âWhen my wife hurts my feelings I come here and wallow in my misery until she forgives me.â
âI somehow doubt that, Stoneybrook. You are not one to be sullen, and your wife is not a woman to mistreat a good man like you.â
âCan I bring you something to drink?â
âNo, sit down and talk with me.â Elizabeth waited until Brandon was seated, then she smiled. âI thought you were an honest man, sir. Your father, Stuart, was completely honest. Iâm saddened and grieved to see that you have not inherited his good qualities.â
Brandon blinked with surprise. âIndeed I am not the man he was, Majesty, and I never was. But where have I been dishonest?â
âYou didnât tell the truth when you greeted me. You said you were glad to welcome me.â
âWhyââ Brandon stopped and his face turned red. âYou think I am not glad to see you?â
âMe, perhaps, but what man in his right mind would welcome this mob? I have some idea of what this progress will cost you.â She smiled when she saw the guilty look on his face. âNever mind, Brandon. I will tell you a secret. You must never let anyone hear of this.â She leaned closer. âOn a progress, I always stay longer with people I dislike and people who have not pleased me.â She laughed then. A deep laugh, and her eyes gleamed with pleasure. âWhy, we stayed a full month with the Duke of Norfolk. It must have cost him a hundred thousand pounds to feed the lot of us. All the time he was smiling and bowing, but I knew he hated everyone there.â
âI am shocked, Your Majesty.â
âOh, I am a devious woman! But your father was a favorite of mine. I love you for his sake, because youâre his blood. I have a surprise for you.â
âA surprise, my queen?â
âWe will stay the night, but we will leave early in the morning.â She waited for his reply and blinked with shock when he said, âGood! I will be glad to see the backs of the wholeâexcept, of course, you, my queen.â
Elizabeth laughed again. She smiled as she reached out and touched his cheek and said, âI have dozens of men who load me with compliments. I know well they give them to get something out of me. But there are a few like you, Lord Stoneybrook, men I admire. Now I promised you a dance. Do you think your wife will be jealous?â
âOh, yes indeed, Your Majesty, very jealous.â
âThen we will make her more so. Let us show these bumpkins what a dance should be!â
Brandon stood as far back to the wall as he could get, for the small room was crowded with the queen and the men who ran the nation of England. Elizabeth had asked for a conference room; then, to his surprise, she asked him to remain.
Brandon studied the faces of the men. To the queenâs right was Lord Burghley, who was always close to her. To her left was Robert Dudley in all his glory, and across the table was Sir Francis Walsingham. Brandon realized this was, in effect, a meeting of her counsel, for these were the men she most trusted, who acted on her will and directed the affairs of England. The meeting went on for some time. Brandon was shocked to see Elizabeth, more than once, flare up with anger. There was another man in the room whom Brandon had heard of by reputation, Sir Francis Drake, by all reports the premier seaman in all the world. The Spanish called him a pirate because he raided their ships and ports regularly. He sat back smiling from time totime, a man of below-average size with small, brilliant dark eyes and a pointed beard. He said very little, but Brandon knew that Elizabeth trusted him completely in matters concerning the navy.
The meeting was interrupted when Eden stepped inside. âPardon me, Your Majesty, but there is a gentleman to see Sir Francis Walsingham. He is very insistent.â
âDid you get his name?â Walsingham demanded.
âMr.