Queen Elizabeth's Daughter Read Online Free Page A

astonished herself when she raised her voice to the queen. Such passions always took her by surprise. She and the queen had argued before, many times, but nothing like today. Mary had shown her temper in full bloom, raised her voice to the queen, said awful things to the one who had been like a mother to her.
    To scream wicked words to the Queen of England! Mary’s insides began to quiver. Soon, the shivering rattled up and down her very bones. She could not tell if this quaking came from anger at what the queen had done, or if it was from fear of what the queen would do now. The queen! She had told the queen she loathed her. She had rubbed the queen’s nose in the fact her Sweet Robin had been giving his attentions to Lady Essex, the former Lettice Knollys, another cousin to the queen. Lettice had returned to court while her husband served in Ireland and she gave Lord Robert her hand at every opportunity. The whole court was abuzz about their supposed “secret” romance. But no one had dared mention it in the queen’s presence. No one except Mary.
    Mary had left the queen’s presence without permission and turned her back on Her Majesty! She would be in the Tower by nightfall. But she didn’t care! She had told the queen what was in her heart, let her see the hurt and anger. She had done so since she’d first come to Elizabeth, though, of late, the queen seemed less than pleased by such outbursts.
    She must run away! That was the only way to save herself—run to Shelton Hall, her childhood home. Surely they would take her in. Her brother, Ralph, who had inherited the lands when their father passed on, would be forced to give her the small parcel of land her father had left for her. They would have to take her in—they were her blood! Mary glanced around the bedchamber. Her eyes lit on a small casket on the floor near the queen’s wardrobe. She could pack her few valuables in there, grab food and drink from the royal kitchens. She quickly tossed a clean shift, two pairs of her favorite sleeves, a kirtle, and a pair of woolen hose into the casket and was closing the lid when she remembered her treasure box. She pulled it from beneath the queen’s bed and put it in the bottom of the casket. She didn’t want anyone to find it; she would never leave it behind. It meant everything to her.
    Perhaps one of the stable boys would give her a pony to ride. She ticked off a list of other items she would need to make the long journey as she reached for a bodice from the queen’s wardrobe.
    “Mary, dearest, what are you doing?” said Mistress Blanche.
    “Leaving! I must! The queen will have my head!” said Mary, running into Mistress Blanche’s outstretched arms.
    “Come, come, child. Her Majesty has sent me to speak gentle words of comfort. She will not send you to the Tower, dearie. She only wishes you to know how very much she loves you. She is concerned for your welfare, as she has been these eleven years since you came to us,” said Mistress Blanche.
    “How could she! How could she send Tom away—he’s done nothing wrong! He has kissed me a few times, nothing more. He wanted me to marry him—and I was going to say yes before the queen ruined it all. How did she know?” said Mary.
    “The queen knows all and sees all, dearie. I did not divulge your secret, though I considered doing so. I understand her concern for your welfare—you are like her own child. As such, she does not want to see you hurt or used for some young man’s advancement. She is wise to the ways of men and you should harken unto her wisdom,” said Mistress Blanche.
    “I only do what the queen herself has done. I have danced with Tom and met him secretly in the gardens. We have kissed a little and pledged our love. He has had me in his arms, but not nearly so often as Sweet Robin has held the queen thus. And Tom has never touched my dugs, as I have seen Robin do with the queen. Once, I even saw him put his mouth to the queen’s nipple. I