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Even such a small concession was welcome. It was pleasant to be able to escape from the stone walls to the fresh air even with such restraints.
I was quite friendly with my guards for that affinity with the common people was ever present in my nature and they were courteous to me—partly because no doubt they remembered that I would one day be their Queen.
We would pause on the path and look round and I would ask questions about the Tower of which they were very proud and knowledgeable.
We would walk right along the lead to the Beauchamp Tower.
“I'll swear there are prisoners in there who would long to walk along the lead as far as the Bell Tower,” I said.
They agreed that this must be so and one added: “I know of one who more than most chafes against inactivity, my lady.”
“Oh? And who might that be?” I asked. “Lord Robert Dudley. He is there… poor gentleman…a most handsome nobleman of much grace. He is under sentence of death and knows not each day when he wakes whether it will be his last.”
“I knew him once,” I said. “He was at my father's Court with his father. We played together when we were children. The others I have forgotten but I remember Robert Dudley well. I am sorry he is in such state now, but his father rose against the Queen and has paid the price for treason, and Robert Dudley stood with his father.”
“His brothers too, my lady. It is not long since Lord Guildford and my Lady Jane walked to their deaths.”
“Poor Lady Jane! She was blameless. Her father forced her to it and she had no choice but to obey.”
I fell silent after that. I should not be talking thus; but then I was always over-friendly with those below my rank. It was what made me so popular with the people.
When I returned from my walk on the lead, I could not stop thinking of Robert Dudley. His position was more unsafe than my own for he was actually under sentence of death.
I shivered, hoping that he would escape such a fate. Why should I care? Didn't he deserve it? He was one of those who had tried to put Jane Grey on the throne. But only because he had stood with his father. It was Northumberland who had raised the rebellion and made Jane Queen for little over a week at the cost of his own life and those of Jane and his son Guildford.
The Queen was justified in sending Robert Dudley to the Tower and sentencing him to death for that matter.
All the same he had made quite an impression on me as a child and he had an exceptional charm. I did not like to think of his handsome head being severed from his body.
SOME WEEKS LATER I was told by the guards that permission had been given for me to take a walk in the Tower Gardens. It is amazing what pleasure such small concessions can give when one has so little; and I well remember my walk in the gardens where the spring flowers were in bloom and the air seemed so fresh and balmy.
Moreover there were children playing in the gardens and I had always been interested in children. I had the same affinity with them as I had with ordinary people. I could speak to them as I could to the people, without royal reserve—which is very rare in persons of high rank.
There was one charming little boy. He must have been about five years old, perhaps younger. He smiled at me and said: “Good-day, Mistress.”
I paused and asked his name.
“It is Martin, Mistress,” he replied. “What is yours?”
“Elizabeth,” I told him.
“Do you walk in these gardens often?” he asked.
“Whenever I can. Do you?”
He nodded. “We live over there.”
“Martin!” Someone was calling him. I looked round and saw a young woman hurrying toward us. She dropped a curtsy and I smiled at her.
“I trust, my lady, the boy was not a
“Far from it. We were enjoying our conversation, were we not, Martin?”
He stared at me, tongue-tied before the woman who I presumed was his mother.
She told me that her husband was Keeper of the Queen's Robes and that Martin was allowed to play in the gardens because they did not often have distinguished visitors to them.
I said: “I trust my presence here will not mean that Martin is kept away. I should be most distressed if that were so.”
She took the child by his hand and bobbed a curtsy.
“You are very kind, my lady. Martin is a friendly boy and likes to talk.”
“Then I hope there will be other meetings for us, Martin,” I said.
I watched while she took him away. I felt warmed by the encounter.
After that I saw Martin often. He would smile when he saw me and run to me gleefully. Once he brought me some flowers and I was so delighted with this show of affection that he made a habit of it.
One day he said: “There is a gentleman in there.” He pointed to the walls of the Beauchamp Tower. “I see him when I go with my father.”
“What sort of gentleman?”
“A very nice gentleman.”
“Does he talk to you?”
“Yes, he does.”
“As I do?”
He nodded.
“What does he say?”
“He says there is a princess in the Tower. My lady, is it you?”
“Yes,” I said. “And did you tell him that you had spoken with me?”
He nodded.
“And what did he say?”
He said: “Tell the Princess… tell the Princess…”
“Yes, yes.”
He was concentrating hard trying to remember. He said: “Tell her…”
“Yes, yes, tell her what?”
He frowned and finally burst out: “That I am thinking of her and—”
“And what?”
“How…I can serve her.”
“He really asked you to tell me that?”
He nodded vigorously.
“And you have not told anyone else… only me.”
Again that nod. “The gentleman said…”
“Yes, yes.”
“Only tell you… and no one else.”
I stooped and kissed him. “Thank you, Martin. You are a very clever boy.”
He looked pleased and when I went back to my prison I thought a great deal about Robert Dudley.
THE GLOOM SEEMED to be lifting. I felt alive again. It was ridiculous. I was still a prisoner in the Tower and my enemies were still plotting my downfall; but the thought that there was someone here—a young handsome man of about my own age—who was thinking of me, sending me messages, assuring me of his devotion, worked like a miracle with me. My health improved. The great occasions of my days were those interludes in the gardens. Another child had joined us. This was Susa
It was an exciting game for the child, and his youth made him an excellent participator in the intrigue. I could have wished he had been a bit older though, then perhaps our messages could have been more productive; but I suppose if he had been I should not have been allowed this friendship with him.
There was little Robert Dudley could offer me other than comfort, nor I him. We were not such fools as to think about escape. That would be folly. Failure would surely cost me my head. What we did for each other was to establish a communion of friendship which I was to remember always, and often in later years my thoughts would go back to that garden and the messages of comfort which I received from the prisoner in the Beauchamp Tower. Robert's close presence gave me strength when I needed it and courage to endure what was waiting for me, as my responses did for him.
I do not know how long this would have gone on but for one unfortunate incident.
I used to tell the children stories of my life and they knew that I was a princess. I would describe the Court to them and the feasts which used to take place in the great banqueting halls. They listened avidly and it dawned on them that I must be living very differently as a prisoner in the Tower.