the heir's secret

with child

The prison door closes behind us with a loud bang that shivers through my body, reminding me just how fragile I am. We had left this room believing that we were being taken to our deaths, but yet we have returned with no blood spilt but just as scared and frightened. Phillip has returned from Spain with Maud. I cannot think why he would, I really believed he had left for good.

Elizabeth walks towards the window and peers out. Suddenly I remember what had happened before we were interrupted by soldiers. I approach her slowly, going over in my mind what I could say without reminding her in anyway what happened last night. If we ignore it, it can be forgotten.

"I'm sorry about your hair." I finally say as I observe the tangled mess. It isn't really that bad but it is noticeable that it has not been brushed. Little strands stick out as if invisible creatures are pulling them. A knot on the top of her head looks like the perfect nest for a bird and I giggle at the thought. Elizabeth picks up a hairbrush from on top of one of the cases and begins brushing it. "Here let me." I take the hairbrush from her hand and do it for her. Brushing each long piece, right down to her waist. Elizabeth says not a word as I disentangle each piece. Finally after I have finished she turns around and looks at me, staring deeply into my eyes.

"Are you well, Katherine?"

"Yes very well." I reply to her strange question. Elizabeth nods and then walks back over to the window, leaning against it. Suddenly there is a knock on the door. Oh, not again. Please leave us at peace. The door opens and a guard appears.

"Lady Maud Worsley wishes to see you." Maud! He stands aside and she appears. Her cheeks a rosy pink and her skin shining, she bows low before entering, showing Elizabeth the true courtesy she should be shown as the queens sister.

"Your grace, it is so wonderful to see you." The door closes behind her, shutting us all inside.

"Maud!" Elizabeth obviously did not see her in the hall. "What are you doing here?"

"I came back with Phillip." She replies as she takes a seat, claiming one of the only two chairs in the small room. "I must admit I did miss England a little, though not the weather, Lord Jesus I forgot how wet this country is."

"Why is Phillip here though, what made him come back?" I ask, finally saying the question that has been at the back of my mind since we left the hall. Mauds head drops just a little and I notice a crack in her happiness.

"Well... he needs a legitimate heir, that is all." So that is why. God forbid if Mary should give him a son, then Elizabeth would never get the throne.

"Of course." Elizabeth replies as she takes the final seat, leaving me standing. "I suppose he was convinced by his father."

"No in fact, Phillip... he loves the queen dearly."

"Come, Maud." I tell her "there is no need to lie to us, everyone knows it was not his idea to marry her." None of us says anything as Maud looks down, her happiness disappears and she loses the colour from her cheeks. Suddenly she starts sniffling before tears start escaping from her eyes.

"Maud, why are you crying?" I say as I put my arm around her shoulder. She raps her arms around my neck and cries into my clothing, releasing every emotion she has.

"I am so sorry... when I found out you were in the tower.... I can't help but think it is my fault."

"No, how could it be yours, it was the rebellion, nothing to do with you."

"But I took her husband away, I angered her." Elizabeth walks over and begins comforting Maud too.

"This is nothing to do with you, do not blame yourself." Maud wipes her eyes and walks to the corner of the room, like a pup discarded by the pack she looks at us.

"I'm going to die."

"Maud, don't be silly." Elizabeth says as she begins to walk towards her but Maud puts out her hand, stopping her from getting any closer. Slowly she unbuttons her cloak, letting it fall to the floor, revealing the rich cloth of her dress. I notice that she is not wearing a corset and then I realise why. Mauds dress becomes out of shape by her huge swollen belly that distorts the cloth. Elizabeth gasps.

"I am with child." Maud cries as she falls to the floor. We both run to her, putting our arms around her. "I hold her husband's child, the child that she so wants, she will kill me, I know she will. She will cut off my head and kill my baby!"

"Maud, she is not going to kill you. She cannot. Phillip will annul the marriage, he will go back to Spain. I promise you she will not."

"Does she know?" Elizabeth asks.

"No, Phillip said we should keep it secret. I wanted to stay in Spain, I begged him, but he wanted me close to him, to keep me and the baby protected." Me and Elizabeth look at each other, a quick glance. We know that Mary will find out, if she doesn't know now she will soon. She could make the death look like an accident, a trip down the stairs or a horse tumble. Maud is in danger. Elizabeth tells her some words of encouragement as we lift her to her feet and wipe her eyes.

"Thank you, you are both so kind. Why did I ever cross the ocean?" Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew this would happen, Maud was a good friend of Elizabeth's before she went to Spain with Phillip. She could say that this was Elizabeth's idea, using Maud to turn Phillip away from Mary. Maud isn't the only one in danger. If we weren't in danger before, we definitely are now.