The Heretic Wind: The Life of Mary Tudor, Queen of England Judith Arnopp (best books to read in your 20s .txt) 📖

sharply. They know better than to disturb me at prayer. Something must be verywrong. I cling to the altar rail and clamber to my feet.

“What is thematter?”

Susan hoversin the half light, the unshaded side of her face taut and white.

“Rochester ishere and wishes to see you, my lady. He says the matter is most urgent.”

He is waitingin my privy chamber, examining a portrait of my father that hangs above thefireplace. When I enter, he turns and takes two steps toward me before bowinglow.

“What is it,Robert? No problem with the travel arrangements, I hope.”

His expressionis grave.

“No, my lady.It is more than that. I have received intelligence from court that you shouldnot travel to London at all.”

The words areordinary enough but I sense danger lurking behind them.

“Not travel?But I must. There will be arrangements to be made once he has g … for theking’s funeral and my coronation.”

“That is thecrux of the matter, Your Majesty. My source, one close to Northumberland and amember of the privy council, informs me of a plot to entrap you, and to … tocrown Jane Grey in your place.”

“Jane Grey… I do not understand. Even Northumberland cannot ignore the will of my latefather … and Jane Grey? It is absurd. It is treason!”

“Yes, my lady.My advice is that instead of travelling to London, you make haste to Norfolk.On the way, we can muster support for your cause. I will send word ahead to JohnHuddlestone. I am confident he will offer us shelter on our way to Kenninghall.”

“My cause?”

“Yes, my lady.Your cause. Good Catholics will flock to your banner. Nobody wants a Protestant,and nobody wants Dudley and his puppet queen.”

I hadsuspected skulduggery when Dudley married Jane to his son. Now I understand thefull duplicity of his intentions. This is no spontaneous act. He has beenworking toward this for months. He means to rule England himself through hisson’s wife. Jane will be nothing but a figurehead.

I clench my fistsas blood surges beneath my skin, fury gathering in my heart. One day I willhave the pleasure of taking Northumberland’s head, but for now that must wait. Ispin on my heel, walk the length of the floor and back again.

“Give theorder,” I say. “We must hope our unexpected arrival does not scare our host outof his wits.”

Rochesterclears his throat. “We will not be entirely unexpected, my lady. A few days ago,I took the liberty of laying down some contingency plans.”

I narrow myeyes.

“You knew thiswas coming? Why did you not warn me?”

“It might nothave happened, my lady. I did not want you to worry over something that mightnever come to pass.”

I nod slowly,my eyes pricking.

“Tell me thearrangements you have put in place.”

He draws apaper from inside his doublet and moves closer to the fire, where we lean overthe itinerary together. He flicks it with his forefinger.

“As I said,first we should stop at Sawston Hall. Sir John Huddlestone is expecting us.”

“He is on myside?”

I am unused topeople championing my cause; all my life I have been shunned. Even those wholove me have ever lacked the courage to speak out against the king. A warmfeeling is unfurling in my belly, an unfamiliar sensation, as if I have justsupped strong spirits.

“He assures meso, my lady. Then it is but a short journey to Bury St Edmunds and HengroveHall, where the Earl of Bath…”

“But he is onthe king’s council…”

“He was, mylady. I am informed he has declined to support Northumberland and retired tohis estates on the grounds of ill health.”

“I amsurprised Dudley didn’t have him thrown in the Tower.”

“Lady Burgh isready to receive you at Euston Hall…”

“And fromthere to Kenninghall, I presume?”

“Yes, mylady.”

I look towardthe unshuttered window where night presses like velvet against the glass. Untiltoday, I had felt safe here, sheltered by thick stone walls, cared for by myvast loyal household, but now, suddenly, I feel vulnerable and cold. I wrap myarms about my torso and shudder.

“Put thearrangements in place, Robert. I shall be ready to leave when you send word.”

He bows, flashinga brief encouraging smile before leaving me alone with my rampagingimagination.

I watch thehorizon turn from a faint pink into a bright sun-drenched morning. It is fulllight before we leave although the hour is just after five. Rochester assuresme Sawston is merely thirty miles or so and I have easily travelled that far ina day before.

Today however,we seem to cover the miles very slowly. Leaving the bulk of our householdbehind, I ride ahead, keeping only Rochester, Susan and Jane, and a small guardwith me. We travel hard, my mount tossing her head as if it is a lark but soon,the relentless pace begins to tire her and green froth flies from the bridle tospatter my clothes. I am fearful, afraid of a future I cannot see, yet I amalive, my heart is pounding, and my mind more alert than it has ever been.

“We shouldstop so the horses can rest,” I shout over my shoulder, but Rochester shakeshis head.

“We canslacken our pace to let them get their breath but we cannot afford to stop.”

If my horsedies beneath me I will be in worse peril than if we take a short break, but … Ido not argue. This kind of adventure is foreign to me. The pounding of myheart, the terror in my belly is something new and terrifying, yet somehow I ameager for what is to come.

Susan smilesencouragingly from her saddle but Jane crouches low over her horse’s head, herface grim, her brow scored with a deep frown. Jane’s determination to reachsafety is as keen as mine.

Rochesterallows us only a brief stop at midday and another a few hours later. It is lateafternoon when he points out the top of Sawston church above the trees.

“Nearly there,my lady.”

I am so tiredI could fall from the saddle. My thighs are raw, my lower back at breakingpoint and my fingers seem to be fused to the reins.

“Oh Robert,” Isay, my voice husky with thirst. “I hope there is a chamber ready for me … anda bath. I’d give anything for a warm bath.”

The horsesclatter into the yard and