figure was waiting to greet them.
“Well,” Philippa, Countess of Witton, said, looking at her youngest sister, “you certainly look respectable enough, Bessie.”
“You will remember, Philippa, that I am Elizabeth, not Bessie. Not even our mother calls me that any longer.” She shook the dust from her burgundy velvet riding skirts. “Are we to go in? Or do you wish to remain outside so all may partake of our tender reunion? How long has it been now since we have seen each other?”
“Eight years,” Philippa snapped.
“And you are as beautiful as ever, dear girl,” Lord Cambridge said, attempting to ease the tension already building between the sisters.
“How do you do it, and yet have those fine children of yours?” He kissed her on both cheeks.
“Uncle, you are ever the scamp,” Philippa replied, but she was smiling. Thomas Bolton was responsible for her happiness, and she could never forget it. She adored him, and she always had. Hopefully he could do something for her youngest sister. It was obvious that Bessie—or Elizabeth, as she now preferred to be called—was still a difficult creature.
“Thank you so much,” Lord Cambridge said as they entered Bolton House, “for meeting us in London, dear girl. I know you meant to entertain us at Brierewode, but I so feared not arriving in time to get down to Greenwich for the May celebrations. Did you bring your little daughter, my pet? Another little girl for me to spoil.” He chuckled.
“Nay, Uncle, you will have to come to Brierewode if you wish to meet this new relation of yours. I did not wish to travel with an infant and her wet nurse,” Philippa replied. “There is so much involved when one travels with children. I am going to Greenwich to enjoy May as well. Hugh Edmund was left at home too. Next year he is to go into Princess Mary’s household as a page,” she said proudly.
“And will we see the others?” Thomas Bolton asked.
“Oh, yes! We have been so fortunate in obtaining positions for Henry and Owein, Uncle. You know how important these things are if one is to advance within the court. And there is the matter of marriages to be made too. Henry, of course, will succeed his father one day, but it cannot hurt him to be well-known and respected within court circles. His brothers, of course, have not the advantage of his inheritance, which is why it is even more important that they succeed,”
Philippa said. “My eldest sons are already perfect little courtiers, Uncle.”
Elizabeth, in a great show of restraint, swallowed her observation of her sister’s ambitions. Children, she believed, belonged at home with their parents. Instead she looked about her. They had been brought into a long hall with windows overlooking the river Thames. It was very beautiful. While she had not wanted to leave Friarsgate, she had to admit that she had enjoyed the trip so far. She had never been any farther than Carlisle, and then only once. The countryside and the towns they had passed through on their way south were a revelation to her. And now London. She had already decided that she didn’t like London.
“My sister is very quiet,” Philippa noted. “I hope this is not her usual manner, for the court prefers lively girls,
“Thank you,” she said softly. And then, turning, she walked back to the house.
Chapter 4
L ord Cambridge had quite forgotten how long and tedious the trip from Friarsgate south could be. But then Elizabeth’s ingenuous-ness over so many new sights began to infect him with his old enthusi-asm. He remembered the first time he had traveled the route with Elizabeth’s mother, Rosamund, in his charge, and then later her two older daughters. The days began to pass quickly. Suddenly, one afternoon they found themselves riding up the drive to Thomas Bolton’s London house where an elegant female figure was waiting to greet them.
“Well,” Philippa, Countess of Witton, said, looking at her youngest sister, “you certainly look respectable enough, Bessie.”
“You will remember, Philippa, that I am Elizabeth, not Bessie. Not even our mother calls me that any longer.” She shook the dust from her burgundy velvet riding skirts. “Are we to go in? Or do you wish to remain outside so all may partake of our tender reunion? How long has it been now since we have seen each other?”
“Eight years,” Philippa snapped.
“And you are as beautiful as ever, dear girl,” Lord Cambridge said, attempting to ease the tension already building between the sisters.
“How do you do it, and yet have those fine children of yours?” He kissed her on both cheeks.
“Uncle, you are ever the scamp,” Philippa replied, but she was smiling. Thomas Bolton was responsible for her happiness, and she could never forget it. She adored him, and she always had. Hopefully he could do something for her youngest sister. It was obvious that Bessie—or Elizabeth, as she now preferred to be called—was still a difficult creature.
“Thank you so much,” Lord Cambridge said as they entered Bolton House, “for meeting us in London, dear girl. I know you meant to entertain us at Brierewode, but I so feared not arriving in time to get down to Greenwich for the May celebrations. Did you bring your little daughter, my pet? Another little girl for me to spoil.” He chuckled.
“Nay, Uncle, you will have to come to Brierewode if you wish to meet this new relation of yours. I did not wish to travel with an infant and her wet nurse,” Philippa replied. “There is so much involved when one travels with children. I am going to Greenwich to enjoy May as well. Hugh Edmund was left at home too. Next year he is to go into Princess Mary’s household as a page,” she said proudly.
“And will we see the others?” Thomas Bolton asked.
“Oh, yes! We have been so fortunate in obtaining positions for Henry and Owein, Uncle. You know how important these things are if one is to advance within the court. And there is the matter of marriages to be made too. Henry, of course, will succeed his father one day, but it cannot hurt him to be well-known and respected within court circles. His brothers, of course, have not the advantage of his inheritance, which is why it is even more important that they succeed,”
Philippa said. “My eldest sons are already perfect little courtiers, Uncle.”
Elizabeth, in a great show of restraint, swallowed her observation of her sister’s ambitions. Children, she believed, belonged at home with their parents. Instead she looked about her. They had been brought into a long hall with windows overlooking the river Thames. It was very beautiful. While she had not wanted to leave Friarsgate, she had to admit that she had enjoyed the trip so far. She had never been any farther than Carlisle, and then only once. The countryside and the towns they had passed through on their way south were a revelation to her. And now London. She had already decided that she didn’t like London.
“My sister is very quiet,” Philippa noted. “I hope this is not her usual manner, for the court prefers lively girls,
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