the heir's secret

Poor Jane

I look over at Elizabeth as I hear her laugh rather loudly at one of Dudleys jokes. He has not looked away from her the whole morning. It is so obvious that he is in love with her and it makes me sick to the stomach, Elizabeth is not in love with him I will not believe it, he is so foolish and stupid. He cares about money and women and nothing else, she is much too clever to ever fall for a man such as him. Yesterday as we had all taken a walk in the gardens he had given her a rose and then kissed her on the cheek in front of everyone! I felt like slapping him. Elizabeth was embarrassed, I could tell, she could not look me in the eye after that and I don't know why.

Suddenly I feel a prick on my finger that brings me out of my thoughtful daze and look down to see that I had pricked my finger with a needle. My blood drips down onto the handkerchief I was sowing, spoiling my mornings work. I curse at my foolishness. A man walks through the door as I try to wipe the stain from the white cloth and I look up to see my father's servant, dread sinks down my body as I see him standing there. He bows to Elizabeth and then looks me in the eye signalling me to leave the room so I walk out leaving Elizabeth and her admirer alone but for the servants.

"My lady, your father wishes to see you." He tells me as soon as the door is shut behind us.

" Is he alright?" I ask with desperation in my voice.

" yes, he is fine, my lady." I pause as I try to regain my breath and then leave the house by his side. The cold February air hits my skin as the door opens in front me and I pull my sleeves tighter to my skin to keep me from freezing. There had been lots of rain last night so the bottom of my dress immediately dampens as I walk across the stony pathway. As we reach the gate I see a carriage waiting just outside and so I step into it. Inside I see my father. I gasp as I see him with his face a ghostly white and his hands shaking in his lap.

"Father!" I cry as I desperately try to warm his hands, "What are you doing here? You should be in bed!"

"Kate," he says as he pulls me inside the carriage, "me being in bed will not save the lady Jane..." I interrupt him before he can say anymore as I realise how foolish he was being.

"Father you must go back to the warm now! You will die."

"No, Kate. You must understand you are her only hope." Oh God why is he such a fool I think as he carries on talking. "You must speak to Elizabeth convince her to go to London and speak to the Queen, she must change her mind or Jane will die!" My father had been Lady Jane Greys tutor when she was a child. He had a huge respect for her and had loved her unconditionally ever since as if she was his own child. Jane had loved him as if he was her father. My father did not want her to die, he would die himself if she did from a broken heart, I am sure of it. She is only seventeen, too young to die.

"Father, I don't think Elizabeth could change the Queens mind."

"You must try!" He cries as a tear falls down his cheek. Would Elizabeth do this, Mary hates her and she knows it. She may not even agree and I would have embarrassed myself in asking her. But if it will please my father then I will do so.

" Okay, father I will. Now go back home." I walk out of the carriage and walk back to Heveningham house. Sometimes I think he loves her more than he has ever loved me, he has never held back from showing his displeasure of me. When I was a child he had always complained about my un girlish behaviour and lack of manners, I had always heared him talk about me like a leper would talk about a leach on their shoulder, I had never been the perfect daughter he had desired, some days I had envied Jane but now I pity her, she is only seventeen, just two years younger than me, she does not deserve to die. When I reach the hall again I see that Robert is no longer there.

"Where is Dudley?" I ask before Elizabeth has even noticed me walking through the door.

"He had business to attend to. What did that man want?" She asks while shutting the book she was reading.