Royal Courtship Page 7

  Charles left the room, quietly closing the latch, and Bella spoke slowly, working out a new plan as she did so.

  'I do not wish to become a nun,' she said slowly, 'but perhaps I could travel to France with Aunt Anne, and live at her convent until Lady Mary marries the Duc d'Orleans. Then I might beg her to take me back into her service. Only I have no money, and Thomas would certainly not make me an allowance.'

  'That need not concern you. It would solve the problem of where you are to find a home, although I do not like the idea. Go and look in the cupboard, and bring the leather pouch to me.'

  Puzzled, Bella went to the wall which was covered, like some of the rooms in Hampton Court Palace, in graceful linenfold panels. She found a particular rose carved in the surrounding frieze, and twisted. One of the panels slid back, revealing a shallow cupboard in which there was an old, wooden box and a large, leather pouch.

  She removed the pouch, closed the panel and took the pouch over to the bed.

  On her grandmother's instructions Bella opened the pouch and poured out on to the bed a collection of jewels that made her gasp in amazement.

  'Grandmother, where did all these come from?'

  'Your grandfather loved giving them to me. But I want you to take them. I cannot leave you anything else. Thomas would find it difficult to send money to you, even if he were willing, and you cannot have this house as I had planned. If you leave England he might refuse to give you your dowry. These jewels are worth far more than the dowry settled on you, and would be enough to keep you in comfort for the rest of your life, if necessary.'

  Bella was still speechless, and Lady Davenport plunged her hands into the pouch, giving a grunt of satisfaction as she discovered what she sought.

  'Here,' she said in triumph, holding up a long, wide, leather belt. 'I had this made for travelling. You can wear it under your gown.'

  'Thank you, oh, thank you!' Bella whispered.

  'Good. Now put them back into the pouch and take them to your room. You can fill the pockets later, and be ready to leave the moment I die. Can I have your promise? I have already made your aunt promise me the same, so you can travel together. The moment I go, news will get to Jane, I have no doubt, and she will be over here within the hour. You must be gone before then.'

  'I promise,' Bella said reluctantly.

  Five minutes later the indomitable Lady Davenport was explaining to Charles she wished him to escort Bella and her aunt to France, to a convent near Bordeaux.

  'It is not what I wished for her,' she said with a sigh. 'But there is no alternative as she has enraged the King.'

  'There is one alternative,' he said softly, turning to look at Bella who sat on the other side of the great bed. 'Bella could marry me.'

  ***

  Chapter 7

  Lady Davenport's sigh of relief was intense and audible. Bella, who had been staring in amazement at Charles, turned to look at her grandmother.

  'My dear boy! Now I know she will be safe! I can die at peace.'

  'But – ' Bella started to protest, her voice faint with surprise, but Charles spoke at the same time.

  'I will make arrangements as soon as possible. Is there a priest here you can trust? Someone who will not betray us to your son or the King's men?'

  Lady Davenport shook her head.

  'Unfortunately not. The local man's a reed, swaying with every breeze. Once I am gone he would feel no loyalty to me or Bella. You must marry in London, or France if there is no time to wait. I know I can trust you.'

  'You look tired. We'll leave you to sleep, since we have much to discuss.'

  He bustled Bella out of the room, his look warning her against speaking.

  'Yes, I know you were going to say something foolish,' he told her when they were coming down the stairs. 'Just think. Your grandmother is dying. She's concerned for your safety. This has made her happy.'

  'I do not want any man to marry me out of some ridiculous sense of duty, to make a dying woman happy!' Bella flared at him.

  'Who said that was my reason?' Charles asked mildly. 'Why should I wish to make a woman I have only just met happy by sacrificing my entire life to a marriage I did not want?'

  'So it was all a pretext? You did not mean it? You just said it to ease her mind?' Bella didn't know whether to be angry at his deception or relieved she wouldn't be hustled into marriage with a man who didn't want her.

