The Captive Queen of Scots - Plaidy Jean (читать книги онлайн бесплатно без сокращение бесплатно txt) 📗

She watched Jane Kennedy fingering the material and speculating as to how the gown should be cut; and she was happier than she had been since that morning in Castlemilk when she had looked from the battlements and seen the gathering forces of her enemy.

THE STAY AT COCKERMOUTH was as brief as that at Workington had been, but before she left Mary had the pleasure of meeting some of the noblest ladies of this district. These, led by Lady Scrope, who was the Duke of Norfolk’s sister and therefore one of the noblest ladies in England, called at Cockermouth Hall to pay their respects to her; and Lady Scrope told the Queen that she would accompany her to Carlisle Castle and act as a maid of honor to Her Majesty of Scotland. Mary had only one regret at this meeting; there had not been time to make the thirteen ells of velvet into a gown, and she was forced to greet the ladies of England in her borrowed red brocade.

However, her natural beauty and queenly bearing stood her in good stead, and in spite of their fine garments Mary stood apart, undoubtedly Queen, undoubtedly the loveliest creature any of the ladies had ever beheld.

But during the journey to Carlisle Castle Mary’s spirits were temporarily dashed, for on the road she met the French Ambassador to Scotland who, hearing that she had escaped to England, had followed her there.

Eagerly she asked for news of Scotland, but he could tell her nothing for her comfort. Many of her friends had died and others were in danger of losing their lives and possessions because they had befriended her.

Sobered, Mary continued the journey with the French Ambassador riding beside her and as they passed under the portcullis of the red stone castle of Carlisle, Herries glanced at Livingstone and he saw concern on the latter’s face similar to that which he himself was feeling.

They had no need to express their thoughts. This was a fortress indeed. They were as far north as they had been on the day they arrived in England.

If the Queen of England was eager to see her sister of Scotland, should they not be traveling south?

They could not share Mary’s elation as they entered Carlisle Castle.

SIR RICHARD LOWTHER, Deputy-Governor of Carlisle, to whom Lord Herries had written, arrived at Carlisle Castle to see the Queen. It had been on his instructions that she had been lodged there for, on hearing that she had arrived in England, he had immediately dispatched a messenger to Elizabeth and her ministers asking for instructions. In the meantime he had decided that it was his duty to hold Mary in his custody.

He was courteous to Mary and told her that he hoped soon to receive instructions from his Queen; until that time he would give orders that she should be made comfortable in the castle.

Mary’s apartments there were indeed comfortable with the May sunshine warming the place. In winter it would be a different story, but the winter was a long way off and by that time, Mary believed, she would either be living in luxury at Elizabeth’s Court or, better still, would have regained her throne and be back in Edinburgh.

Her spirits had been considerably lowered by the news of the suffering which must be endured by her faithful friends who had remained behind in Scotland. She must not allow George or Willie Douglas to go back until she had regained her throne; as the two who had delivered her from Lochleven, their lives would doubtless be forfeited.

But her hopes were still high as she sat in the seat of her window in the tower and looked out at the pleasant meandering River Eden.

One of her first visitors to Carlisle Castle was Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland. Mary was delighted to receive the Earl because she believed that, as a good Catholic, he would be eager to give her his support against Protestant Moray.

The Earl bowed low and told her that it gave him great pleasure to meet her, but that his pleasure was tempered with sadness because of the reason for her presence in Carlisle.

“I am very eager to meet the Queen of England,” she told him. “I have been treated with great kindness by all in England, but I do find the delay irksome and I wonder why I must wait in this manner.”

The Earl replied: “Your Majesty, if I were in charge of your comfort it would not be so.”

“Then, my lord, how I wish that you were in charge of my comfort.”

“I will see what can be done in the matter,” he told her, all his chivalry aroused by the plight of this beautiful creature.

“Then,” said Mary softly, “it would seem that each day I become more indebted to Englishmen.”

When Northumberland left her he went to Sir Richard Lowther and said in a somewhat arrogant manner: “Your duties toward the Queen of Scots are now ended. I will take over the charge of her.”

Lowther answered: “No, my lord Earl, you forget that, as Lord Warden, that duty is mine.”

“I disagree. As chief magnate of this district the task of the Queen’s safe custody should be in my hands.”

The two men faced each other. It was true that Northumberland was the lord of the district, but Lowther knew that he himself would be responsible for the Queen of Scots to the Queen of England. Moreover Northumberland, on account of his religion, was no great favorite of Elizabeth and her ministers. Northumberland was a simple-minded man; he was unusually lacking in political ambitions; but being utterly devoted to the Catholic Faith, he felt it his duty to aid the Queen of Scots with all his power. As a Catholic he doubted the rights of Elizabeth herself, and it seemed to him that Mary was not only the Queen of Scotland but had a very strong claim to the throne of England also.

Lowther was aware of this, so in spite of his adversary’s rank he remained adamant.

He drew Northumberland to the window and showed him the troops stationed outside. “They obey my orders,” he said. “It would go ill with any—noble earl or not—who sought to prevent me from doing my duty.”

Northumberland’s face turned a dull red as he glared down at the soldiers.

“You varlet!” he cried. “You are too low a man to pretend to such a charge.”

“It is true,” answered Lowther, “that I am not a noble earl, but noble earls have been known to part with their heads on the scaffold for disobeying their Sovereign’s orders.”

“And how do you propose to prevent my taking charge of the Queen?”

Lowther knew that Northumberland was no strategist.

He said coolly: “By putting you under guard and sending you to London.” He nodded toward the courtyard. “There are my soldiers . . . waiting. Attempt to take my charge from me, and you are the Queen’s prisoner.”

Northumberland, turning away, muttered: “It’s a sorry day for England when low-bred varlets threaten noble earls.”

So might it have been, thought Lowther grimly, but he had won the day. The Queen of Scots remained in his charge.

IT WAS A FEW DAYS after the visit of Northumberland, when Mary was eagerly awaiting a summons from Elizabeth, that she was surprised and delighted to receive a visit from the Duke of Norfolk.

He had good reason for being in the district; his sister, Lady Scrope, was with the Queen, and what more natural than that he should call on her. Moreover, his third wife, who had recently died, had been the daughter of Sir Francis Leybourne of Cunswick Hall in Cumberland and widow of Lord Dacre. He certainly had business in the North.

Having heard a great deal about the charm and beauty of the Queen of Scotland he wished to discover whether these reports had been exaggerated. He saw at once that they were not, and he was enchanted.

Mary bade him sit beside her while she told him how eagerly she waited for a message from the Queen of England.

“It will come,” he told her. “All in good time. The Queen has always expressed great interest in Your Majesty’s affairs and doubtless will be most eager to meet you.”