In the Shadow of the Crown - By Jean Plaidy Page 0,181

Princess had been behaving in a suspicious manner with the French ambassador.

“Go to her,” I said. “Discover if there is any truth in these rumors.” They clearly did not like the task. I noticed that people were becoming more and more careful how they treated Elizabeth. If she could survive, if she did not commit some treasonable act and if nothing could be proved against her, she had a very good chance of coming to the throne. I knew that was what she wanted more than anything. She always implied when I was in her presence that my health was poor and I looked sickly. Though perhaps I imagined that, and it was only myself who compared her healthy looks with my delicate ones. The people had shown that they did not like the succession interfered with. So … Paget and Arundel would remember that the young woman they were questioning for treason could be their Queen tomorrow. Naturally they were loth to go to her.

But they did and they came back and reassured me. They had proved without a doubt that de Noailles had made no indiscreet calls on her. She had given ample proof of her loyalty.

I was relieved. It would have worried me considerably to have to send my sister to the Tower.

She asked for an audience again, which I granted, and when she came to me she fell onto her knees.

“Your Majesty, dearest sister,” she said, “how grateful I am that you have justly given me the opportunity to disprove charges of which I am innocent. I might have been condemned unheard, but Your Majesty is bountiful and loving to your poor subjects, of whom I am the most loyal. I beg of you that you will never give credit to the calumnies that might hereafter be circulated about me, without giving me the chance to defend myself.”

“I will promise you that,” I told her.

“Then I am happy, for I am your loving and devoted servant, and as I would never act against you, nothing can ever be proved against me.”

“You are looking pale,” I said, turning the tables, for it was indeed true. She must have been very worried, and it had had its effect on her.

“I have been grievously ill, Your Majesty. I yearn for the country air. I wonder if you would grant me permission to retire from Court for a little while.”

I looked at her steadily. Her eyes were downcast; she looked very innocent.

I hesitated. I wondered what Renard would say. As for myself, I should be glad to be rid of her. Her good looks and youth aroused such envy in me, and whenever I saw her, I became more conscious of my own appearance and that my marriage was imminent.

She was so sure of herself, so vain, so confident of her power to charm.

“Where would you go?” I asked.

“I thought to Ashridge, Your Majesty. The air there does me good.”

“Very well. You shall go.”

She fell to her knees once more and kissed my hand.

“Your Majesty is so good to me.”

So good? When I had recently sent Paget and Arundel to test her loyalty? She was appealing in her way, and I was as unsure of her now as I ever was.

I called to one of my women to bring me a box of jewels, and from it I selected a pearl necklace. I put it round my sister's neck.

Her eyes filled with tears, and she went so far as to forget the respect she owed to the Queen and put her arms round me and kissed me. Or did she really forget, and was this another of her gestures?

Then she drew back, as though alarmed by her temerity. “Forgive me, Your Majesty… sister…”

My reply was to draw her to me and kiss her cheek.

“You will recover quickly in the healthy atmosphere of Ashridge,” I said; and then I dismissed her.

Renard shook his head over my decision to let her go.

“I would prefer,” he said, “always to have that young woman where I can see what she is doing.”

ELIZABETH CONTINUED TO OCCUPY Renard's thoughts. He would not be happy until she was out of the way—either in another country or in her grave. I sometimes wondered whether some charge would be trumped up against her. I must be watchful of that. I did not want to have my own sister's blood on my hands. Marriage was a better idea.

The Emperor evidently thought so too. He suggested that Elizabeth be betrothed to