My Enemy, the Queen (35 page)

aleigh?said Penelope. e is a dashing fellow. Tom Perrot was talking of him when I spent a few days with him and Dorothy on my way here. Tom says he is quick-tempered. An ill-chosen word directed against him can plunge him into violent rage. Tom himself had a fracas with him, and they both landed up in the Fleet and spent six days there before their release was brought about. He said that a short while after, Raleigh was in the Marshalsea following a fight on the tennis court with someone named Wingfield. He an adventurer. He like the Queen darling, Francis Drake. You know how she loves such men.

o she loves this one?

h, he is one of her admirers! How she can listen to such false compliments I can never understand.

ew understand the Queenor does she intend them to.

Leicester wants to present Essex to her. How think you that will work?

ell, he good-looking enough to please her and can be charming when he wishes. Has he agreed to come to Court?

ot yet. I am sending a messenger asking him to come to me. Leicester will then arrive to turn on the persuasive powers.

doubt hel come. You know how stubborn he can be.

tubborn and impulsive,I agreed. e has always acted without much thought. But he is over young. Hel change, I doubt not.

e will have to change a great dealnd quickly,commented Penelope. e will never be able to pay those extravagant false compliments which the Queen demands from her young men. You know, he always speaks his mind, Mother. He has been thus since he was a boy.

As Essex had spent a good deal of time with the Riches in recent years I could be sure his sister knew what she was talking about.

I said: ell, I don think the Queen will receive him, since he is my son.

he received us,replied Penelope, hough I have to admit she gives us some odd looks now and then and snaps at us rather sharply. Dorothy said the same.

he thinking all the time that you are the She-Wolf cubs, as she so elegantly calls you.

ho knows, perhaps between them your husband and your son will be able to persuade her to have you back.

doubt Essex would be able to do what my Lord Leicester has failed to.

Although she wanted to cheer me, I could see that Penelope agreed. Even after all these years it was unlikely that the Queen would relent.

Then we talked of family matters and how she hated her husband, and how difficult life was with him.

could endure him more if he were not so religious,Penelope told me. ut it is maddening, the manner in which he kneels down and prays before getting into bed and then proceeds to well, I will leave that to your imagination, for I would prefer not to remind myself of it. He is demanding my dowry now and says he has had little from the marriage. And I have already given him his sons Richard and Charles andurse of curses am pregnant again.

e should be delighted that you are so fruitful. assure you I don share his delight.hilip does not seem to find you any less delectable.t is pleasant of course to be honored in verse, but Philip seems content enough with that.

hat does Frances think of these poems to another woman?he raises no objection. He pays some attention to her clearly, since she has been delivered of a daughter whom, most loyally, she has named after Elizabeth our Queen. Her Majesty has shown a certain interest in her namesake.

Thus we chatted, and the time I spent with my daughter passed merrily as always.

In due course, Essex obeyed my summons and came to Leicester House. How proud I was of him when I presented him to his stepfather!

He was indeed a son to be proud of. Every time I saw him I was astonished by his handsome looks because I always felt that I underestimated them in my thoughts. His coloring was similar to mine. He had abundant hair, though his was more auburn than mine, and the large dark Boleyn eyes. He was very tall and, I suppose because he so often had to look down to people, he stooped slightly. He had delicate, beautiful hands, and the fact that he left them unadorned seemed to call attention to their elegance. His Venetian breechesery full at the top and narrowing towards the kneeere in the finest velvet and slashed and puffed, but not in the height of fashion when compared with those in the French style, which Leicester, the courtier, was wearing. Essex cloak was embroidered with gold lace, I rememberut what did it matter what he wore? He could never look anything but completely distinguished. He wore all his clothes with an indifference which accentuated his natural elegance; and I was fondly amused to notice his determination not to be impressed by the Queen favorite. In fact, he was not going to hide his contempt for a man who allowed his wife to be disdainfully treated, even though it was by the Queen.

