Conspiracy by Lady Grace Cavendish Read Free Book Online Page B

hope that my two candle-ends will last long enough.
    Prince Sven had obviously heard about the accident with the statue, because all the way down to the lakeside he was very solicitous of the Queen. Every time she passed a statue or a pillar in the gardens, he stood between her and it, so he could ward it off her, which made her laugh.
    “I have gentlemen and to spare to guard my body,” she said. “But not enough well-looking princely suitors, so have a care for yourself.”
    Lady Helena translated this and Prince Sven bowed elaborately.
    “I cannot believe you are not besieged by every eligible Prince in Europe,” translated Lady Helena.
    “Oh, I am,” the Queen replied. “But are they well-looking?” She shook her head.
    The Earl of Leicester wasn't present to be annoyed by such flirting because he was too busy with the preparations.
    Sir William Cecil was fussing over news from Scotland, and the Queen was telling Prince Sven all about it—the scandal over Mary, Queen of Scots. Lady Jane and Lady Sarah think Mary is very romantic to risk losing her whole kingdom for love of the Earl of Bothwell. But her people are outraged about her murdering her husband to make way for him.
    The Queen thinks Mary is an idiot—and so do I.
    As we all processed down to the lake, John appeared out of nowhere, ignored Mrs. Champernowne's beady glare, and offered me his arm. I took it and made sure I limped a bit for him, but actually I've forgotten which ankle was bad now, which is a bit embarrassing. I hope he doesn't remember.
    We talked on the way—just about things like his work as the Earl of Leicester's henchman, a post which a cousin got for him only a few months ago, and how he helped with the wonderful newHungarian greys my lord has bought for the Queen's stable.
    At the lakeside, he bowed very gallantly to me and said, “I must leave now, I have work to do for my lord. Enjoy the fireworks.”
    Lady Sarah laughed and nudged me. “Perhaps I should twist my ankle soon, Grace. I believe you have a suitor.”
    I replied, “Fie!” I really don't know why everyone has to make so much of it—John is just helping me while my ankle's sore. Well, it isn't, but he doesn't know that. He's being kind. We are friends. What would I want with a suitor? I'm not so silly as Lady Sarah I'm-so-pretty Bartelmy.
    Down on the lake there were boats ready, rowed by men in green and white—the Queen's summer colours. We went down a little jetty to board the boats. Once the Queen was settled in the biggest, with Prince Sven and Lady Helena, a drum and a pipe began playing.
    There were four people in each boat, plus the rowers, and many of the courtiers were already out on the lake waiting for us. I got in a boat with Mary Shelton, Lady Sarah, and Carmina. Mary clutched nervously at the sides whenever the boat rocked.
    Some musicians, still tuning their lutes, werequickly rowed past to catch up with the Queen. Mary gasped as the wash made our boat wobble.
    “It's all right,” I said to her a bit mischievously. “If the boat tips us in, just think how many rescuers we'll have!”
    Suddenly, the boat lurched again and Mary squealed. I leaned over to see—and there was a naiad alongside! Only it wasn't, for I recognized one of the tumblers, disguised with waterweed. He looked quite scary, and Lady Sarah squealed as well when another raised his head and splashed her. There was more splashing and ripples and out of the water rose the smaller boys of Will Somers's troupe—dressed in green fronds as mermen, and dropping the straws they had used to breathe while they were hiding underwater. Others, dressed as fauns, came running down to the lakeside, too. They formed chains and a pyramid and sang a song of farewell.
    The naiads sang as well: everyone was part of the story. We were pretending to be the Army Virtuous, and we were going to storm and board the Barque Perilous, a ship of wicked giants which was near the middle of the lake. And we could