  Her grandmother's suggestion had taken her utterly by surprise. She had never for a moment considered marriage with Charles de Nerac, but for one blindingly revealing second she had seen it as the answer to all her prayers.

  She had not stopped to consider whether she loved him or not. She just knew the idea of spending the rest of her life in his company, safe and secure, cherished and cared for, free of the complexities of life and the dangers which surrounded her, was a promise of bliss. And then she'd recalled the few occasions when he held her close, and most of all that brief kiss the previous night, and a glow of excitement had consumed her.

  It was cut short by the recognition of reality.

  In other circumstances, if he'd loved her, she would gladly have married Charles de Nerac, but she would take no man who thought it a duty.

  'Thank goodness there is no one here to do it then!' she commented tartly. 'Once Grandmother is dead, you need pretend no more! I certainly would not want you to carry out a promise you felt had been forced on you! And I would expect to be consulted about my own marriage, especially now I do not have to obey my brother's wishes!'

  She eluded his hand as he reached out for her, and forgetting the ban on leaving the house, ran towards a door opening into the stable yard. Once there she crossed to the stables and scrambled up the ladder into the hayloft. He still had not appeared as she dragged the short ladder up after her and she began to feel rather foolish. No doubt he would not have pursued her, she was being so dramatic.

  She flung herself down on a pile of new, June hay. If only it had been different! If only Charles loved her! How willingly she would have married him.

  It was, however, impossible. Her grandmother should not have extracted that promise. Even if she'd not put the suggestion to him directly, she must have hinted strongly enough to make Charles feel obliged to offer.

  At least they understood it was all a pretence. Once Lady Davenport died, he could go his way. How unfortunate it would have been if, through helping her escape the King, he'd been forced into an unwelcoming marriage.

  A short while later she heard Meg shouting her name.

  'What is it, Meg?' she called.

  'Your friend is awake. Will you come and find her some old gowns of yours?'

  Ashamed to have forgotten Amy, Bella quickly scrambled down from her hiding place and went back into the house.

  'Did you sleep well?' she asked Amy while she sought in the chest for another gown.

  Amy sighed. 'I think I must be used to sleeping in the open. I did not sleep till almost dawn. I am ashamed to have slept so late! How is Lady Davenport? I ought to have been paying her my respects if she is well enough to see me.'

  'She has been busy enough, despite her illness!'

  The bitter note in Bella's voice caught Amy's attention.

  'What is it?' she asked. 'Is she angry with you for running away?'

  Bella shook her head, and swiftly related what had occurred while Amy slept.

  'So you see, I cannot possibly marry him! Not when he is constrained by politeness and concern for my grandmother to suggest it,' she finished dolefully.

  'Do you love him?'

  Miserably, Bella nodded. 'I did not know, till Grandmother suggested it. I have been an utter fool, Amy! I liked him, felt comfortable with him, was restless when he was away from me, but thought nothing of it. I expected something different, like it was when Pedro kissed me, though even that was not right, I was so confused. But I will not marry him when he does not want it.'

  'Do you not think you should accept the offer and hope he c
omes to love you, too?' Amy asked slowly.

  'No! I could not. It would be cheating him!'

  'Most marriages are based on much less, few start off with love,' Amy said. 'He does not love anyone else, so why should he not come to love you?'

  'I do not know, but I could never be happy if I felt he had been forced to marry me.'

  'Then you are a fool, Bella! Do you remember I once told you that when you were in love you would not need to ask me if it was real?'

  'Yes,' Bella replied, 'but what difference does that make?'

  'I already knew what it meant to love hopelessly, knowing my love could never be returned,' Amy said fiercely. 'If I had the slightest opportunity to marry him, whether he loved me or not, I would take it eagerly! I would have the happiness of being with him, make sure he came to love me in the end. It would give me a reason for living which I do not have now!'

  Bella stared at her friend, aghast at her vehemence.

  'Amy, I am sorry! I did not realise it hurt so much! But I am not like you. I could not do it.'

  'I hope you are not sorry when you come to realise what you have lost,' Amy replied.

