The Fugitive Queen Read Free Page B

observed, thinking that Dale had talked too much and that I would have to raise the matter with her, “that my circumstances and yours, Pen, are not the same. I was not living as a welcome guest with my aunt and uncle, as you were atHawkswood with us, but was there on sufferance—a poor relation with questionable origins. No one was going to arrange a marriage for me. I had to make a future for myself.”
    â€œThere’s no need to justify yourself, my dear,” said Hugh.
    â€œOne moment,” I said. “I’ve a reason for talking like this. Pen, I ran away with Gerald Blanchard, but he was a suitable choice for me and he cared for me as I did for him. It was mutual. Master Rowan, on the other hand, is married already, with a family of children. He has no interest in you. You have been annoying him.” I rapped the last two sentences out with deliberate brutality and Hugh, on the point of intervening again, raised his eyebrows and didn’t.
    â€œWe noticed at Hawkswood,” I said, “that you were gazing after Dr. Lambert, too. It is clear that you need to be watched. We understand that the queen has released you from your duties for the time being and returned you to our charge. For the moment, you will remain here in our rooms. I will send Dale to bear you company though not to gossip with you. Master Stannard and I are to have an audience with the queen, in which your future will be further discussed, I daresay.”
    â€œOh no!” It came out in a wail. “It’s not . . . you’re not going to tell the queen!”
    â€œMy dear girl,” said Hugh impatiently, “she already knows. Mistress Stannard has just told you that she has released you to our care and your deplorable behavior is the reason why. I suspect that most of the court knows! It’s hard to keep any kind of secret here and maybe it’s time you began to understand that.”
    Dale was waiting in an outer room. Sybil Jester was not with her, having remained at Hawkswood to look after Meg, who was too young as yet for court. On returning to Dale, I eyed her severely. “You’re to go in and keep an eye on Pen. You’d better both settle to some embroidery until we come back. And, Dale . . .”
    â€œYes, ma’am?” said Dale, scanning my face with her large, light blue eyes and realizing that in some way or other, she must have offended.
    â€œIn future,” I said, “will you please not gossip to Pen about me! It seems that you told her how my first marriage arose. It’sgiven her some very wrong ideas about the kind of behavior I will overlook!”
    â€œOh, ma’am! I’m sorry! I never expected . . . I didn’t mean to gossip; I can’t abide tittle-tattle. Only, nearly everyone that knows you knows about you and Master Blanchard and . . .”
    â€œI know.” I melted and smiled at her. I sometimes had to take Dale to task but I was at heart very fond of her and she of me. “It’s just that Pen is so young. Be careful what you say to her, that’s all. Only improving conversation, if you please!”
    â€œHave a competition to see how many psalms each of you knows by heart,” said Hugh, his normal sense of humor reasserting itself. “Meanwhile, we must attend upon Her Majesty.”
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    â€œYou almost frighten me sometimes,” Hugh said as, having found a page to guide us, we made our way through the palace toward Elizabeth’s apartments. “I thought for a moment that you were going to be too soft with Penelope. And then you descend on her like a stooping falcon. Master Rowan has no interest in you. You’ve been annoying him. It was more effective than if you’d thrown cold water over her. It will do her good, as of course you knew. But how you take me aback at times! You are so gentle, so compliant at home, that sometimes