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Authors: Marie-Louise Jensen
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He must not know me when I made my appearance as Mistress Eleanor Hungerford. ‘Please let me pass,’ I repeated, my voice less calm.
He chuckled. ‘You may,’ he said, ‘if you give me a kiss first. It is the penalty for help so early in the morning.’
My stomach plummeted. I had never been in such a situation before, and I did not know what to do.
‘This is most ungentlemanly of you, sir,’ I reproached him. He had his hand under my chin, pushing it up. I resisted a moment, then thought better of it and yielded, at the same time taking a firm grip on the stair rail behind my back.
He looked into my eyes a moment, a triumphant smile curling his lips. Then, as he bent forwards to kiss me, I stamped on his foot. He swore and I twisted out of his slackened grasp. I ran up the stairs as fast as I could. I crossed the inner court at a run, fearing pursuit, but all was quiet. I slowed to a walk as I crossed the bridge and made my way to the gatehouse. I was filled with glee at the manner of my escape, and grinned cheerfully at the guard who stood aside on the drawbridge to let me pass. However, by the time I reached the village, I had had time to question the wisdom of angering one of my father’s guests. I was also uneasily aware that he might well recognize me when I was introduced to him as the daughter of the house.
CHAPTER NINE
Dear Mother,
The castle is very crowded and noisy. Father has a lady called Mistress Maria to be hostess. I cannot bear her. People know you are in the tower, but Sir Walter has given out that you are very sick. Everyone is sorry for you.
My best love,
Eleanor.
I underestimated Maria. I did not expect to see her again, but she visited me in my attic several times over the next few days, always at unexpected times.
‘Such a small chamber, and so poorly furnished!’ she exclaimed in surprise, the first time the servant brought her to my room and bowed her in.
I was sitting on my shabby palliasse, with my bedclothes unmade, scribbling a note to Mother. I hastily hid it between the leaves of Sir Walter’s Bible. Scrambling hurriedly to my feet, I endured her scented embrace.
‘Ah, I understand!’ she said, as I offered no explanation as to the poverty of my room. ‘You have been moved here to make way for all the visitors. How generous of you! It must be dreadfully inconvenient?’
‘I manage,’ I said stiffly. ‘But I’m afraid I cannot offer you a seat.’
If I hoped that would make her go away, I was wrong. She was made of sterner stuff than that. She seated herself upon my mattress, arranging her skirts gracefully, and patted the place next to her invitingly.
‘I shall speak to your dear father about some more suitable furnishings. Even a temporary apartment should be comfortable, should it not?’
I remained standing, scowling. Maria appeared not to notice, and picked up my precious Bible. ‘Ah! So pious,’ she commented, laying it aside. ‘But of course you cannot actually read it?’
I snatched it up and tucked it away in my box.
‘Yes, why not? My mother taught me to read. Did yours not teach you?’
Maria shot me an unloving look and avoided my question.
‘How original! A girl scholar,’ she sneered.
‘You would be surprised how many uses I find for the skill,’ I said cordially, thinking of the secret notes exchanged with Mother.
‘Indeed? Come, Eleanor, sit by me and talk to me,’ Maria invited me once more.
‘About what?’ I asked suspiciously. I regarded her warily.
‘Oh, anything you like. You could start with what you have been doing these last two days since we saw one another last.’
Her tone was honeyed. I quickly reviewed my activities of the last two days and discarded all of them as possible topics for conversation. I remained stubbornly silent. Maria sighed.
‘I see I shall have to win your friendship, Eleanor. And indeed, you have no reason to trust me that I know of.’ She sounded wistful, and I felt almost guilty
He chuckled. ‘You may,’ he said, ‘if you give me a kiss first. It is the penalty for help so early in the morning.’
My stomach plummeted. I had never been in such a situation before, and I did not know what to do.
‘This is most ungentlemanly of you, sir,’ I reproached him. He had his hand under my chin, pushing it up. I resisted a moment, then thought better of it and yielded, at the same time taking a firm grip on the stair rail behind my back.
He looked into my eyes a moment, a triumphant smile curling his lips. Then, as he bent forwards to kiss me, I stamped on his foot. He swore and I twisted out of his slackened grasp. I ran up the stairs as fast as I could. I crossed the inner court at a run, fearing pursuit, but all was quiet. I slowed to a walk as I crossed the bridge and made my way to the gatehouse. I was filled with glee at the manner of my escape, and grinned cheerfully at the guard who stood aside on the drawbridge to let me pass. However, by the time I reached the village, I had had time to question the wisdom of angering one of my father’s guests. I was also uneasily aware that he might well recognize me when I was introduced to him as the daughter of the house.
CHAPTER NINE
Dear Mother,
The castle is very crowded and noisy. Father has a lady called Mistress Maria to be hostess. I cannot bear her. People know you are in the tower, but Sir Walter has given out that you are very sick. Everyone is sorry for you.
My best love,
Eleanor.
I underestimated Maria. I did not expect to see her again, but she visited me in my attic several times over the next few days, always at unexpected times.
‘Such a small chamber, and so poorly furnished!’ she exclaimed in surprise, the first time the servant brought her to my room and bowed her in.
I was sitting on my shabby palliasse, with my bedclothes unmade, scribbling a note to Mother. I hastily hid it between the leaves of Sir Walter’s Bible. Scrambling hurriedly to my feet, I endured her scented embrace.
‘Ah, I understand!’ she said, as I offered no explanation as to the poverty of my room. ‘You have been moved here to make way for all the visitors. How generous of you! It must be dreadfully inconvenient?’
‘I manage,’ I said stiffly. ‘But I’m afraid I cannot offer you a seat.’
If I hoped that would make her go away, I was wrong. She was made of sterner stuff than that. She seated herself upon my mattress, arranging her skirts gracefully, and patted the place next to her invitingly.
‘I shall speak to your dear father about some more suitable furnishings. Even a temporary apartment should be comfortable, should it not?’
I remained standing, scowling. Maria appeared not to notice, and picked up my precious Bible. ‘Ah! So pious,’ she commented, laying it aside. ‘But of course you cannot actually read it?’
I snatched it up and tucked it away in my box.
‘Yes, why not? My mother taught me to read. Did yours not teach you?’
Maria shot me an unloving look and avoided my question.
‘How original! A girl scholar,’ she sneered.
‘You would be surprised how many uses I find for the skill,’ I said cordially, thinking of the secret notes exchanged with Mother.
‘Indeed? Come, Eleanor, sit by me and talk to me,’ Maria invited me once more.
‘About what?’ I asked suspiciously. I regarded her warily.
‘Oh, anything you like. You could start with what you have been doing these last two days since we saw one another last.’
Her tone was honeyed. I quickly reviewed my activities of the last two days and discarded all of them as possible topics for conversation. I remained stubbornly silent. Maria sighed.
‘I see I shall have to win your friendship, Eleanor. And indeed, you have no reason to trust me that I know of.’ She sounded wistful, and I felt almost guilty
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