Her Highness, the Traitor - By Susan Higginbotham Page 0,122

“I will beg for all of their lives if I see the queen again. In the meantime, I can at least pray that she spares my daughter’s life, and your sons’, as well. Will you do the same?”

“I shall pray for all of them.” Then I added, “But it is the queen we must convince. God may be an easier matter.”

40

Frances Grey

November 1553 to January 1554

Jane’s condemnation at the Guildhall moved Harry to do what none of my own pleadings could accomplish: make his peace with the queen on the matter of religion. While he did not go so far as to consent to begin hearing the Mass, he did agree not to interfere with the legislation that was making its way through Parliament. Just as important to the queen, he promised not to oppose her marriage to Philip of Spain. In return, he received a public assurance of the queen’s goodwill and a private assurance that Jane would be safe. The dreadful sentence that had made me faint at the Guildhall was merely a formality. In time, Jane would go free. The queen was less certain about Guildford and the rest of the Dudleys—this time I had kept my promise to the Duchess of Northumberland and asked that she show them mercy—but no moves were made to carry out the sentences against them.

I had no reason to doubt any of this. Indeed, when I came to court in late November, I found, to my immense embarrassment, that Queen Mary gave precedence to me and my cousin Margaret, Countess of Lennox, over the lady Elizabeth, who glared at us as she took her seat at a lower table.

“It’s been like that ever since I came,” Margaret informed me as we relaxed in her chamber at Westminster later that evening. The queen was feeling poorly and had retired early. Margaret fingered the material of her rich gown, a gift from Mary, guiltily. “She has pampered me shamelessly since I have come to court. I can’t say I find it disagreeable, but she snubs the lady Elizabeth at the same time. It is awkward, to say the least. I pity the lady Elizabeth, but it is hardly my fault that the queen sees Anne Boleyn in her face whenever she looks at her.” Margaret lowered her voice. “The queen has even said that if she dies without issue, I will be the heir to the throne.”

“Better you be anything else, Margaret! Trust me, you would be better off going back to Yorkshire and staying there for the rest of your life.”

“I had forgotten how much you have suffered for your royal blood,” admitted Margaret. “But the queen always speaks highly of you, and she speaks very indulgently of the lady Jane. Surely she will free her soon.”

“I hope so. Christmas will be dismal without her.”

“Wait until the queen marries,” Margaret said confidently. “She will be in a humor to grant anything, maybe even get the lady Jane’s marriage to that Dudley boy annulled and let her marry someone whose family isn’t knee-deep in treason.”

“Is she that pleased about the Spanish match?”

“Pleased? She talks of nothing else among her women these days but Prince Philip. And I can’t blame her. His portrait arrived a few days ago, and I don’t know whether the credit is due more to Titian or to Prince Philip himself, but it certainly is a feast for the eyes. Mind you, no one else, other than Simon Renard, is happy with it. The marriage, I mean, not the portrait.”

“So I have heard from Harry.”

“Oh, my dear! Courtenay alternates between sulking and pursuing the lady Elizabeth, who can’t abide him. The French ambassador’s nose is out of joint. Gardiner is unhappy because the queen refused Courtenay, and the queen is unhappy because the Commons have been badgering her not to make the marriage. And, of course, the Commons are unhappy because the queen refuses to give up the idea of this marriage.”

“Do you think she will be prevailed upon to change her mind?”

“Not a chance,” Margaret said. “The more people cry out against her marriage, the more she digs in. The queen is as mulish as her father ever was, and King Edward, too, from what I hear.” She laughed. “Not that I lack a stubborn streak myself. In fact, I believe you are the only one of us cousins who escaped it.”

***

After Parliament recessed, we stayed at Sheen instead of going to Bradgate, as Harry’s health had been suffering