The de Vere Inheritance

Chapter Four - 26th June 1632

"It is good to meet you Madame, after hearing so much about you from your father!" the little French house-keeper exclaimed as Elizabeth handed over her hat and cloak to the eager woman. "He talks of you and your brothers all the time. He is so very glad I think to have you here in Paris with him!"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes as the woman pottered away with her things. "Not enough to have me stay with him here though..." she muttered under her breath.

When she was finally shown into the elegantly long room her father was using as a study of sorts, she was surprised by how much light the windows let into the room. From outside they had not looked large enough, but despite even the dark wood of the book cases and other furniture, Elizabeth felt warm sunlight on her face as she began to cross the room towards her father's desk. He stood when he heard the clicking of her heels on the wooden floor and threw his arms out for her to embrace him. Elizabeth did, feeling for the first time in a very long time that she might be about to have a conversation with someone who didn't have an ulterior motive.

He smelt of some sort of cologne and starch from his white collar. Elizabeth might have considered that he smelt like home before she entered the room, but he did not. She supposed though that she did not have a home really to compare it to. They held each other in silence for a long time before Elizabeth pulled away, feeling a little foolish to be almost brought to tears by the tenderness in her father's embrace of her.

"You're ill again?" he asked as he scrutinised her face. She had expected him to notice. He always did. "Shall I have my doctor call upon you; he's very good you know?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "I've seen one. I've got some tonics and other things to help. I'm fine father, really."

"Eric shouldn't be dragging you across Christendom like some sort of lap dog. It's clearly doing your health no good at all," John Clifford mused. "Can't you ask him to prolong his stay so that you might rest a little and recover? Then we could spend more time together."

Elizabeth nodded solemnly. "I have been considering doing just that father. We've not been anywhere recently where I would have considered staying on otherwise I would more than likely have asked him sooner. I don't know if he shall comply though. You know what Eric is like. He causes trouble wherever he goes and there's usually not much choice for us but to leave."

Her father shook his head again and resumed his seat. Elizabeth perched on the edge of his desk. "He's not looked after you properly for a very long time you know. When you first married, for a time I thought you and Eric were rather well suited. He was a good husband in the beginning, that I will give him credit for. After what happened in Italy though your letters changed. I saw your mood drop almost instantly. It has never returned. Will you not try again to-"

"I'm not discussing that!" Elizabeth's clipped tones reverberated around the room as she straightened her spine, feeling as if she were being purposefully penned into discussing matters that she would not even let herself think about.

"Elizabeth you not talking is half the problem!"

She sighed heavily. "I did not come here to argue with you father. Eric does not like to speak of such times."

Her father had the good grace to stifle his incredulous bark of laughter. "Of course he doesn't. he behaved abominably and he knows it. Admitting it to others though is something I cannot imagine Eric de Vere doing readily. I know we are not a family that openly discusses our trials and tribulations but Elizabeth I am here if you ever do need to. Unfortunately I cannot extend my invitation to your husband. I fear that my patience has entirely worn thin where he is concerned. If he were not with you I would have welcomed you here into this house. I still would if I thought for a moment you would leave him."