So Great A Love by Flora Speer Read Free Book Online Page B

urge to give Gertrude a strong shove in the
direction of the hall.
    “But, Margaret, I am still concerned about
what Eustace will do,” Gertrude said. She took a single step toward
the hall and then another backward to Margaret and Catherine, as if
she could not make up her mind. “Won't Eustace be annoyed if he
discovers I knew and didn't tell him?”
    “Gertrude,” Catherine said with remarkable
patience, “the point of arranging a surprise lies in not telling
anyone about it beforehand. All you have to do is keep quiet and
tell no one you have seen us. Can you do that? Please?”
    “I think so,” Gertrude said after a moment of
perplexed thought.
    “Then, go along,” Margaret said, trying her
best to conceal her impatience though she was near to screaming at
the foolish woman. It was the same kind of fearful uncertainty that
had led Gertrude to repeat Eustace's drunken, disloyal words about
the king to Margaret – words Margaret shivered to recall.
    “Yes, do please go,” Catherine said in a
cajoling tone. “Thank you for your help. Now, remember, not a word
to anyone.” She paused, smiling, while Gertrude looked from her to
Margaret.
    “Not a word,” Gertrude repeated with some
reluctance.
    To Margaret's great relief, Gertrude finally
left them. As soon as her sister-in-law was out of sight, Margaret
opened the door to the little garderobe and she and Catherine
slipped inside. Dim, late afternoon light entered the room by a
narrow slit window. Catherine bolted the door and they leaned
against each other in silence until their heartbeats had
quieted.
    “For a few moments there, I feared we were
caught,” Catherine said, her voice a bit shaky.
    “I am sorry for Gertrude,” Margaret said,
“but she has all the wits of a terrified goose and she tends to
tell everything she knows. Let us hope she will control herself
just this once and remain silent about seeing us until after we are
gone.”
    “My men-at-arms are ready and waiting for
us,” Catherine reported. “If we should become separated, you have
only to make your way to the outer bailey. At the gatehouse ask for
Matthew. He is the leader of my men and he will see you safely out
of Sutton. Now, let us play maidservants to each other.”
    While she talked Catherine was helping
Margaret to remove the detested red dress, until Margaret was clad
only in her shift, stockings, and shoes. Then, holding Margaret's
dress above the damp floor to keep from soiling it, Catherine
lifted her arms so Margaret could unfasten the lacings at either
side of her own, bright blue gown. Margaret at first fumbled with
fingers shaking from nervousness, then bit her lip and tried again
and it was done. Catherine stood like Margaret, clad in shift and
shoes.
    No sooner was Catherine undressed than a soft
knock sounded at the garderobe door.
    “Let us hope it’s Aldis,” Catherine said, her
voice betraying her own nervousness. She stifled a sneeze. “If it's
Gertrude again, or a servant, we will be questioned as to what we
are doing in here with our clothes off.”
    “Not so,” Margaret said. She expelled a
breathy little laugh and suddenly she was no longer nervous. It was
as if she had shed all of her fears along with the red dress. She
had taken the first steps toward escape, toward controlling her own
life, and nothing was going to make her turn back. “All we have to
do is tell the truth, that we are exchanging gowns as a Twelfth
Night prank. Even Gertrude will have to see that we are not
lying.”
    When Margaret unlatched and opened the door,
Aldis was standing so close to the entrance that she almost fell
into the garderobe. The three women burst into nervous giggles,
then hastily smothered their laughter.
    “Here.” Aldis thrust a bundle of clothing
into Margaret's arms before turning to Catherine. “I have packed
all of your belongings and have given them to one of the
men-at-arms. I concealed some of Margaret's clothes in the baskets
and bundles,