Chapter 7
“I am all amazed,” Aunt Kat told Uncle Denny. “It must be a mistake.”
Uncle Denny was taking supper with us and Master Parry and his wife in Aunt Kat’s chambers at Hatfield on a cold January night. Uncle John had made another journey to London a few days ago, but this time, Aunt Kat and I had been content to remain home and cozy, with the world in winter’s grip.
Also dining with us was William Paulet, who’d arrived at Hatfield this afternoon with Uncle Denny. Paulet had once been comptroller of the household for King Henry and now was young Edward’s chief steward.
I stood in a little awe of Paulet, a graying man with a shrewd eye, who’d been among those who’d carried out the arrest of Anne Boleyn. He’d acted only out of duty at that time, he’d always claimed, and he now served Edward well, but that made him no less formidable.
Uncle Denny, who’d been one of King Henry’s closest companions, peered down his long nose at Aunt Kat. His full beard was shot with gray, though the close-cropped hair on his head was still quite dark.
“The Lord High Admiral was found to not only be in collusion with pirates but to have obtained money by outright fraud,” Uncle Denny explained.
“He planned to use these funds to raise a force to take control of the king’s person.
The Admiral has been arrested and confined to the Tower,” he finished with satisfaction.
Aunt Kat exchanged a bewildered look with Master Parry, who shifted in his seat.
I recalled that when Seymour had assailed me on the Strand, he’d been marching purposefully to do who knew what. His adamance when he’d tried to discover from me Elizabeth’s whereabouts now took on an even more sinister cast. Seymour had nearly kidnapped me—would he have done the same to her?
Uncle Denny’s revelation brought me great relief, truth to tell. Elizabeth was well quit of Seymour, safe now from him riding up to Hatfield, his charming smile in place, to coerce her into marrying him, the treacherous rat.
“It’s scarce to be believed,” Aunt Kat repeated. Master Parry had relapsed into silence, turning his wine cup nervously on the table.
“Unfortunately, ’tis all true,” Uncle Denny said.
“Seymour tried to woo the king to his side with gifts and the promise of riches, but I am afraid his overly obvious bribery simply annoyed the boy. And now with the evidence that Seymour was funding a private army coming to light …” Uncle Denny shrugged.
“Lord Protector Somerset is furious. King Edward is also furious, the more so because Seymour was his favorite uncle. It is quite embarrassing to discover one has been the victim of both charm and cunning.”
“Indeed,” Paulet added.
Uncle Denny set down his wine and swiped a droplet from his lips with his tongue. “You can imagine I did not like this errand, today.”
Aunt Kat looked surprised. “We are always pleased to see you, Sir Anthony, whatever news you bring. I am sorry you have missed John. He is detained in London.”
“That does not matter,” Uncle Denny said slowly, as though choosing his words with care.
“I am afraid that you and I, my dear sister-in-law, and Master Parry, must travel to London together. The Lord Admiral’s plan to marry Her Grace Elizabeth has come to light.
Coupled with consorting with pirates and arming himself against his brother, it does not bode well for him.
” He gentled his tone but spoke firmly. “You, Mistress Ashley, along with Master Parry, have been named accomplices in this matter.”
“What?” I cried in indignation. All heads turned to me, the forgotten mouse at the table. “How could anyone believe such a thing of Aunt Kat?”
I knew full well how they could, of course. Master Parry must not have kept quiet about his talks with Seymour concerning Elizabeth, no matter how much he’d promised he would. Likely he’d been proud that Seymour had deigned to discuss Elizabeth’s situation and her finances with him.
Aunt Kat had even tried to coax Elizabeth to write to Seymour and encourage his advances. Thank heaven Elizabeth’s caution had nipped that avenue in the bud.
Parry’s wife did not help matters by bursting into tears. “I knew no good would come of it,” she sobbed. “Will I ever see my husband again?”
As she was next to me, I pinched her. Mistress Parry yelped, but at least she ceased babbling. I knew little about the law, but I had learned from observation that in these sorts of matters, keeping quiet was always best.
Aunt Kat sat in troubled silence. I doubted she’d fully understood Seymour’s true corruption—she’d only seen a handsome, powerful man interested in her beloved Elizabeth.
I did follow Aunt Kat’s reasoning. If Elizabeth married Seymour, she would become Lady Sudeley, honored and titled. More importantly, at least to Aunt Kat, Elizabeth would remain in England.
Far better, in my aunt’s view, than Edward marrying Elizabeth off to foreign royalty and sending her away. The husband might not want Aunt Kat and me to accompany her, and it was likely we’d never see Elizabeth again.