  Later that afternoon, when the two girls were sitting in the parlour while Charles and Anne were with Lady Davenport, Amy revived the subject.

  'Bella, if you are truly determined not to marry Charles, come and stay with me in Evesham. You need not bury yourself in the convent with your aunt.'

  'But – it would be dangerous for you all,' Bella said slowly.

  'If you do not want to, please say so,' Amy said rather stiffly.

  'It is not that at all! I would love to stay with you, but surely once the King hears you are home, he will send men to punish us.'

  'I have been thinking about that,' Amy said slowly. 'He has no reason to bear me malice. I can say I had a sudden summons home, illness. Once my parents have heard about it they will support me.'

  'But I would bring danger to you all,' Bella pointed out. 'The King will want to punish me for slighting him.'

  'No one in Evesham knows you, and it is far enough away to be safe from an accidental meeting with anyone who does. We can say you are my cousin come to visit. Mother has an enormous family living all over England, for both her parents had a dozen brothers and sisters, and most of them had many children, too. I do not even know many of my real cousins, and no one else can possibly remember all of them. I am sure it would be possible, and safe.'

  'I could not live the rest of my life with your family, though.'

  'You have the jewels, sufficient dowry for anyone who wanted to marry you. I am sure you would not have to remain with us for long,' Amy said bracingly.

  'I could not marry anyone but Charles.'

  'You may think that now, but maybe you will forget him. I do not intend to languish just because I cannot marry the man I want to. I shall take the first pleasant man who offers, and make what I can of my life.'

  Bella smiled bleakly. She could not imagine it, but Amy's invitation was a way out, and she would deal with any problems later on.

  'When should we tell Charles I am not going to London with him?'

  Amy had it all worked out.

  'He told me he intended to escort me to my home before taking you to London. We spoke of it while you were with your grandmother after dinner, and apart from feeling responsible for me, he said it would be better to travel to London by way of Buckingham and St Albans, north of the route we took coming here. If we waited until I have spoken to my mother, then tell him you are staying with me, there will be nothing he can do. He cannot abduct you from our house.'

  Bella was far from satisfied. She was not at all sure the Comte de Nerac wouldn't find some way of constraining her if he wished, but she could hope he would be so thankful to be relieved of his promise, he would accept her decision. It wasn't, she thought mournfully, as though he wanted her himself.

  For two more days Lady Davenport lingered, growing weaker, but clearly content she had provided for Bella's future. Bella felt twinges of guilt when she sat with the old lady and smilingly nodded at all her comments of how happy she would be with the Comte de Nerac, but consoled herself she was making her grandmother's last days more peaceful and content.

  It was early the following morning when Meg called out to Bella.

  'Your grandmother, she's worse. Come quickly, Miss Bella!'

  Bella raced towards her grandmother's room.

  Lady Davenport lay on the bed, her face as white as the sheet, her blue eyes the only colour in her. Charles sat at the far side of the bed, holding one paper-thin hand in his large brown ones. Aunt Anne kneeled beside her mother, her head bowed, and Lady Davenport's hand rested on her daughter's grey hair, for once not concealed by the nun-like coif she usually wore.

  As Bella entered the room, the old lady's glance turned to her, and a smile lit up her face. All the lines of a long, sometimes hard life had been smoothed away, and she looked oddly like the young girl she'd once been.

  'My dearest child, so like your mother! She made my boy so happy!' Lady Davenport said breathlessly.

  Bella approached and kissed her.

  'Do not try to talk, Grandmother,' she said gently.

  'No. There is no more to be done.'

  'Shall I call the priest?' Bella asked.

  'He was here yesterday. He did all he could. He cannot do more, and if he came you would have to go. I would rather spend my last hours with my loved ones, child.'

  Twenty minutes later it was all over. Lady Davenport had lain there, looking at Bella, peace in her eyes. Then she'd whispered a faint, 'God bless you, child,' and closed her eyes. Imperceptibly she ceased breathing, and it was only when her head fell sideways Bella realised the end had come.