He was clearly suspicious of Leicester intentionsnd I was fully aware of them. I had previously found my husband desire for friendship with my family endearing, but now under the influence of Leicester Commonwealth I looked for other motives behind the affectionate interest. By entering his orbit they became his men and women and their function would be to further his ends.

I was a little resentful and uneasy. I did not want him to use my son. Perhaps after all I was at that time not without a little foreknowledge. Then I dismissed my fears. It would be amusing to see whether Leicester could persuade young Rob to do what he wanted, and even more so to learn how the Queen received him.

Before Leicester arrival I had told my son that his stepfather had something to discuss with him. Essex had replied rather curtly that he was not interested in Court matters.

ou must please be courteous to members of my family,I reproved him.

do not like matters as they stand,retorted my son. eicester spends his days dancing attendance on the Queen in spite of the fact that she will not receive you at Court.

e has other duties besides dancing attendance. He holds many posts in the government.

Essex looked mulish. f she won receive you, he should refuse to see her.

ob! You are talking of the Queen.

don care. Leicester should first be loyal to you. I hear talk and resent it. I always will to see you humiliated.

h, Rob my darling, I love you for your folly. There is nothing else he can do. Please see that. The Queen hates me for, marrying him. She is determined to keep him from me. You must understand it would be disastrous for him to disobey her.

f I were in his place muttered Rob, clenching his fist in a manner which made me laugh tenderly and happily. It was wonderful to have such a champion.

ou have lived overlong in the country,I told him. eicester owes his fame and fortune to her and so will you.

! You will never make a courtier of me. I prefer a life of dignity in the country. I learned that in Burleigh household. To see a wise old statesman like that tremble at the command of a woman! No, it is not for me. I will keep my freedom, my independence. I will live my life my own way.

doubt not you will do that, my son. But you do understand, do you not, that your mother wants the best for you.

He turned to me then and embraced me. My love for him overwhelmed me.

Then Leicester arrived, all charm and bonhomie.

hat a pleasure it gives me to see you,he cried. hy, you are indeed a man. I wish for us to grow better acquainted. You are my stepson now, remember, and families should cling together.

agree with that,said Essex sharply. t is wrong that a husband should be at Court when his wife is not received there.

I was aghast. Essex, I knew well, had never been one to consider his words, but he must know something of Leicester power and how unwise it was to offend him. Hadn he read Leicester Commonwealth! I did not believe he would harm my son, but no man should make an enemy of Leicester.

ou don know the Queen temper, Rob,I said quickly.

or do I want to,he retorted.

I could see that it was not going to be easy to persuade him.

As always I had to admire Leicester tact. It was obvious how he had managed to hold his place at Court. He smiled indulgently, giving no sign that this green boy, who was clearly ignorant of Court matters, irritated him. He was patient and gentle, and I believed Essex was a little bewildered by him. I could see his opinion changing as Leicester talked easily and affably, and then listened with rapt attention to my son views. I admired him as much as I ever had and, as I watched the two of them together, I thought how fortunate I was to have two such men holding such a place in my lifeeicester, a name to inspire awe and respect throughout the country; and Essex ? Perhaps one day his would be the same.

In that moment I could snap my fingers at the Queen. Leicester might dance to her tune, but only because she was the Queen. I was his wife. I was the woman he loved. And in addition I had this wonderful son. Leicester and Essex. What more could any woman ask?

I realized that Essex was asking himself where was the villain of Leicester Commonwealth and, in his impulsive way, dismissing this work as nonsensical libel. Watching them, I thought how different they were these two Earls of mine. Leicester so clever, so subtle, speaking usually with exceeding cautionnd Essex, hotheaded, never pausing to think what effect his words and actions might have.

Knowing so well their natures, I did not find it surprising that, within a short time, Leicester had persuaded Essex to go to Court.

