Read Online The Rose Without a Thorn by Jean Plaidy - Free Book Online
Authors: Jean Plaidy
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your uncles Thomas and William and Lord Hussey are going to carry the canopy which they will hold over me and the baby. Oh, it will be a grand occasion! I trust you are all behaving well during my absence?”
I thought of those nights in the Long Room, but then, they had been the same when she was there. I sometimes wondered if she had been half aware of it. She certainly would not have time to think of that now.
My uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, kept in his household what were called his pensioners. In the past, it had been the custom of great houses to do this. It was a custom which was dying out now, but my uncle still had a number in his service.
I suppose it was worthwhile for, in the event of trouble, these people—young, for the most part, for they were biding their time until they should marry or inherit titles and land—were pledged to serve their benefactor in any way he needed while they were pensioners under his roof. Most were of good birth, and several of them had some connection with the families with whom they lived.
At this time, there were a number of these young people in our household which, although I had always thought of it as my grandmother’s house, did, in fact, belong to the Duke. These young people were fed, housed and even granted some pay; they had little to do unless called upon, and then they must spring to immediate action. They spent their time riding, jousting and generally indulging in manly sports and pastimes.
I was sitting in the gardens with Dorothy Barwike and one of Dorothy’s friends called Joan, and was trying to make myself one of the silk flowers, of the kind which were very fashionable at this time. Living near the Court, we could see the elegantly dressed members of it now and then, either on the river or walking, and some even visiting the house when my grandmother was there. It was different to Horsham. That was how I knew of this fashion for silk flowers.
I was not good with my needle, and was showing my work to Joan and Dorothy as a young man strolled by. I had seen him before and I guessed that he was one of the Duke’s pensioners.
He had one of the most pleasant faces I had ever seen, though he was not striking like Manox with his dark curls and flashing eyes. This young man was, I guessed, in his mid-teens … eighteen perhaps, with soft brown hair about a gentle face which was by no means lacking in manliness. He was tall and slender, and had an unmistakable air of good breeding.
He paused, bowed to us, and said: “What a pleasant afternoon. You young ladies are very intent on your work.”
I laughed. “Work?” I said, and the others joined in my laughter. I liked him and did not want him to move away.
I went on: “My work, as you call it, is trying to make a silk flower.”
“And are you succeeding?” he asked.
I held up the piece of silk.
“If this bears some resemblance to a red rose … yes,” I said.
“It is red,” he said, and we all laughed again.
“I trust you did not object to my speaking to you.”
“We certainly did not,” replied Joan.
We were sitting on a bench, of which there were several dotted round the garden. He looked at it and went on: “If I might be seated … ?”
Joan waved her hand, and he sat down next to me.
“I have seen you young ladies before,” he said. “I know you have duties with Her Grace. I’ll swear her absence leaves you with time on your hands.”
Joan and Dorothy admitted that this was so.
“I am Francis Derham,” he told us, “in the train of the Duke of Norfolk.”
“We guessed that was so,” said Dorothy. “There are many of you here.”
“And you, Mistress?” he asked me.
“Katherine Howard, granddaughter of the Duchess. The Duke is my uncle.”
“Well met,” he said. “I am of the family… of some remote branch, naturally. But still, I am of Howard blood, which is why Iam here. I dare swear you and I are of the same kin.” He was studying me intently and
I thought of those nights in the Long Room, but then, they had been the same when she was there. I sometimes wondered if she had been half aware of it. She certainly would not have time to think of that now.
My uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, kept in his household what were called his pensioners. In the past, it had been the custom of great houses to do this. It was a custom which was dying out now, but my uncle still had a number in his service.
I suppose it was worthwhile for, in the event of trouble, these people—young, for the most part, for they were biding their time until they should marry or inherit titles and land—were pledged to serve their benefactor in any way he needed while they were pensioners under his roof. Most were of good birth, and several of them had some connection with the families with whom they lived.
At this time, there were a number of these young people in our household which, although I had always thought of it as my grandmother’s house, did, in fact, belong to the Duke. These young people were fed, housed and even granted some pay; they had little to do unless called upon, and then they must spring to immediate action. They spent their time riding, jousting and generally indulging in manly sports and pastimes.
I was sitting in the gardens with Dorothy Barwike and one of Dorothy’s friends called Joan, and was trying to make myself one of the silk flowers, of the kind which were very fashionable at this time. Living near the Court, we could see the elegantly dressed members of it now and then, either on the river or walking, and some even visiting the house when my grandmother was there. It was different to Horsham. That was how I knew of this fashion for silk flowers.
I was not good with my needle, and was showing my work to Joan and Dorothy as a young man strolled by. I had seen him before and I guessed that he was one of the Duke’s pensioners.
He had one of the most pleasant faces I had ever seen, though he was not striking like Manox with his dark curls and flashing eyes. This young man was, I guessed, in his mid-teens … eighteen perhaps, with soft brown hair about a gentle face which was by no means lacking in manliness. He was tall and slender, and had an unmistakable air of good breeding.
He paused, bowed to us, and said: “What a pleasant afternoon. You young ladies are very intent on your work.”
I laughed. “Work?” I said, and the others joined in my laughter. I liked him and did not want him to move away.
I went on: “My work, as you call it, is trying to make a silk flower.”
“And are you succeeding?” he asked.
I held up the piece of silk.
“If this bears some resemblance to a red rose … yes,” I said.
“It is red,” he said, and we all laughed again.
“I trust you did not object to my speaking to you.”
“We certainly did not,” replied Joan.
We were sitting on a bench, of which there were several dotted round the garden. He looked at it and went on: “If I might be seated … ?”
Joan waved her hand, and he sat down next to me.
“I have seen you young ladies before,” he said. “I know you have duties with Her Grace. I’ll swear her absence leaves you with time on your hands.”
Joan and Dorothy admitted that this was so.
“I am Francis Derham,” he told us, “in the train of the Duke of Norfolk.”
“We guessed that was so,” said Dorothy. “There are many of you here.”
“And you, Mistress?” he asked me.
“Katherine Howard, granddaughter of the Duchess. The Duke is my uncle.”
“Well met,” he said. “I am of the family… of some remote branch, naturally. But still, I am of Howard blood, which is why Iam here. I dare swear you and I are of the same kin.” He was studying me intently and
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