fell, I’d catch you.’
‘Fine words,’ Lettice replied. ‘But how can I be expected to trust them, when I don’t even know who you are?’
‘You can trust me, madam. I am the Queen’s servant and a gentleman.’
‘Your name?’
‘You cannot guess it?’
She heard the hurt and disappointment in the young man’s voice, and reluctantly capitulated. ‘Well, your voice does remind me of a gentleman of my acquaintance. A fine young man, handsome and a true soldier.’
‘Who? Tell me his name.’
His hands dropped away as Lettice turned, smiling up into his eager, high-browed face. ‘Why, young Philip Sidney, of course.’
‘My lady Essex,’ he replied with a grin as he removed his jewelled velvet cap, hair flopping forward over his forehead.
‘Oh, Pip. You are such a menace. My heart nearly stopped when you grabbed me.’ Laughing, she curtseyed as he bowed with a flourish. Then she embraced him, her affection genuine. ‘I did not see you in church.’
‘I was late, and thought it best to wait outside.’
‘You were right to do so. The Queen is very strict about attending church. She wouldn’t have taken your late arrival kindly.’
‘Shall we walk on together? Her Majesty is almost out of sight.’ He drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. ‘I can’t get enough of this clean country air. Do you feel the same? After the rich odours of London, all this greenery is like Eden on earth. Though can you imagine what might happen if we were to fall behind and become lost together, my lady? I’ve heard that these Warwickshire woods are dangerous. I might have to save you from being gored by a wild boar and then carry you back to the castle in my arms, battling savage beasts all the way.’
She patted his cheek. ‘Let us catch up with the others. Enchanting though you make that adventure sound, Pip, I have little desire to soil my gown in the woods and none at all to be hoist about by one of my daughter’s suitors.’
‘One of …?’ He seemed embarrassed. ‘Penelope is a lovely girl. But I’m nowhere near ready for marriage, my lady, so both you and she are safe from my attentions.’
‘
Me
?’ Lettice laughed, pretending to look ahead for Elizabeth but in truth watching the tall young man out of the corner of her eye. For the first time, the idea of taking a younger lover struck her, and her cheeks grew warm at the thought. ‘You naughty boy. I’m already married, or had you forgotten?’
‘True enough, but your husband is safely across the sea in Ireland. And as they say, while the cat’s away …’
‘
Pip
!’
With a nervous laugh, he bowed again, kissing her hand in apology. ‘Please forgive me. As you must know, I’m not one for these games of bedposts and secret kisses. My lord Leicester, though …’ Philip Sidney’s clever glance met hers, then slipped away as though confronted by an uncomfortable truth. ‘But my uncle is kept busy with the Queen these days, is he not?’
They fell into step together, fitting discreetly back into the throng of lesser courtiers leaving the church. The sun was still hot, the grass dusty, and Lettice was thirsty and tired after the long service.
Several gentlemen tried to catch her eye as they walked, but Lettice kept her head lowered, hands clasped demurely below her chest, employing the stiff white folds of her French hood to conceal her face. She could not grant all the favours she had promised them, least of all an audience with the Queen. But that was not something easily understood by the outer circle of the court, she had found. They seemed to expect a promised audience to mean ‘today’, rather than ‘if I can’. At least she had nothing to fear from Pip, a charming young man and a scholar too, already one of Elizabeth’s favourites among the younger generation at court. His boyish good looks had endeared him to many girls his own age too, of course, but at least he had wit enough to keep his flirtations hidden from the
‘Fine words,’ Lettice replied. ‘But how can I be expected to trust them, when I don’t even know who you are?’
‘You can trust me, madam. I am the Queen’s servant and a gentleman.’
‘Your name?’
‘You cannot guess it?’
She heard the hurt and disappointment in the young man’s voice, and reluctantly capitulated. ‘Well, your voice does remind me of a gentleman of my acquaintance. A fine young man, handsome and a true soldier.’
‘Who? Tell me his name.’
His hands dropped away as Lettice turned, smiling up into his eager, high-browed face. ‘Why, young Philip Sidney, of course.’
‘My lady Essex,’ he replied with a grin as he removed his jewelled velvet cap, hair flopping forward over his forehead.
‘Oh, Pip. You are such a menace. My heart nearly stopped when you grabbed me.’ Laughing, she curtseyed as he bowed with a flourish. Then she embraced him, her affection genuine. ‘I did not see you in church.’
‘I was late, and thought it best to wait outside.’
‘You were right to do so. The Queen is very strict about attending church. She wouldn’t have taken your late arrival kindly.’
‘Shall we walk on together? Her Majesty is almost out of sight.’ He drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. ‘I can’t get enough of this clean country air. Do you feel the same? After the rich odours of London, all this greenery is like Eden on earth. Though can you imagine what might happen if we were to fall behind and become lost together, my lady? I’ve heard that these Warwickshire woods are dangerous. I might have to save you from being gored by a wild boar and then carry you back to the castle in my arms, battling savage beasts all the way.’
She patted his cheek. ‘Let us catch up with the others. Enchanting though you make that adventure sound, Pip, I have little desire to soil my gown in the woods and none at all to be hoist about by one of my daughter’s suitors.’
‘One of …?’ He seemed embarrassed. ‘Penelope is a lovely girl. But I’m nowhere near ready for marriage, my lady, so both you and she are safe from my attentions.’
‘
Me
?’ Lettice laughed, pretending to look ahead for Elizabeth but in truth watching the tall young man out of the corner of her eye. For the first time, the idea of taking a younger lover struck her, and her cheeks grew warm at the thought. ‘You naughty boy. I’m already married, or had you forgotten?’
‘True enough, but your husband is safely across the sea in Ireland. And as they say, while the cat’s away …’
‘
Pip
!’
With a nervous laugh, he bowed again, kissing her hand in apology. ‘Please forgive me. As you must know, I’m not one for these games of bedposts and secret kisses. My lord Leicester, though …’ Philip Sidney’s clever glance met hers, then slipped away as though confronted by an uncomfortable truth. ‘But my uncle is kept busy with the Queen these days, is he not?’
They fell into step together, fitting discreetly back into the throng of lesser courtiers leaving the church. The sun was still hot, the grass dusty, and Lettice was thirsty and tired after the long service.
Several gentlemen tried to catch her eye as they walked, but Lettice kept her head lowered, hands clasped demurely below her chest, employing the stiff white folds of her French hood to conceal her face. She could not grant all the favours she had promised them, least of all an audience with the Queen. But that was not something easily understood by the outer circle of the court, she had found. They seemed to expect a promised audience to mean ‘today’, rather than ‘if I can’. At least she had nothing to fear from Pip, a charming young man and a scholar too, already one of Elizabeth’s favourites among the younger generation at court. His boyish good looks had endeared him to many girls his own age too, of course, but at least he had wit enough to keep his flirtations hidden from the
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