The Queen's Governess by Karen Harper

Author:Karen Harper [Harper, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin USA, Inc.
Published: 2011-11-02T01:25:36+00:00

That morning, I asked for a word with Katherine. Her chaplain, Miles Coverdale, was just leaving after leading her through her morning devotions. “Yes, Kat,” she said, indicating a seat on the window bench where she sat. “You must forgive me if I yawn, for my lord keeps me up till all hours.” Her cheeks colored as if she, too, were but fourteen.

That hardly helped me get a good start with this. But John was right. I must stay rational, not emotional. What was going on behind this woman’s back, which Elizabeth, bright as she was, could not cope with emotionally, must be handled with kid gloves.

“Your Grace, the princess and I are so grateful for your sharing your home with us, but she is just an impressionable girl yet and the Lord Admiral is such a dynamic man that I fear she is becoming too fond of him.”

“Oh, he is so easy to love,” she agreed cheerily. “I can certainly understand how she might dream of having a man like that someday.”

“He loves pranks overmuch and is such a strong person she may not understand,” I stumbled on, praying the words I had rehearsed would be of some use here. “I fear she will misconstrue his coming into her bedchamber to wake her up, especially since neither of them is yet dressed.”

“Oh!” she said, obviously surprised. A frown line appeared between her arched brows. “Yes, my husband’s tomfoolery can get out of hand, but he loves life so, loves me, too, and I am yet amazed we are together after—after everything. Such a blessing. Dear Kat, do not fret, for he means naught by it. I will not say a word to him, but will accompany him if he does such again, so Elizabeth will see it is all in fun and play.”

I was much relieved, both that she would not tell Tom what I had said and that her presence would put an end to what she so aptly termed tomfoolery. But it did not end. It all got worse.

Not only did Elizabeth’s stepmother actually partake in these morning raids—coming in with Tom and pulling the covers from the princess, who protested loudly yet loved it all—but there was an incident I could not ignore or forgive.

We were at Katherine’s mansion at Hanworth near Hampton Court in the summer of 1548, picnicking. What began as a combined game of hide-and-seek and tag soon began to worry me, for Tom was “it,” and supposedly searching for all of us. He and Elizabeth had been gone quite a while, but things were just too quiet. I left my hiding place and began to search for Elizabeth myself. Then I heard her shrieks. Curse it, delighted ones again, I could tell.

I rounded a clipped yew hedge and gasped. Katherine was holding Elizabeth’s arms to her sides and Tom was slicing her skirts into a hundred ribbons with a dagger. Once, twice, before I reached them, I saw him surreptitiously thrust a

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