Much later that day, after the house had been shrouded in darkness, Giles blew out the candle in their chamber and climbed into bed beside Thomasin.
“You have been thoughtful all day; I think that letter is preying on your mind.”
“How could it be otherwise?” said Thomasin into the darkness.
“You did not expect this at all? He never mentioned anything of the sort?”
“Nothing. The last time we saw him, at Christmas just passed, when he came up to Eastwell, he spoke of giving me a gelding he no longer had use for, but I heard no more on the matter. He certainly did not mention a house!”
“I wonder when the will was drawn up.”
“Since our marriage, certainly. Or since Ellen’s marriage, as he no longer felt any need to provide for her.”
“Well, Ellen has Barnaby’s portion, so he probably thought to balance that out. He may have left her a token or two, out of affection. He always did love her well.”
“I wonder if Cecilia received anything.”
They were quiet for a moment, thinking over the possibilities. Thomasin stared at the familiar ceiling as her eyes grew more accustomed to the dark. Four years she had slept in this bed, with not a thought of London, nor any desire to return. A house was an obligation. She did not feel able to sell it, because of the memories, but it felt like a waste to leave it empty. Uncle Matthew’s house should be a family home, with meals prepared in the kitchen and laughter ringing in the chambers.
“I suppose we shall have to go to London,” she admitted, “even for just a short time.”
“It may be a good idea,” said Giles softly at her side. “You may want to look at the old place. Take away some of your favourite possessions.”
“But what can I do with the house? I love it here at Green Hollow; I never want to leave. I suppose this is what you wanted, after what you said the other day.”
“I only want what you want, Thomasin, my wife.” He rolled over and took her in his arms. “It is your house and your decision entirely.”
“You said the other day that it would be good to travel, to visit friends. If only I had thought to visit Uncle Matthew sooner. I had no idea at Christmas that we were saying goodbye for the final time.”
Giles kissed the top of her head. “We can never know these things.”
“It makes me realise how short our time is, how anyone might be taken at any moment.”
“Now, don’t start thinking morbid thoughts about this. Your uncle was an old man; it was his time.”
“But it makes me think I should go and visit friends, as you said. We should see Harry and Ellen again soon, and perhaps go to London to see More and Margaret.”
“It would be convenient to have a London house, should we wish to visit the city. We can spend most of the year here, enjoying the garden in the summer, but the cold winter months here are isolated and bitter. That might be a time we choose to spend in London, closer to life and people.”
Thomasin sighed. “We should plan a visit to sort out Monk’s Place, if nothing else.”
Giles squeezed her tight against him. “You might find you enjoy going back. We could take Lettice with us, give her an introduction to London.”
“She would like that,” Thomasin agreed, “so long as we go nowhere near court.”
Her memories of Henry VIII’s court had been tainted by the royal separation, the grief of her former mistress and the ascendancy of Anne Boleyn.
“I think court will be too busy to bother with us, now that a prince is on the way.”
Anne Boleyn was finally with child, having entered into a secret marriage with the king earlier in the year. Letters from Giles’s friends had confirmed that she had assumed the positionand title of queen, and that an elaborate coronation was being planned ahead of her lying-in.
“I cannot wish her well,” said Thomasin, recalling the many unpleasant altercations she had had with the second Boleyn sister. “I wish no one ill, but I cannot wish her well.”
“We will visit Monk’s Place, see this lawyer at Lincoln’s Inn and then head out to Chelsea to stay with More. No one will even know we are there.”
“You think so?”
“Why not? Write to More, give us a week or so, and we’ll be back here for high summer.”
