Her Highness, the Traitor - By Susan Higginbotham Page 0,86
she had consulted a book. For Guildford’s part, I had no idea whether he had known women before; my husband was not the sort to encourage him to visit brothels or to have his pleasure with servants, although I would not put it past his older brothers to urge him to get some experience before he faced the daunting prospect of a night with the lady Jane. “My son has never been anything but chivalrous around women,” I said coolly. “I have no doubt that he will treat your daughter with respect.”
“I wish the consummation could have been postponed a year. My daughter is so young in some ways.”
“You and I were brides at her age, and we adjusted. She must do the same.” I looked at the three couples—Kate and Lord Herbert chatting animatedly, Katheryn sound asleep on Lord Hastings’s shoulder, and Guildford and Jane sitting side by side, hardly moving their mouths except to chew their food. In a kinder tone, I said, “They will learn to care for each other, as we and our husbands did. These things take time.”
***
There was no grand bedding ceremony for Guildford and Jane of the sort there had been in my day; the couple simply went to Jane’s chamber, Frances having given her daughter a parting kiss and my sons having given Guildford a series of sympathetic handshakes. (“Look at the lady Kate,” I had heard Guildford inform Robert sadly. “Lucky Lord Herbert. Now, there’s a girl.”) John and I smiled hard, as we had been smiling all evening, aided by more wine than either of us generally consumed.
I needed John to make love to me that night, and he did, with a tenderness I hoped somehow seeped over to the newlyweds in the bridal chamber. But when it was over, I found myself sobbing uncontrollably into John’s chest. “It’s just the wine,” I assured him when I had finally brought myself under control. “Nothing more.”
***
Three days after the wedding, the Countess of Warwick sought me out—never a good sign. “I have a question I need to ask you, Your Grace.”
“Yes, dear?”
“Is it true that the Duke of Northumberland intends to put me aside so that my husband can marry the lady Elizabeth?”
I stared. “Where on earth did you hear that?”
“It’s all over town, I suppose, if I heard it here. They say that the king is dying and that the lady Mary will be deprived of the crown. The lady Elizabeth will be made queen, and my husband—of course, he won’t be my husband then—will rule jointly with her. Or they say that the duke himself will marry the lady Elizabeth after he puts Your Grace aside.”
Why did people keep saying such vile things about my John? “There is nothing to those ridiculous rumors. Hasn’t my son made arrangements for you to accompany him to Warwick Castle, where you will be greeted as his countess?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Then that should tell you how foolish those rumors are. As for me, it would hardly serve my husband to put me aside and bastardize our children, two of whom he held weddings for just a few days ago. Don’t you think?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Good. You are an intelligent young lady. Use that intelligence when you hear those ridiculous rumors.”
“Yes, Your Grace. But—”
“Yes?”
“Is the king really dying? Is that yet another rumor?”
“He is very ill. But he may yet recover. There is always hope.”
“I see, Your Grace.”
I dismissed my daughter-in-law. Then I went to my chamber and wept for a solid hour.
***
A few days later, Jane and Guildford, who had been getting to know each other at Chelsea, joined us at Sion. I looked for signs that Jane was with child, but of course it was too soon to tell, and I could not think of a tactful way to ascertain whether she and Guildford had been sleeping together regularly, though goodness knows I tried. Instead, I had to content myself with puzzling out whether there had been a thawing between the spouses. They did not chat together easily as newlyweds of a similar age and background might, but at least Guildford paid Jane the proper courtesies, and Jane accepted them politely. Perhaps another few weeks at Chelsea might do them good.
I was pondering this at supper, and determining to talk the matter over with John once the meal was over, when Guildford suddenly turned green and stumbled to his feet, then ran out of the chamber, a hand upon his mouth. Hal, sitting nearby,