Conspiracy by Lady Grace Cavendish Read Free Book Online Page A

it was supposed to be—a gentle walk in the newly dug maze. But that's not how it turned out! I must quickly write this down before we go to see the fireworks.
    The Earl's garden maze is too new to be very tall yet, but the hedges are there, and there are statues dotted about on pillars in the Italian manner. And the beds have been dug with different-coloured earths, to be as bright as a tapestry.
    The Queen paced around the maze, arm in arm with the Earl, laughing at his jokes. He was telling her ridiculous tales of the troupe of players he patronizes, and how much they drink, and how not one of them has as much sense as a day-old chicken.
    We Maids of Honour were following behind at a discreet distance—me with John, who had offered his arm to support me. This time I remembered to hobble, so he gallantly led me to a bench where I could put my feet up, and offered to fetch me something to drink. My stomach had gone all strange again for some reason, and so I agreed and just sat there alone in a little open area.
    As I was waiting, the Queen walked into sight along one of the paths, and bent to sniff a damaskrose that was growing near a big statue of a lion with two long tails—which is the badge of the Dudley family. Suddenly, with a tremendous crack, one of the tails fell right off the lion and plummeted towards the Queen!
    Thank the Lord, the Earl of Leicester glimpsed it just in time and pushed her aside.
    Being the Queen, she didn't squeal or anything, but the Earl was horrified. “Your Majesty, have you taken any hurt … ?”
    “No, none at all,” she replied. By God, that was a strange thing to happen.”
    “I shall have the gardener in the stocks tomorrow, or whatever fool put it up …,” the Earl blustered.
    The Queen was looking down at the fallen lion's tail with interest. Then she shrugged, and took the Earl of Leicester's arm again, and they walked on through the maze with the Earl apologizing all over again.
    John came hurrying up to me. “Are you all right?” he asked anxiously. “I heard a crash. Were you injured?”
    “No,” I said. “It's quite strange—the lion's tail fejl off, just as the Queen was standing under it. But mercifully, she wasn't injured, either.”
    John offered me his arm and I limped away for allI was worth, until we found Mary Shelton, Lady Sarah, and Lady Jane by the exit, waiting for the Queen. John left me with them, and we waited until the Queen emerged from the maze, then went up to the parlour behind the Great Hall of the keep to have a little light supper before the evening's entertainments.
    I shouldn't really be writing this, what with getting ready for the fireworks. Mrs. Champernowne keeps complaining. “Come along now, Lady Grace,” she says. “Put your quill and ink away and make ready for the entertainments. You must not keep Her Majesty waiting!”
    The Queen is changing her clothes for warmer ones, but I am still in my black wool kirtle with the gold brocade trim and so have a little extra time to write this, despite Mrs. Champernowne's muttering.
    I can't wait to see the fireworks! I love them. The Queen likes fireworks, too, of course, which is why we have them so often. The Earl of Leicester organizes them for each Accession Day, on the seventeenth day of November, at Westminster. Everyone in London comes down the Thames in boats to enjoy them.
    It's wonderful to see fireworks by the water—you get them twice, once in the water and once in the sky.And Lady Sarah says we shall be on the lake to see these—one of the Earl's gentlemen told her. So, if I

    I had to stop in the midst of a sentence because miserable Mrs. Champernowne took my ink bottle away, which I think was very mean of her. She was saying I would make all the Maids of Honour late to meet the Queen—which is nonsense. But what a night it was! I can't believe so much has happened. I will write down as much as I can remember. Now, I'll start at the beginning so I don't get confused, and