  Charles came round the bed and gently prised her fingers loose from where she convulsively clutched the bedcovers, then he lifted her bodily and carried her from the room.

  Once in her own, small room Bella gave way to tears, and Charles sat and rocked her until the first storm of grief abated.

  'My dear, we must leave,' he said gently. 'We must do as she wished. She was happy to go, once she'd seen you.'

  Bella sniffed and nodded.

  'The horses are all ready, saddlebags packed. When your aunt is ready we will be away.'

  They went downstairs and found a tearful Meg in the kitchen busy packing bread and cheese and meat pies into parcels inside clean napkins.

  'You can keep away from towns for several days with this to feed you,' she said quietly. 'God bless you all, and if you can ever come back safely, afterwards, Miss Bella, come and see us again.'

  Amy was already out in the stables, and a few minutes later a composed Aunt Anne came out to join them.

  'We will talk when we are safely away,' she said quietly as Charles lifted her on to the quiet horse she normally rode when she had to make journeys.

  Within an hour of Lady Davenport's death, they were gone, out of the valley she had loved, away from Bella's home.

  They rode silently, Anne leading. Bella scarcely cared where she went, she was so numb with misery, and did not for some time realise they were riding westwards, on the road to Gloucester, instead of turning northwards at Burford towards Stow-on-the-Wold and Evesham.

  'Where are we going?' she asked suddenly.

  'I will explain when we stop to eat,' her aunt replied.

  They stopped beside a clump of tress to eat some of the bread and cheese, and Bella found she was unexpectedly hungry.

  'I am not coming to London with you,' Aunt Anne said quietly after she had carefully refolded the napkins and stowed them in the saddlebags.

  'Not coming? But why? Are you not going to France?' Bella demanded.

  'Oh, yes, but it was all arranged long ago, before you and Charles came,' Anne replied. 'The two of you will travel faster than I can, and my bones are stiff. I cannot contemplate such a long ride across the width of both England and France when I can travel more comfortably and directly. There is
a friend in Northleach, the brother of one of my former sister nuns, and he will escort me to Gloucester where I can be taken by boat to Bristol, there to join a ship calling at Bordeaux.'

  'Will you be safe on your own?' Bella asked, fear for her aunt overcoming her own sudden sense of loss at the imminent parting.

  'Of course. The people involved are all trustworthy, and I will be escorted the whole of the way. I would suggest you came with me, Bella, but I am afraid they would not take Charles, too, and Bordeaux is a long way from Orleans. You could not travel through France on your own to rejoin him.'

  'If that is what you wish, Aunt,' Bella said slowly. 'It is sudden, losing you, too, but I can see the journey by boat will be much easier for you.'

  Charles questioned Aunt Anne closely, but seemed satisfied by her replies, and when they rode into the small village of Northleach and met the miller there, who had made the arrangements on Anne's behalf, he declared himself content.

  'I shall remain here for one night, and be in Gloucester tomorrow,' Anne said. 'God bless you, Bella. Send word to me once you are safe in France.'

  Bella nodded, and clung to her aunt.

  'Take care!' she whispered. 'I pray you will arrive safely.'

  Her aunt smiled serenely.

  'I have trust in God. Do not grieve, child. My mother is in a better place, and I shall be resuming my vocation.'

  Bella nodded. Already, behind the natural grief at the loss of her mother, her aunt looked more peaceful, and Bella sensed she was eager to return to her religious life with as little delay as possible. The journey from Bristol would be far quicker than overland by way of London.

  'I am content to know you have a good man to care for you, and we shall be in the same country, both of us safe from that deplorable monster on England's throne.'

  Torn between laughter at her aunt's irreverent contempt for her secular King, and sadness at leaving her, for a moment Bella could not speak. Then she managed to bid her aunt farewell, and permitted Charles to lift her back on her own horse.

  It had been late morning when they had started, and by dusk they reached the steep escarpment which swept down towards the Vale of Evesham.