In the Shadow of the Crown - By Jean Plaidy Page 0,186

virgin all my life. I do not know how a mother loves her child because I have never been a mother, but I assure you that I, being your Queen, see myself as your mother, and as such do I love you. Good subjects, lift up your hearts. Remember that you are true men and brave. Stand fast against these rebels. They are not only my enemies but yours also. Fear them not, for I assure you I fear them not at all.”

As I stopped speaking, the cheers rang out. “God save Queen Mary!”

“People of London,” I went on, “will you defend me against these rebels? If you will, I am minded to live and die with you and strain every nerve in your cause, for at this time your fortunes, goods and honor, your personal safety and that of your wives and children are in the balance.”

As I stopped speaking, once more the cheers rang out.

It was clear that they were all deeply moved. Gardiner, who had been beside me, looked at me with a dazed expression. Then he said, “I am happy that we have such a wise Queen.”

The people of London were rallying to my side. The streets were full of men prepared to fight. I was gratified. I knew I had taken the right course. I felt that I had been inspired and that God was showing me the way.

IT WAS THREE O'CLOCK in the morning. I was startled out of a dreamless sleep to find Susan at my bedside.

“Your Majesty, the Council are here. They must see you at once.”

I hastily rose. Susan wrapped a robe about me, and I went into the anteroom where the Council were waiting for me.

Gardiner said to me, “Your Majesty must leave London without delay. Wyatt is at Deptford. He will be at the city gates ere long.”

I replied, “I have promised the people of London that I will stay with them.”

“It is unsafe for Your Majesty to stay here.”

I was thoughtful for a moment. It was all against my instincts to fly, and yet, on the other hand, if I stayed and was murdered, what good would I be to my faith? It was my duty to restore this country to God's grace, and how could I do that… dead?

I was very undecided. My inclination was to stay, because I had given my word to the people of London. But was it foolish?

Only the previous day Renard had congratulated me on my speech to the people at the Guildhall. He said that if I had left London then, Wyatt could have succeeded, and that would have meant putting Elizabeth on the throne and strengthening the Protestant influence in the country. How wise I had been to act as I did, he said. The Emperor would approve.

And now here was my Council suggesting flight.

I said, “I will decide in the morning.”

Gardiner replied that the time was short. In the morning it might be too late.

“Nevertheless,” I replied, “I will decide then.”

As soon as they had gone, I sent one of my servants to bring Renard to me. He came with all speed.

“They are suggesting I leave for Windsor,” I told him. “They say that Wyatt is all but at the gates of the city, and if I stay here and he is victorious, it will be the end of my reign, and me most likely.”

“Your presence here has brought out the loyalty of these citizens,” said Renard.

“If you go, Wyatt will be allowed to walk in. Elizabeth will be proclaimed Queen, and that will be the end of your reign.”

“You are saying that I should stay.”

He nodded slowly. “I am saying just that.”

So my mind was made up. I should stay.

LONDON WAS A CITY at war. The shops had been boarded up, and all the goods were removed from the stalls. Armed men were everywhere; the drawbridges were cut loose, and the gates of the city were barred and guarded.

We waited in trepidation.

The guns of the Tower were trained on Southwark, but I could not allow them to be fired, even though Wyatt and his men were sheltering there. I had to consider the little houses and the people living in them. How could I fire on my own people? It was no fault of theirs that they were in the line of fire.

Wyatt must have been getting uneasy. One day passed … and then another. The bridge was too well guarded for him to cross; if he attempted