Nine Days a Queen: The Short Life and Reign of Lady Jane Grey (2 page)

Edward, Elizabeth, and Mary were already at the palace before me. We hugged and kissed, even Mary, who could drop her frozen face on occasion and stop acting as if she had just come out of a nunnery, and smile and laugh. We were led to our apartments and traveled back and forth, visiting. Mine were draped in green, tapestries and bed hangings. My bedchamber had carved oak furniture, three chests, a large stone

15

fireplace, a stained-glass window, and a darling turret.

Carved wooden dolls sat on the window seat, amongst embroidered pillows.

"Katharine did all of this," Edward said. "She's trying to make us feel at home."

We were given spaniel dogs to play with and they romped back and forth between the apartments. Edward did not look good, but then, he never looked good.

"My cough is better," he said. "Lady Bryan sent for an apothecary, who gave me new medicine."

But there were dark circles under his eyes. How different from Elizabeth, who was bursting with health.

Edward was the only one who'd met Katharine Parr. "She is a most gracious lady," he told us as we gathered in his apartments. "She wants to bring us all together with the King. I haven't seen him in months."

"She gave me some new dresses," Elizabeth said.

I looked at her. I envied her green silk, which set off her hair. My gray silk was as dull and drab

16

as I felt my hair was compared to hers. "Have you been restored to your proper rank, cousin?" I asked. "Am I now to call you and Mary 'Princess?''

"Not yet." Mary sighed deeply. "But even if we were, you are to call us by our names. Isn't that right, Elizabeth?"

Both had been declared illegitimate by their father in one of his fits of anger and were to be called "Lady," and not "Princess."

We were brought mild mulled wine and sweetmeats by servants. We sat around and caught up on events in each of our lives. It felt so good knowing I was wanted here and favored and did not have to be afraid of my mother storming in to scold me for some minor offense.

"Are you still good at playing hoodman blind?" I asked Edward.

He smiled and said he was.

Mary looked older than the last time I had seen her. She looked over thirty, and that was not good for an unmarried woman.

"What else does anybody know about Katharine Parr?" Elizabeth asked.

"She's sweet," Edward said. "And innocent.

17

Too innocent. But she is good to my father. And he so much needs someone to be good to him now. His leg is getting worse."

"She was once wed to Lord Borough, old and wealthy," Mary told us, "then to Lord Latimer, also old. They lived in Yorkshire. She was in love with Thomas Seymour, the Lord High Admiral and one of your uncles, Edward. But that was before the King spoke for her."

"She is brave," Elizabeth put in.

"She has a good head on her shoulders," Edward said, and just as he said it, he minded what he had spoken, and we all looked at one another in horror.

"May it stay there," Mary whispered as if in prayer. And she crossed herself.

Elizabeth said nothing, but I saw her pale. Her mother had been beheaded when she was just three. She never spoke of it. But I wondered what she felt and how she could live knowing about it.

Just then bowls of water for washing were left by servants. Clothes were laid out, and we were sent to our individual apartments to dress for supper and meet the King's sixth wife.

18

"Have they betrothed you yet?" Edward asked when we were alone.

"No."

"Would that we could wed, dear Jane." And he smiled at me.

I looked into his deep brown eyes. They had flecks of gold. His brown hair was curly and soft. Already his shoulders had started to grow in the way of a man, though he was thin. His intelligence was finely honed. He spoke Italian and French, as well as Greek and Latin.

"But I must wed someone from another realm," he said gravely, "someone rich, because the coffers of England are empty from my father's rash spending and the ruinous wars with France and Scotland."

"Hush," I told him. It was dangerous to talk so.

"We are, neither of us, our own persons. Now, I tell you this as your dear friend. Be careful of Sir Thomas Wriothesley, the King's chief counselor. He looks to make trouble for Katharine."

"Oh no."

"She has the mettle to go up against him,

19

don't worry. Go now and I'll see you at supper."

People often told me I seemed older than my years. If I was, it was because I had to be. We all did, Edward and Elizabeth and myself. We had to be, in order to survive in the world our grownups had made. There was no place in it for children. To protect ourselves we had to be aware of their every facial expression, every gesture, every change of tone in their voices.

The King himself came to usher us into

the

dining chamber. He was such a large man, dressed in red velvet and white ermine and bejeweled. His girth was great. We all knelt before him, and waited until he came to each of us to raise us up. "Mrs. Cornwallis, my confectioner who makes my puddings, has prepared a special dessert for tonight," he told us. And: "I have a pelican now. He's been sent to us from New Found Land."

"That is America," Edward said.

"Yes," said the King, and he patted his son's head. "I see you are up with your studies."

To me he said: "Your grandfather was a gentleman of the Privy Council, and a good man. We

20

hear good things about you, too."

"Thank you, my liege," I answered.

I was pleased. And I took pride in the fact that I knew how to act at table. I knew to throw my napkin over my left shoulder and always to leave something on my plate, for it would be given to the poor who were begging outside the palace gates.

