The Hooded Hawke: An Elizabeth I Mystery (Elizabeth I Mysteries) by Harper Karen

Author:Harper, Karen [Harper, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2007-11-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter the Twelfth

Fear for nothing, for I will be back just after sunset,” Elizabeth told Meg, as the sun rose over the treetops of the distant hunt park to light the queen’s bedchamber. “Cecil has put out word that I will see only Lady Rosie and himself today. Things worked out well when you were queen for a few hours yesterday, and I know you can do this.”

“Queen for a day but queen away from everyone—that’s me,” Meg said with a pert nod. “Today’s the longest I’ve ever ruled, but I’m still in exile. Just hope someone doesn’t wing another arrow my way.”

“You are to keep clear not only from people but from these windows,” Elizabeth ordered, though she was relieved that Meg sounded so lighthearted today. “And no waving down to those strolling in the gardens, for the queen is supposed to be resting. Can you do this, my Meg?”

“Of course, though I’ll miss Piers something awful, especially since you’re taking Ned and Jenks. He feels comfortable with them.”

“But he’ll be with his brother and under the care of Jenks’s wife and quite well.”

Elizabeth endeavored to sound calm, but she was as excited as a young girl. She had changed her mind and garbed herself as a man in Ned’s clothing instead of riding out disguised as an herb woman to visit Drake’s ship, though that meant not wearing the armor today. She’d decided to leave Rosie here and take only three guards. She was planning to sneak out the servants’ entrance, for the entire Southampton household was here today, and someone might recognize that she was not the herb mistress, even if she were dressed as Meg. The way crowds had cheered for her in the streets, if she wore any sort of women’s garb or took as pretty a lady as Rosie with her, folk might notice and create a fuss again.

She shoved wayward tendrils of hair up under her cap, where she had the bulk of it pinned close to her head. Her heart thudded as she went down the narrow back staircase to meet Ned, Clifford, and Jenks, who had the horses waiting below. She held her breath when she heard footsteps coming up the stairs toward her, but the young woman who passed by—either a Southampton servant or one from her own courtiers’ households—had her arms full of ale jugs and gave her neither word nor glance. That alone was a heady experience. She felt drunk with the idea that anonymity and freedom were hers.

She was relieved Jenks had changed her sidesaddle for a man’s and brought her a more common-looking horse; he gave her a quick boost up. How strange but good it felt to ride astride, as if one were really part of the horse and not just sitting on it. So many adventures on this day, she thought, as her pulse pounded harder.

Then, as the sun crested the treetops, she saw in the distance a flash of shimmering light—surely not a forest phantasm.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.