“You both must journey with us to London this night,” Uncle Denny said to Aunt Kat and Master Parry. “I will give you a little time to prepare yourselves, but we must leave soon.”
At this, Mistress Parry cried the louder.
Aunt Kat rose in agitation. “I cannot simply leave,” she said breathlessly. “My Lady Elizabeth. I must see to her, I must speak to her—”
“No, madam,” Paulet interrupted, rising. “You must not. I will ensure that word is taken to Her Grace of your departure, after you have readied yourself. Perhaps you would like to go and prepare now.”
It was a command, not a question.
I noted a glint in Paulet’s eyes that the flustered Master Parry and Aunt Kat failed to grasp. Paulet would never say so, of course, but I surmised he was giving the two of them a chance, out of sight of himself and Uncle Denny, to collude on their stories about anything Seymour had said to them.
From what I’d heard of Paulet, he was canny, always understanding which way the wind blew. If he was doing what he could now to keep Elizabeth from being implicated in Seymour’s schemes, she might have a chance to stay free of this mess.
“May I accompany my aunt to London, sir?” I asked Uncle Denny in a small voice. “Aunt Kat will be distressed to be alone.”
“No, niece.” Uncle Denny’s eyes were kind but unrelenting. “Your Lady Elizabeth will need you here all the more. There is nothing you can do in London.”
Aunt Kat nodded her agreement, though her eyes were moist. “Stay with her, Eloise. She will need the comfort of her favorite ladies.”
Take care of her for me, Aunt Kat was silently begging me. Promise me that Elizabeth will be protected.
It was now clear that marriage to Elizabeth had been only one part of Seymour’s plot to seize control of the king and the country. Viewed in that light, Aunt Kat trying to convince Elizabeth to marry Seymour against the king’s wishes could be considered treason.
Traitors died terrible deaths. I had witnessed the torn bodies of the condemned after such an execution, their decaying heads then displayed on pikes.
I wondered if the Lord Protector would also accuse poor Uncle John of colluding, or would Uncle John simply have to live through the tragedy of his wife’s execution?
As I assisted the trembling Aunt Kat from the room and to her chamber, my stomach churned with fear. I needed to put this right, but my thoughts were frozen, and I did not know what to do. I was a seamstress, not a courtier or a wise counselor.
Words could condemn Aunt Kat, or words could save her. The right words said at the right time, or omitted at the right time, would make all the difference.
The king’s council, guided by the Lord Protector Somerset, had so much power—the power of words, the power of life.
In Aunt Kat’s chamber I helped her don her cloak. An idea hummed through my brain, though I was uncertain if it would work.
“Aunt Kat,” I said in a low voice, making sure the bustling but weeping maidservants did not hear me. “You had no intention of going against the king’s wishes, did you? You thought only to marry Elizabeth to someone she would admire, though not if it meant displeasing the king and his council.”
“No, of course not,” Aunt Kat snapped, impatient in her fear. “John was right when he told me not to meddle.”
“That is all that you must say,” I said, stressing each word. “It is true that you thought Seymour would be a good husband for Elizabeth, but you never dreamed of her marrying anyone against the council’s wishes. She would abide by the law always.”
“Yes, but—”
“Aunt Kat.” I put my hands on her shoulders and spoke carefully. “You never, ever once thought to see Elizabeth marry against the wishes of the council.”
Aunt Kat gaped at me, and then I saw understanding dawn. She closed her mouth and drew a long breath. “Quickly, Eloise. I must speak to Parry ere I go down.”
I nodded, my heart thumping, and ran off to find him.
When I parted from Aunt Kat in the muddy yard not long later, I could not stop my tears. Aunt Kat gathered me into a hard hug, her face wet, and told me to mind myself and Elizabeth.
Aunt Kat, Master Parry, Uncle Denny, and William Paulet rode away from Hatfield in the cold darkness, the four of them surrounded by armed outriders. The entourage disappeared too soon as Mistress Parry and I watched, holding on to each other to keep from collapsing in despair.
Though Mistress Parry slowly turned back to the house, I remained outside until I could see no more, my heart heavy but my thoughts spinning.
I had been advised by Uncle Denny not to inform Elizabeth what had transpired. She, by the council’s orders, had been purposely kept in the dark about the reason for his and Paulet’s visit.
However, after the riders were truly gone, hoofbeats dying into silence, I sped into the house, hurried up to her chamber, and told her anyway.