“Not Velvet. She is still a little maid, not yet thirteen.”
“Send her to me here at court,” the queen suggested. “She is my godchild, and I shall be happy to have her.”
“Never!”said Skye vehemently. “Forgive me, madame, but my child is yet an innocent, and I would she remained so for the time being. Your court is a wondrous place for those who are wise in the ways of the world, and you, madame, are the most virtuous of women, but my child would be fair game for those whose high-mindedness is not as great as Your Majesty’s. If I do this for you, Velvet must remain in her own home in the care of Robbie’s sister, Dame Cecily Small.”
“If, madame?” The queen’s gray-black eyes narrowed.
Skye sighed. “We must leave almost immediately if we are to catch the proper winds across the Indian Ocean. It does not give us much time to mount and provision the ships.”
“You will have our utmost cooperation, dearest Skye,” the queen promised.
“What else will I have?” Skye demanded. “Favors between us have never come cheaply, madame.”
Elizabeth Tudor laughed, then nodded. “Do you fancy being a countess again? Do this for me and I will create for you the earldom of Lundy.”
“The inheritance of which will pass down through the female line of our family,” said Skye. “The title must belong to Velvet in her own right one day as we have no son, nor the hope of one. I will expect a share of any profits accrued by my efforts also.”
“Agreed!” said the queen, and her smile was one of admiration.
“How much of a share?” demanded William Cecil, ever mindful of his mistress’s interests.
“Robbie and I will work it out, my lord,” said Adam de Marisco. “The queen will, as always, receive the lion’s portion.
I do not believe you have ever found fault with our accounting.”
“Nay, my lord,” Burghley agreed. “Never have we missed so much as a groat in our dealings with you.”
“Then it is settled,” the queen said, pleased. “Pour us some wine, Cecil, and let us celebrate. One last thing, however—this voyage must remain a secret, for if Philip’s spies get wind of it too soon your chances of success will be destroyed.”
“Aye,” Skye agreed, taking the goblet that was offered her.
The four occupants of Elizabeth Tudor’s private closet drank to the success of the planned expedition, and then with the queen’s gracious permission Lord and Lady de Marisco took their leave of Her Majesty.
“Their chances of success are not very good,” observed William Cecil when the queen’s two guests had departed. “Even if they can leave England without arousing Spain’s suspicions, there is the long voyage to India, and once there they must evade the Portuguese to get to the emperor Akbar.”
“I know,” replied Elizabeth, “but I truly believe that our best hope lies with Skye O’Malley. Ah, my dearSpirit, what would I have done all these years without you to look after my best interests?”
“There are many eager to serve Your Majesty,” replied Lord Burghley, but he was nonetheless touched by her gratitude. Her use of the private nickname she had given him further warmed his old bones.
“None like you, William. None like you. The others would have called me mad for summoning Skye O’Malley after all these years. How long has it been since I exiled her toQueen’s Malvern?Nearly eleven years, William. In all that time I have not laid eyes upon her. Christ’s bloody bones!” She grimaced. “The woman has hardly changed, and yet she is already a grandmother many times over! It must be living in the country and raising horses that keeps her young, mySpirit.Still, I saw the look in her eyes. She is eager for the chance to go to sea once more. Oh, yes, she is most eager!” The queen laughed.
She would have laughed even harder had she been aware that her very thoughts were being echoed by Adam de Marisco, Skye’s husband.
A royal barge had taken Skye and Adam upriver to their London house, Greenwood. They were silent during the trip, for both were well aware that the royal bargemen, like all servants, loved to gossip. It was not until they were safely in their own home, alone within their private apartments, that Adam burst out, “I thought you were happy atQueen’s Malvern, sweetheart.”
“I am,” Skye replied. “Loosen my bodice for me, Adam. I am fairly exhausted and longing for bed.”
“Youwantto go.” His fingers nimbly undid the buttons on her gown.
“Of course I want to go!” She shrugged the bodice off and turned to face him. “For over ten years now I have been kept from the sea. I am happy atQueen’s Malvern, but the thought that we are to have the opportunity once more to go adventuring … Oh, Adam!” She flung her arms about his neck and kissed him.
He laughed. “Adventuring is it, little girl? And here I thought you had grown up. Tis a staid and proper wife you’ve been to me since we came to live atQueen’s Malvern.”
“Not too proper, I hope, my darling.” She chuckled. “Oh, Adam, do you mind? I could not really refuse the queen, could I?”
He sighed deeply. “Nay, we couldn’t refuse her though I would to God that we might have. I do not like the idea of leaving Velvet, Skye. She is overyoung yet.”
“We might bring her with us,” Skye suggested. “After all, she is half O’Malley.”
