My Story: Lady Jane Grey (My Royal Story) Read Online Free PDF Page A

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    Elizabeth is horrid. Whey-faced ninny, my cousin called me when I found her in the privy garden. “Why must you follow me about? You spoil everything.” She stamped her foot. Her temper is as fiery as her hair.
    I was hurt. “I only came to tell you our lute teacher is waiting. No one knew where you were.” Kat was afraid she had fallen in the river. (I wish she had!) I had seen her at the landing stairs peering in the water. Elizabeth had been seen out on the river before, unattended except for the watermen. Lady Somerset had come to complain to the Queen, but Lady Somerset is always complaining about something, it seems to me. Nurse says Elizabeth needs taking in hand. “She is allowed too long a rein!” she said.
    After supper one of the Queen’s ladies asked me to give the Queen a message. I went to her apartments but stopped at the door when I heard laughter. Elizabeth was with her. Her head was close to the Queen’s and the Queen was fastening a necklace of green emeralds around her neck. The Queen turned her head and saw me. “Jane, does not this necklace suit our princess,” she said. Elizabeth preened herself. I told her it did, but unwillingly. I was still smarting from my cousin’s unkindness. Elizabeth smiled but I am sure she does not care what I think. She laps up praise as greedily as a kitten laps up cream.

12 April 1548
Chelsea Place
    Nurse says I learned some important lessons today.
    1. Never listen to idle gossip. It will only bring you pain. (I am not sure it is idle for when I asked her about it her face went all red.)
    2. It is wrong to listen to what is not meant for your ears.
    3. Watch what you say for you never know who might be listening. The eyes and ears of our servants are everywhere .
    The servants should take heed of that too – for I heard what they said, every word! I was sitting curled up near the window with a book when two maids entered my chamber to change the sheets. They shook out the sheet and laid it on the bed. They cannot have seen me for they did not even trouble to lower their voices. “He comes to her chamber?” one of them said.
    “Aye. Early in the morning even before she is up – and he still in nightgown and slippers. He pulls down the sheet and tickles her. She pushes him away, aye, but she is smiling.”
    “I wonder she puts up with it,” said the first maid.
    “She makes light of it, says it is a game,” her companion said. “Her love for that child blinds her.”
    I heard the other draw in her breath sharply. “Tsk. Tsk,” she said. “You should not say such things.”
    “Aye well, plenty would agree with me.”
    “I will hear no more,” the other said sharply, and soon after I heard them leave and I was left to wonder what it was I had heard and how I could put it out of mind. For if Nurse will not tell me, I am sure no one else will.

4 May 1548
Chelsea Place
    The Queen has shut herself away in her apartments and will not open her door to anyone. Elizabeth mopes about the house and the Admiral is nowhere to be seen. The Queen did not even join us for supper. Her ladies say that she is tired, but they looked very embarrassed so I do not believe them. Why do people get angry when they are upset? Nurse snapped at me earlier, and all I did was get dog hairs on my gown. I feel awful.

5 May 1548
Chelsea Place
    The Queen left her chamber today. But I still feel awful – it is as if a chill has fallen over the house. At supper the Queen barely said a word to the Admiral. And he had so much care for her. Was she comfortable? Would she like a cushion for her back? Should he bid a servant fill her goblet? But she answered him so coldly I felt my blood freeze. Why is she angry with him? Neither of them ate much. Plate after plate was sent back to the kitchens barely touched. Elizabeth picked and prodded at her food. Her face looked whiter than ever in the candlelight. It is not only the Queen who is angry with the Admiral. Her sister sat stiff