Root of the Tudor Rose by Griffith Mari

Author:Griffith, Mari [Griffith, Mari]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Accent Press
Published: 2014-12-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

England, Spring 1424

There had been so little travelling since the late King’s death that Sir Walter had almost forgotten what it was like. At one time, the court would journey regularly to stay for a few weeks at one or other of the great royal residences outside London, providing an opportunity for the King to meet his people throughout the country, people who were the source of his revenues. As a rule, there was one visit a year to Leicester, usually at Easter, and Christmas at Kenilworth had always been a source of great delight to the late King.

But the Queen now wished to break with tradition and spend the festive season somewhere different. Hertford seemed a good choice. It was an old, established castle some twenty-five miles to the north of London, well-appointed and comfortable. Catherine and her young son had been escorted there by Bishop Henry Beaufort and they were joined by the Duchess of Clarence, her son Edmund, and her daughter Joan. A few days later, the Duke of Gloucester arrived with the Duchess Jacqueline, and the final guest completed the royal party on Christmas Eve. He was James of Scotland, soon to be married to Margaret’s daughter. Catherine was delighted to see them both. They planned a February wedding in London and, whenever she wasn’t with her betrothed, Joan was either being fitted for some item of her bridal trousseau or closeted with her mother, putting yet more detail onto the plans for the ceremony and the elaborate celebrations afterwards.

Catherine left them to their lists and menus and went in search of Jacqueline. She had broken off a sprig of mistletoe from a bunch which hung in the great hall of the castle and, privately, she suggested to Jacqueline that she should pin it to her garter. It was well known, she told her earnestly, that mistletoe enabled a woman to conceive a child if she really wanted to. Jacqueline whirled around to face her, beaming with joy.

‘Catherine, I don’t need to! I didn’t want to tell you until I was absolutely certain but I know now that there will be a baby, come summer.’

The two women hugged each other ecstatically, both delighted at Jacqueline’s good fortune. All in all, it was a very happy Christmas.

The court remained at Hertford for nearly two weeks after Epiphany but Catherine wanted to be back in Windsor well before Candlemas in early February to allow plenty of time to prepare for Joan’s wedding on the twelfth of the month. The safe packing and transport of her boxes and coffers for the return journey had been entirely the responsibility of the new Clerk of the Wardrobe and he felt mightily relieved when it was all safely on its way back to Windsor. He wondered yet again why one woman needed so many clothes. And not only clothes: among the items in Owen’s care were the Queen’s personal plates, knives, spoons, and goblets, tapestries, and all her jewellery. Shoes, too.

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