Chapter 15 #2
I backed from her, secretly pleased that she barked at me, because her temper indicated she was not in grave danger. Mistress Sandes, Elizabeth’s favorite, took my place, and Elizabeth turned her groans and growls to her.
I did more running about for Aunt Kat and for the other ladies who were unwell, working far into the night.
When the chaos in the house wound to a dull clamor—Elizabeth at last slept, and the ladies and gentlemen of her household had settled themselves—I wrapped myself in a cloak and slipped out into the darkness.
My goal was the stable yard and the outbuildings that enclosed it. Here Elizabeth’s and Mary’s soldiers and several of the lesser-born gentlemen had put up for the night. I had seen one among their number I was anxious to speak to.
The stable yard had calmed by this time, the horses fed and bedded down, stable lads cleaning saddles and harness. The soldiers were eating, drinking, and nattering, and I withdrew into the shadows, not wishing to be noticed.
As though he’d been waiting for me, Colby walked out of a well-lit brick building and casually strolled in my direction. A cluster of trees stood not far from the outbuildings, and we met beneath their deep gloom.
“We cannot race to London,” I said as soon as he stopped next to me. “She is truly ill. You may tell that to Her Majesty’s soldiers.”
“Aye, I hope she will tarry as long as she can,” Colby answered in grim tones.
He was so tall that his voice came from a long way up. I shivered for no reason—the night had not grown colder. In fact, the absence of wind made the chill fairly tolerable.
“Why?” I asked sharply. “What has happened?”
“Guildford Dudley and Lady Jane Grey were executed today on Tower Green.”
“No.” I pressed my hands to my mouth, nausea stirring. “Oh, no, no. What has happened to the world?” Tears slid silently down my cheeks. “Jane was innocent. She had nothing to do with plots—how could she? Without a word to say for herself, how could Jane threaten anyone?”
My voice rose in my distress, and I found myself pressed against Colby, his arms coming around me. I leaned against him in gratitude and cried my fill.
My imagination filled in the details, which were confirmed when I heard the entire story later—Jane dressed all in black, led across the Tower green by her ladies, her lips moving as she read from a book of prayers she carried.
Her taut face as she turned to the people who’d come to watch her die, her stammered words that she was guilty of loving the world and worldly things too much. Jane, saying these things.
Then her ladies helping undress her to her chemise, and Jane stepping onto the straw.
I shoved myself away from Colby, trying to blot out the vision, but it insisted on playing itself out to the end.
Jane kneeling at the block, tears running down her face, and the final, sharp blow.
The vision did not spare me the blood, the wails of Jane’s ladies, the thump of the executioner’s ax.
Then Jane’s blood, innocent blood, on the straw.
I learned later that, more horrible still, Jane had not been able to find the block once she’d been blindfolded, and a man had darted out of the crowd to help her to it.
I fell to my knees in the mud, trying to banish the image from my head.
It vanished as suddenly as it had come, and I saw only the frozen ground under the trees, and a thick root that had poked itself above the earth. The folds of Colby’s leather boots and glint of spurs came into view as he crouched beside me.
I gasped for breath, drawing the sweet scent of the night into me, welcoming the cold.
“Eloise?”
I could not say if Colby was upset at my distress or annoyed that I’d broken down.
“I am unhurt,” I said, the only words that came to my lips. “I simply …”
Colby’s hands were large and warm, lifting me to my feet. “I told you too abruptly. My apologies.”
I wiped my eyes with cold fingers. “I grew up with Lady Jane, you see, and designed gowns for her. I started to sew her a queen’s wardrobe.” I shuddered. “I dared hope that Mary would spare her. Jane did nothing.”
“She was a banner to flock to, just as Elizabeth is,” Colby rumbled in the darkness.
“Whether Jane had any desire to become queen was not the point. So long as any man could use her, she was a danger to Mary. Elizabeth is an even greater danger, which is why we must take our time riding to London. If Elizabeth arrives too soon on the heels of Jane’s execution, Mary might simply follow with another.
A lightning trial, a night in the Tower … ”
“Enough,” I said sharply. “I do understand, though I am but a foolish woman, weeping on your cloak.”
“Not so foolish.” Colby’s voice became surprisingly gentle. “Dudley is sometimes led astray by a pretty face, but not in matters of importance.”
I gazed at him, barely able to make out his features in the gloom. “If I were to think that through long enough, I might twist it into a compliment. Thank heavens you stayed away from Wyatt and his followers in the end.”
“But I was in the thick of it.” Colby touched my face with rough-gloved fingers.
“I fought with the soldiers in London against Mary. When Wyatt saw that his quest was futile, he sent me back to Ashridge to protect Elizabeth. They battled at the very gates of Whitehall, and the queen’s personal guard were nearly too cowardly to protect her.
Had not the City stood by her, we would have gained a foothold in London.
It might have ended in victory. But it did not, and I slipped away and rode to rejoin Elizabeth’s household. ”
I absorbed the story, cold fear twisting my heart. Elizabeth could well share Jane’s fate if Mary saw fit. If Mary was angry enough, if she could be convinced that Elizabeth had set Wyatt and his soldiers on her, she might be merciless.
“Damn them all,” I said between clenched teeth.
“We will protect her,” Colby promised. “You and I.”
“We are doing naught but gossiping in the mud in the dark. How can this protect her?”
Colby firmly clasped my shoulders. Even through the thick fabric of my cloak and his gloves, his hands were warm.
“You will. You must. There may soon come a time when all our princess has is you, when Mary will take away everything but you. Then you must stand by her. You must insist on it.”
I knew there was much Colby was not saying, but I was not certain I wanted to learn more tonight. “I will always stand by her,” I said indignantly.
“It will be difficult. Very much so. But I believe if anyone can keep her from falling, it will be you.”
His confidence surprised me. “You have much faith in my abilities, James Colby.”
“I have come to know you.” His words were rapid and soft. “You are clever, though you try to hide it behind that guileless face. I realized at once that the method Elizabeth used to communicate with the rebels was invented by you.”
I tried not to warm to his praise. “I simply made it practical.”
“No one else could have.” Colby gazed down at me a moment longer then finally released me. “Go to her now and convince her to tarry here as much as she can. And prepare for the worst. Do not let my faith in you be misplaced.”
“It shall not be,” I replied with irritation. “You give and take back compliments quite easily, Master Colby.”
“If we survive this,” Colby said in light tones, “I will toast your many accomplishments.”
“Elizabeth would not approve.” I drew my cloak more tightly about me. “Good night, sir.”
Colby stepped from me and let me go, his eyes glistening in the darkness. I walked away from him, uncertain of my heart as I always was after speaking to him.
But he was not wrong about Elizabeth’s danger. Jane was murdered, Elizabeth could be next, and we were heading directly into Mary’s waiting arms.