Queen of This Realm - Plaidy Jean. Страница 96

The thought soothed me. I sent for Sussex.

When he arrived I said I was a little anxious about Lady Sheffield. I had heard that she was suffering from a mysterious illness. What did he know of her?

Sussex replied: “Your Majesty need have no anxiety about the lady now. She was ill—mysteriously ill, indeed some thought that she might have been poisoned—but she has recovered miraculously and is now Lady Stafford. She married Sir Edward Stafford and they appear to be living very happily together.”

“I am glad that she recovered, but was she not said to have made a previous marriage?”

Sussex knew very well that I was aware of the scandals concerning Lady Stafford. Naturally I would be, as they concerned Robert.

“Life has worked out very satisfactorily for her now,” began Sussex.

“That may be, but if she were in fact previously married and her husband is still living, she cannot be married to Stafford.”

Sussex looked perplexed and I went on: “I want you to look into this matter.”

He was still bewildered. “Your Majesty will remember that the lady claimed to have been married to the Earl of Leicester.”

“I do remember it,” I said, “and if this is indeed true, my Lord Leicester must return to his true wedded wife.”

“But Leicester—”

“He has gone through a form of marriage with the Countess of Essex, yes; but if he was really wed to Douglass Sheffield, the marriage to Lady Essex is no marriage at all, and if it can be proved that he was married to Lady Sheffield, he shall return to her.” My calm deserted me and I shouted: “They shall live together or…he can rot in the Tower.”

Sussex regarded me with dismay. I had betrayed myself, but I did not care. All I wanted was revenge on Lettice Knollys.

I INSISTED THAT there must be an inquiry. Lady Stafford must be questioned and I would be present at the examination. Sussex was against it. He was one of the very few men in my Court who dared go against me and he had exasperated me many times. I had raged against him, called him an idiot, told him he ought to be banished from Court. All of which he had taken with resignation; but when I called him traitor, he protested with righteous indignation and seemed not to care how he offended me. He was a man who would state his opinions no matter what such frankness brought down on his head; and I must respect him for that. He knew I would never banish him from Court. Honest men were rare and if Sussex lacked the brilliance of Burghley and Bacon and the charm of Robert, Hatton, Heneage and the rest, he was an honest man. I had not a more faithful servant at my Court.

So now Sussex did not hesitate to tell me that he thought I was wrong to raise this matter of Leicester's possible marriage to Lady Stafford.

“The Earl is married; Lady Stafford is married; and Your Majesty would do well to let be.”

“I am the best judge of that, my lord,” I said sharply.

“I think, Your Majesty, in the circumstances…”

I silenced him. He was alluding, of course to my well-known attachment to Robert. He deplored it, and as it happened he disliked Robert more than any man at Court. Robert's devious methods were abhorrent to him; yet at one time he had been ready to agree to a marriage between us because he thought I was so enamored of Robert that my happiness lay in such a marriage. I am sure that he was also of the opinion that any marriage was better than none and that with two so passionately devoted to each other as Robert and I were, a union was sure to be fruitful.

“So, Master Sussex,” I said, “you are against this inquiry because Lady Stafford is a connection of your wife. Is that not so? Your good lady wants no scandal in the family!”

Sussex hesitated. There was an element of truth in that, he admitted; but his real objection was my involvement in the affair.

How involved was I in this?

“People will say that it is your anger against Leicester which prompts you rather than your desire to sift the truth—which can do little good now.”

“Little good! Do you think of your wife's precious cousin…or whatever she is…do you think her reputation is of no account? I tell you this, my lord Sussex: There shall be no immorality at my Court.”

He knew then that I would have what I wanted, and accordingly Lady Stafford was summoned and I listened while Sussex questioned her. He had succeeded in making me accept a secret inquiry, saying that if Lady Stafford proved that there had been a true marriage between herself and the Earl of Leicester then the matter could be taken to court. Of course he was right.

What a timid creature this Lady Stafford was! I wondered what Robert could have seen in her. When I thought of myself… and Lettice… strong women … women of personality … whatever could he have seen in this… mouse!

She looked half crazed and was certainly very frightened. She said that she was married to Sir Edward Stafford and it was a very happy marriage.

“But is it a marriage,” asked Sussex, “if you are already married to the Earl of Leicester?”

“That was no true marriage.”

“There was a time when you were pleading that it was,” Sussex reminded her. “What has happened to change your mind?”

“I was mistaken…”

“It seems a strange mistake to make,” I couldn't resist interjecting. “Do you mean to say you did not know whether you were married or not?”

She turned to me and fell to her knees, wringing her hands while the tears coursed down her cheeks. “Your Majesty,” she said, “I thought I was married then… but now I…am not sure. There were those to say there was no marriage. I thought…”

I looked in exasperation at Sussex who began his relentless questions. Her meeting with Leicester, the sudden flaring of passion between them… he was irresistible… she had been a faithful wife until then… the letter he had written…

“What was in the letter?” demanded Sussex.

“That he would marry me when my husband died.”

“But your husband was well, was he not?”

She nodded wretchedly.

“Then why did he talk of his death?”

“He…he said it would not be long before we could be legally married.”

I was tapping my feet impatiently. I did not want a case of murder to be brought against Robert. I only wanted to separate him from the she-wolf.

“Where is this letter?” I demanded.

“I—I do not know…”

She told what I knew already. Foolish little creature! She had lost the letter; it was found by her sister-in-law and taken to her husband who left her and went to London threatening to divorce her, but before he could do so, he died.

“And when you were free, you married the Earl of Leicester.”

“I…I think so…”

“Have you any proof?”

“I—I trusted him. He said we were married. It seemed like a marriage. Perhaps…”

“You must have some documents. There would have to be papers.”

“I—I don't know. I have no papers. Oh please, my lord, Your Majesty, let me go…I have a good husband who cares for me. I want nothing of my lord Leicester. It was no marriage. I have no papers…”

She began sobbing wildly.

Sussex looked at me and said: “I think nothing can be gained by pursuing this inquiry, Your Majesty.”

I was shaking with emotion, but I saw that he was right.

Lady Stafford covered her face and went on crying. “I know nothing… nothing,” she murmured. “I can only say I trusted him. He said all was well. I don't know…I don't know any more…”

“The woman is hysterical,” I said. “Go back to Sir Edward Stafford, Lady Stafford.”

She was taken away.

Sussex stood before me. Much as he hated Leicester I think he was rather pleased by the outcome. His chivalry had been touched by the sight of that poor woman in distress.

I went back to my apartments. I was filled with a cold anger and the hatred I bore Lettice Knollys was greater than ever. She had won again.