Buried Roses

II

Queen Elizabeth didn't rise from ashes. Life turned as gray as ash after we entombed ourselves.

At first, there was an utter liberation. No longer were days ruled by the royal court. While ceremony remained observed to an extent, it was hard to maintain in close quarters. A temporary retreat.

None of our elders cared much about enforcing propriety. They had much bigger concerns. The first few days held almost no schedule. Bess slept late, not caring about rising if there was nowhere to go. Cecily stayed in bed all day. Dickon and Anne didn't bother with their studies—their books conveniently packed away.

Tension remained in the air after that first week. I did my best to remain invisible, as Queen Elizabeth was likely to lash out at anything amiss.

It didn't help that our quarters were so crowded. Queen Elizabeth heaped her treasure in the great hall of the Abbot's house, the majority reserved to oust the Lord Protector, Uncle Richard.

"Where are you going?" I called.

Dickon turned around, guilt coloring his cheeks. "The sun is shining. Anne and I were going to kick a ball for sport in the courtyard."

Anne gave me an innocent smile as she twirled the pig's bladder, serving as a ball.

"Your lady mother says that no one is to leave sanctuary," I said.

"We aren't leaving," Dickon said with a winning smile inherited from Papa. "We're going to the courtyard. My brother Dorset said that's allowed."

"You're not allowed to go out unless I'm accompanying you," I said.

"Play with us, Grace," Anne said.

I wanted to go out and play. Forget the dignity of my almost fifteen years and go play in the muddy scraps of grass that served as a courtyard. Feel the warmth of the sun on my head. But all I could think about was Elizabeth's reaction if anything went wrong.

I shook my head. "We aren't going out until—"

"Katherine has Mama's plate!" Dickon pointed.

I whirled to find Katherine holding up a gleaming plate. The soft echo of footsteps retreated behind me as Dickon and Anne ran for sport in the sun. Deciding the walls of sanctuary would protect them well enough, I chose to dash over to Katherine.

"Don't touch that, Katherine!" I said in a sharp tone, wresting the golden plate from her grubby hands.

Katherine—usually sweet as a pup—pouted. "Want my horsey!"

I heaved a sigh. "I don't know where your hobbyhorse is, sweeting. I think you left it at the palace."

"Go get!" She pointed to the doors.

"I told you we can't go home," I said. "Not yet."

Bess, reading on an armchair beside crates of money, coughed loudly. "Not ever if Mama has her way."

"Please don't talk that way," I said, placing the gold plate back. "Everything will be put to rights. Your lady mother said as much."

Hope soared during the first week. Elizabeth might have been in sanctuary, but she remained the unquestioned leader of London. Archbishop Rotherham brought her the Great Seal of England, confirming her royal authority. Governing would just be done from a few small rooms in sanctuary, rather than from Westminster Palace.

Then Uncle Richard arrived.

"My lady mother also thought the people of London would rise for her. Hark!" Bess held a hand to her ear. "Do you hear that?"