The King took his place next to Katharine at the high table. But he was soon up again, walking around, talking with the Earl of Essex, some ambassadors, a cardinal, and a dark-visaged man in black whom I assumed to be Sir Wriothesley. The King's face was puffy. He limped. His eyes were almost lost in his plump face. His mouth was small and smiled a lot, but there are those who said that when moved to anger, it was as if God were speaking. People cowed.

Not that night. Before the supper was over, he disappeared with the Earl, and they returned after a while dressed in the fashion of Turkey, bearing scimitars and accompanied by six men dressed as Prussians. There were also torch-bearers made up as blackamoors, and they all put on a skit for us.

21

Naturally the King won in a mock fight and we all applauded. It was not difficult, even in his disguise, to determine which was the King.

"He loves skits and masques," Elizabeth said. Poor Elizabeth. I felt sorry for her. Exuberant as she usually was, she seemed pale and waiflike now in the presence of her father.

She's afraid of him,

I thought,

much as I am of mine.

I know she yearned for his love. The same as Mary and Edward did.

After the skit the King reappeared wearing a doublet of blue and crimson, slashed with cloth of gold. And diere was music and dancing.

I danced with him once! I actually danced with the King. And he was gentle and kind, raising me up from my initial curtsey, speaking kind words to me of my family, his huge bejeweled hands gentle, his voice purring. I felt every inch the worthy lady as he led me through the steps. I felt his presence near overcome me.

22

FOUR

K

atharine was not pretty but she had a lively, pleasing appearance. This night she wore a rich red gown with a stand-up collar and à jaunty feathered cap.

I went with her to her apartments, which she kept richly furnished with curios and gifts from the King. She also kept greyhounds and parrots. I tried not to stare, but I couldn't help it.

"You made a good impression on the King," she told me. "And on me. He says I may have you stay with me as a maid of honor. Do you wish that?"

Stay with her? I was still afraid and part disdainful of court life. But oh, not to have to go home and endure my family's displeasure with

23

me all the time. "Oh, my lady!" was all I could say.

In her hand she had a dish of morsels from supper for her two greyhounds, who came around sniffing.

"Lady Latimer, Lady Latimer," one of the parrots kept repeating. I went over to them. I loved birds. "My love, my love," the bird said.

Katharine covered their cages so they would go to sleep, and we sat. "So you shall be a maid of honor then. I am told you are schooled in

the

classics and can speak many languages. How old are you, Jane?"

"Nine."

"Your parents have done a good job."

I made a face.

She smiled. "It is one reason why I ask you to be part of my household. I have heard how they treat you."

"Heard? How come you by such information?"

"There is not much the King does not know about the lives of his people. When he takes action, he does so for a reason. Thus he took action to have you come here. I am pleased with

24

you, Jane. Would you like to see my gowns?"

And she took me into her robing room, where two of her women were stitching. "This is Lady Elizabeth Hoby and Lady Jane Lisle," she said, introducing us. "Ladies," she told them, "this is Lady Jane Grey and she is my new personal companion. I intend that she be closer to me than the greyhounds."

Everyone laughed. Then she showed me the gathering of gowns. "All the silk for them comes from Antwerp," she said. "I shall now show you my weaknesses, Lady Jane Grey."

There were gowns aplenty, in all colors, of all fabrics, bejeweled and plain.

"These over here come from Baynard Castle," she said. "They once belonged to Catherine Howard."

"Ohhh," I said. Then I started to speak. "But," and then I stopped myself.

"Aren't I fearful of wearing gowns from a queen who had her head cut off? No." And she arranged them carefully on the rack. "No, Catherine caused her own demise by living a loose life as a girl. It was bound to come out sooner or later. The King could not condone

25

such actions. Suppose it was bandied about in Scotland or France? His enemies would laugh at him."

Before I had a chance to reply, she was showing me her shoes. Dozens of them, all kinds again, cork-soled, velvet, shoes trimmed with gold. "I have a weakness for shoes, too," she said, "and flowers. The King indulges me."

Then, back in her private chamber I saw a book on a table near her bed. I loved books. "What is that?" I asked.

She picked it up and gave a half smile. "Tyndale's translation of the holy scriptures," she said, "a prohibited book. But I keep up with the New Religion," she told me. "The one started by Martin Luther."

I knew danger when I heard it, and said nothing. Again she said that while the King was yet Catholic, he indulged her, and she gave me a tract explaining some of the New Religion and sent me to bed.

Outside, the hallway was dark now except for torches burning on the walls. Shadows leaped in front of me, and I was glad to see my little spaniel rushing to meet me. "I must name you," I told

26

him as I patted his head. "But what?"

"How about Tyndale?" a voice said. And I drew back, startled. The spaniel growled.

Out of the shadows stepped Sir Wriothesley. Blocking my way, he stood. "A fine name, isn't it?"

"You were listening," I accused.

"Lady Jane Grey, what a lovely plain name for a lovely plain little girl," and he stroked the side of my face with his hand.