“Bah, Mistress Ashley, there was nothing in it. It was but play.”
“That I know, my lord, but others have thought differently.”
“Rest happy, Mistress Ashley; there is no harm done.”
“I trust not, my lord.”
“Your Princess is well able to look after herself, were that necessary. The Queen joined in the play, remember.”
“I know, my lord. But a dress…to be cut off a young lady in such a manner!”
“Never fear. She insists that I pay for another dress. You see, your Princess knows well how to guard her interests.”
The strange thing was, mused Kat Ashley afterward, that when you were with him, you believed all he said. He became the benign stepfather, anxious to make a happy home.
But what should be done? wondered Kat.
He must be right. All was well, because it was true that the Queen, his wife, was present.
THE MARQUIS OF DORSET called at Seymour Place in response to an invitation from the Lord High Admiral.
Dorset was the father of Lady Jane Grey, and he guessed that he had been invited to discuss her future, for he had been warned of this by Sir John Harrington, a friend and servant of the Admiral.
Dorset was warmly received, and Thomas made a point of dismissing all servants before he began to speak.
“My Lord Dorset,” he said, “you have some inkling of why I have asked you to call?”
“I understand it concerns my elder daughter.”
“The Lady Jane is a charming girl—accomplished, beautiful, and of your noble House. We agree on that matter, and I doubt not that we could agree on others.”
Dorset was not displeased. He was himself a member of a great house, but none but a fool like Surrey would refuse a chance of linking himself with one of the Seymour brothers. It was said that young Thomas was biding his time. He was the King’s favorite, and the King would not be a minor for ever. He had already married the Dowager Queen. The Princess Elizabeth was being brought up in his household. Obviously Thomas Seymour, Lord Sudley, was already a power in the land, and was going to be of even greater importance.
Dorset was flattered.
“How so, my Lord Sudley?” he asked.
“The affairs of this country need to be closely watched, Dorset; and it is for such as you and myself to do the watching. It is ever so, when a boy King is on the throne. They are already disputing one with another in the Council.”
Dorset was becoming excited.
“I should like you to know,” went on Thomas, “that I am your friend. And as a token of friendship I should like the wardship of your daughter.”
“Why so?”
“The Queen loves her, as you know. We have often spoken of her future, and we should like to have her under our care so that she might be brought up in a royal manner, and that we might have the means of matching her.”
Dorset’s eyes glistened with excitement. “You have a match in mind, Sudley?”
“I have, sir.”
“And the future husband of my daughter would be…?”
“Cannot you guess? They love each other already. I doubt not they have made up their young minds to it.”
“You mean… the
“I do, my lord.”
Dorset smiled.
“She is worthy of the match,” went on Thomas. “I know of none more worthy.”
“I have heard that the Lord Protector would match his own daughter with the King.”
“His ambition… and his wife’s, drive him hard. My lord Dorset, you might wonder that I work against my brother. But I would work first for what I believe to be right for this realm. The King has said to me—for as you know, he is my friend and I am his bestloved uncle—he has said to me that he will not have Jane Seymour, and that it is Jane Grey whom he loves.”
“You could further this match?”
“If I had the wardship of the Lady Jane, if the Queen could direct her studies… Marry, I doubt not that you will one day see her wearing the crown.”
“My Lord Sudley, I could not refuse an offer which would bring so much good to my daughter.”
The bargain was struck, and Dorset’s hopes ran high. Thomas Seymour, Lord Sudley, was his friend, and he was pleased with himself. So was Thomas who saw there would be little difficulty in bringing about this match. He
