Still staring at me, a few of the ladies-in-waiting tittered behind their fans. Doing my best to ignore them, I looked at Sybil, who had gone very pale.
“I heard screaming,” I said. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” said Sybil. “A . . . silly game gone wrong, that’s all.”
The lady on the floor protested, “But I saw—”
“Nothing,” Sybil said more loudly this time, cutting her off. “Guards, if you will please resume your places outside?” As they shuffled out, she turned to me. “It was kind of you to come, Chantress, but as you can see, we have no need of you. Or your men.”
So I was “Chantress” now? What had happened to “Lucy”? True, I hadn’t had a moment to see Sybil on her own since I’d arrived in London. Not a moment, really, since her wedding.
“You may go,” I said to my men, but I did not follow them. Looking directly at Sybil, I said, “But I shall stay, if I may?”
Her beautiful face froze. Had I been too informal? Perhaps she’d expected me to offer her the courtesies due a queen. But as I started to sink into a deep curtsy, something in her face changed, and she stopped me.
“Never mind that, Lucy. If you truly wish to stay—”
“I do,” I said quickly. “I’d like to talk to you—”
“Not here,” she cut in. “In my private chamber.” Propelling me toward a grand door at the back of the room, she waved away the ladies who tried to follow us. “I will be gone only a short while, and I expect all of you to be calm when I return. There will be no more silly talk. Do you understand?” To an older lady-in-waiting, the most sensible-looking of the lot, she said, “I leave you in charge. Send Lady Gillian to her room if need be—and keep the curtains closed.”
Frowning, she ushered me into her bedchamber. The room was so enormous and so laden with luxuries that it took me a moment to realize we weren’t alone. Over by a mahogany cabinet, two gray-haired women were sorting through scores of apothecary bottles. The spry, thin one—Joan, Sybil’s longtime maidservant—came right over to us. “Does Lady Gillian need more smelling salts, Your Highness? Or a calming tisane?”
“Both. Neither.” Looking strained, Sybil threw up her hands. “Oh, I don’t know, Joan. What do you think she should have?”
As they discussed the matter, I went up to the other woman, a steadfast, stocky figure clad in serviceable wool—my old guardian, Norrie.
“Lucy, dear, what a nice surprise,” she said as we hugged. “I thought you’d be out all night again.” She shook her head. “It doesn’t seem right, the way they keep you so busy—”
“The King works just as hard, Norrie. But I’m sorry; I don’t mean to leave you alone here.”
“Oh, I’m not alone at Whitehall, child. It’s you I’m thinking about.” She let me go. “Of course, it’s true that it’s quiet over in our rooms right now, what with Margery visiting her mother this month. But the Queen said I should come over here and keep Joan company. And it seems it’s just as well I did.”
Cheerful and capable, Margery looked after Norrie when I was away. I’d forgotten she was leaving today. Thank goodness Sybil had stepped in. I looked for her, to show her my gratitude, but she and Joan were still speaking in quiet tones. The door opened again, and Joan slipped out.
“So don’t worry about me,” Norrie went on. “If there’s anyone who needs looking after, it’s you. Too thin by half, you are—”
Sybil advanced on us. “You’re right, Norrie. She’s much too thin.”
“I’m fine,” I said firmly. As they started to disagree, I held up my hand. “No, really, I am. But what’s happening here?” As Sybil hesitated, I shook my head at her. “And don’t tell me it was just a game, because I don’t believe it was. That was quite a scream I heard. And the lady on the floor said she saw something.”
“Jenny Greenteeth,” Norrie said.
I stared at her. Jenny Greenteeth was a mythical figure said to lurk in rivers, where she lured the unwary into the depths and ate them. “You’re not serious?”
“Norrie, please,” Sybil said at the same time. “We agreed we would keep this to ourselves.” And then, to me, “It’s nonsense, Lucy. Absolute nonsense. Lady Gillian just wanted to cause a sensation. She was looking out at the river, and then suddenly she’s calling half my ladies