The de Vere Inheritance

Prologue - 18th November 1627

The women of the house crowded around the slightly ajar door as the sound of booted feet reverberated off the stone flagged floor of the rooms below.  They should have all been hiding, but they were somehow too frightened and curious to move.  Amongst them, Elizabeth tried to calm her own breathing so that the others might follow her lead.  If their late night visitor was unwanted, they would all need to remain calm so as to cause as little of a disturbance as possible.  Elizabeth knew very well though, that she would panic along with her servants if the magistrate's men had finally come for her husband.  If he was not to be found when they arrived, they would likely take herself in his stead.

"Elizabeth!"

"That's the master's voice," Alice whispered as Elizabeth threw an arm forward and wrenched open the door of her bedchamber.  Collectively the group let out the breaths they had held and spread out a little, the fear gone again for a little while.

"Eric, thank God!  You had us all frightened to death!" Elizabeth crowed as she stepped out onto the landing and threw a stern look at her husband.  He was drunk, as he most often was but tonight he seemed to still be in possession of his wits.  He held up his bloody shirt sleeve as he tore off his doublet and Elizabeth felt the quickly vanishing fear grip her again.  "You've been fighting?"

Eric nodded gravely.  "I'm sorry Lizzie but we need to go now.  We need to pack light and-"

"How many times have I told you not to call me that!" she roared as she took a few steps forward and held out her hand until she could almost touch his shirt sleeve.  "Why do we need to go?  Who were you fighting?"

He sighed heavily as he leaned against the banister behind him.  "In truth I lost count after Jacob Wainwright, his brothers and the Cobhams.  I killed Daniel Cobham, Elizabeth.  They wanted to take me, but with Marcus's help I got away.  They'll be at the house soon so you and I need to leave.  You need to pack light; enough for a few days only and we need to leave."

The women behind Elizabeth were gasping and muttering at the news, and Elizabeth felt her own mind go blank.  "If we go, when will we come back?  I'll have to leave money for the servants if we will be gone longer than a week.  They will need money for food Eric."

"Damn woman!" Eric snarled as he grabbed Elizabeth's forearm and turned her towards her bedchamber again.  He marched them inside it as the servants all fluttered away into the four corners of the room.  "Don't you pretend not to understand in these dire moments Elizabeth!  You and I need to pack what we may sell on and quit this house.  We need to leave England and head for the continent.  If we leave now on horseback we can be in Southampton in a few days.  We won't be coming back here.  It will be safer to leave the servants with nothing.  If the magistrate arrives here to find them in possession of money they will think that they hide us!"

"Eric what have you done!"  Elizabeth finally felt his words sink in as she brought a hand up to cover her mouth.

His anger seemed to dissipate as he sensed her shock setting in.  "Elizabeth I did not mean to kill the man, but it was either him or me.  They know, down in the village.  They know we are Catholic!  They have grown tired of me it seems.  I thought all was well when I entered the tavern, but after a drink or two I noticed that I was upon the receiving end of some rather conspicuous looks.  When I tried to leave, they barricaded the door.  They were after a fight tonight and I was to die by their design."

Elizabeth nodded to show her understanding, even though she was able to ascertain that Eric had emerged relatively unscathed from the fight.  "What will I pack?"

He seemed relieved that she was complying, and gripped her arm again and lead her to the trunk at the end of her bed.  "Pack lightly, traveling clothes and riding boots.  Wear something warm.  Two or three cloaks if you can.  Can I leave you for a moment to fetch my own things?"

Elizabeth nodded even as Eric was already approaching the door.  Once he had gone she turned to stare at the women who were gazing back avidly.  Alice stepped forward and clutched Elizabeth's shaking hands in her own.  "The master is right Milady.  You must leave with him.  You are his wife after all, and we shall all be well.  They cannot do more than question us and we can tell only that you've both left.  If you stay Milady, they will take you with them, you know they will."  Elizabeth clutched the woman's hand tightly, needing the reassurance that she would find nowhere else.  "The master has done too much here Milady," Alice added in a hushed whisper.  "Perhaps you might find a happier life away from here.  He could start afresh?"

Elizabeth voiced her agreement with the maid if only to save face.  She knew there was no hope at all that Eric would ever leave all of his misdemeanours in the past and turn over a new leaf.  She produced a saddle bag from the trunk that she had half packed a few weeks ago in case of a situation like the one she had found herself in.  She packed a few other pieces of clothing and then emptied her three jewellery boxes into it, knowing they could sell it all if they needed to.  Just as she was about to close the trunk lid, the candlelight flickered across the silver candlesticks hidden at the bottom.  Elizabeth caught one up in her hand and stared at it, realising that if she ran, she really would never see her mother again.  She stuffed it into the saddle bag and reached for the other one just as Eric barrelled through the door with his own hastily packed saddle bag.

"Elizabeth I said pack lightly!  What need for candlesticks have we on the road?"

"They are my mothers, you know that!" Elizabeth cried even as Eric approached and took the candlestick from her bag and handed it to Alice. 

"Of course I know!  You already wear her jewellery, so it's not as if you don't have anything of hers!"  Eric took the other candlestick from her and gave that one to Alice too.  "Let Alice take good care of them.  She can even send them on to my family for their safe keeping if you so wish!"

"Master do you need me to saddle your horses?" came Mr. Lyttle's booming voice from the doorway. 

"No, No!"  Eric moved back towards the door and shook the older man's hand.  "Thank you for the offer but no.  You should stay here and look after the women.  You'll be no good to them down at the stables when the magistrate arrives.  It's better that we get clean away and implicate no one."

Elizabeth slid her cloaks over her shoulders and fastened the broaches that would keep them in place as Eric took her saddle bag from the bed.  There was such a strange silence then as they all stood looking at each other, then Eric left the room and Elizabeth heard his clattering feet racing down the staircase.

"Thank you all for everything," she managed to croak as sadness set in.  She knew that none of the household staff would be sad to see her husband leave despite his being a good master as he was a known  trouble-maker in the local area, but the house had been the first real home she had ever had. They were like a family to her.  She rushed from the room as she felt the tears pricking her eyes.  In no time they had set off from the stables, only stopping once they reached the top of Barns Hill to look down into the valley were the house lay.  There was little to make out in the darkness, except the candlelight in the windows and the long shadows made as people moved in and out of the rooms.  There was no doubt that they had missed the magistrate and his men by the skin of their teeth.