I was resentful, of course, that I should have been excluded from that first presentation. How I should have enjoyed watching those hawk eyes studying my handsome son.

But I had to hear it secondhand.

Penelope, who was present, told me.

f course, we were all anxious because she would immediately think of his being your son.

h, she still hates me as much as ever.

Penelope did not answer that. She meant that she did.

here was a moment when it seemed that she was uncertain. adam,said Leicester, all charm and smiles, wish to ask the favor of presenting, my stepson, the Earl of Essex.She looked at him sharply and for a moment did not speak. I thought she was going to burst into a tirade.

gainst the She-Wolf,I commented.

hen Essex came forward. He is so tall and he has that haughty look but that stoop of his is not without appeal. He has a way when meeting a womano courteous, gentle almost, I have seen it with the humblest serving wench. One thing we do know, my lady. He likes women. And the Queen is a woman. It was as though something flashed between them. I have seen it before with her and men she is going to favor. She held out her hand and he kissed it with great charm. Then she smiled and said: our father was a good servant. I regret his death. It was too soon.She had him sit beside her and she asked him questions about the country.

nd he? Was he gracious?

e was overcome by her. You know her well. You may hate and rail against her in private

t must be in private,I commented ironically.

ertainly, if one is wise. But even hating her, one cannot help but be aware of her greatness. Essex was aware of it. His haughtiness dropped from him. It was almost as though he was falling in love with her. It is what she expects from men and they all feign to be dazzled by her charm, but Essex would never pretend, would he, so with him it must have been genuine.

I said: o your brother seems to have been taken into the intimate circle.

Penelope was thoughtful. t might well be. He is very young, but the older she grows the more she likes the younger men.

ut this is strange indeed. The son of the woman she hates more than anyone else.

e is handsome enough to overcome that obstacle,replied Penelope. ut perhaps it is part of the attraction.

I felt myself grow cold with sudden fear. She had taken to my son. Did she know how much I loved him? Sooner or later he would betray to her that there was a special bond between us. He would never stoop to subterfuge to keep her favor as Leicester had done. He would defend me if my name were mentioned. He would not allow her to insult me in his presence.

I was deeply apprehensive.

According to Leicester, Essex had made a good impression on the Queen; she was turning away from the upstart Raleigh towards my son. He amused her. He was different from the others-young, brash, outspoken.

Oh, my beloved son, I thought, have I allowed Leicester to lead you into her web?

Being immersed in my personal affairs and exiled from Court, I had allowed myself to become oblivious of many clouds which were beginning to form over the country.

For so many years I had heard talk of those menaces: The Queen of Scotsbout whom there were constant plots to put her on the throne and depose Elizabethnd the Spanish enemy. I had come to accept them as facts of life. I think this applied to a great many of my countrymen and women; but certainly in the minds of the Queen and Leicester they were ever present.

My exile from Court was like a canker in my heart, particularly now that Essex was there. It was not that I wanted smiles from the Queen; I merely wanted to be there firsthand observer. There was small satisfaction in riding through the streets, clad like a queen, and entertaining people in my splendid houses where I could only learn of Court matters through others. So I yearned to be there, and it seemed as though I never would. That was her revenge on me.

Leicester talked often of the Queen of Scots. He wavered between seeking her favor and eliminating her altogether. While she lived, he said, there would be little peace for him or Elizabeth. He feared that one day one of the many plots on her behalf might be successful; in which case those who had supported and adhered to Elizabeth would be most unpopular with the new Queen. And he would be at the head of those to be deposed from power. Stripped from his power and his riches, he would doubtless be sent to the Tower to emerge only to his execution.

Once when we lay in bed together, and he was languorous and not mindful of his words, he said he had advised the Queen to have Mary strangled, or better still poisoned.

here are poisons,he said, hich leave little trace and in due course none at all. It would be a mercy to the country and the Queen if Mary were not there. While she is, there will always be danger. At any time one of the many plots could succeed, despite all our efforts.