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illegitimate and I did not care that she was a Jew."
    "You must tell no one that you were friends with Rachel de Anjou! No one! And you will not approach the queen with any complaint, let alone this one. You risk more than a rebuke, Isabel, you risk your very life. And mine. And your grandmother's. Do you understand who you are, who the queen is? With one word she could have us all imprisoned or put to death. Your grandmother could be punished for allowing your friendship—encouraging it, even, and keeping it from me. You know I never approved of you being friends with her. I would lose my station, at the very least. You risk our lives!"
    "If she is so harsh a queen that no one can talk to her, then why do I want to serve her at all? What loyalty do I have to King Edward, whose grandfather chose not to acknowledge his own child? How easy it would have been to acknowledge her!"
    "You speak treason, Isabel!" Mother took a step back from her. "It is not for us to question the dealings of kings. I know you are young, and losing Rachel has wounded you, but you cannot ever speak of these things again. Ever! We have no choice in this. This is your grandmother's fault, letting you roam and mix with all sorts of people." Her expression softened. "Child, I know how steadfast you are, and that this has been difficult, being neither here nor
    there. I ask you now to be loyal to me, and to your grandmother. You have been chosen to be elevated. It is a great honor, and God's plan for you. Do not question it. I pray you, child, keep your silence. Promise me that you will not confront the queen on this! You hold our very lives in your hands."
    "Do you really believe that, Mother? That for merely questioning the king's expulsion of the Jews, we could all die?"
    "Have you learned nothing in all your years at court? Why would you think that the queen would not agree with her husband in this? They are in accord on everything else, child. And if she were to complain to Edward of you, what think you of our chances then? Does he seem the kind of king who would enjoy being questioned? Do you think he would hesitate to have us removed from his presence? Do not question this, Isabel. Dislike it if you will, but say nothing. Promise me that you will say nothing."
    "Mother—"
    "Promise me!" Her mother burst into tears. "Go, then! Go. I cannot do more with this hanging between us." She wept into her hands.
    Isabel sighed. Her mother never took the middle road on anything. All was perfect or it was unsalvageable. There was no other choice. She'd become accustomed to her mother's swings, the suddenness with which her moods changed. People once considered friends had been cut out of her life forever, but Isabel had never understood it. She could not imagine abandoning Rachel —who would have laughed at Isabel serving the queen. Isabel sighed, missing her friend even more and knowing she would not speak of this to the queen. Yet. She was sure there would come a day, when she and Eleanor were alone, when she could talk of all this.
    "Promise me at least that you will not risk our lives, Isabel."
    "No, Mother. I will not risk your and grandmother's lives."
    "Or yours. Promise me!"
    "I promise to be cautious."
    Mother wiped her tears away. "Good. When the Court is at Westminster, you will live with the queen's ladies and I will see you every day. Where the queen goes, you will go, of course. When she travels, you will travel. You will take an escort with you when you visit your grandmother. Remember to ask for it and don't go dashing off by yourself."
    "I don't need an escort. I've been walking London's streets all my life."
    "Not alone at night you haven't. Promise that if it is late and there is no one to escort you, you will stay in the Tower."
    Isabel nodded. That would be no hardship; she liked the Tower, with its two hundred years of history. She wondered what it would have been like to have lived then, when William of Normandy,
    Conqueror of the