I have added Chapter Three to the sneak peak of my newest novel Circle of Time. Aside from winning the Readers' Favorite Five Star and the Book Excellence awards, it has been nominated for the Global eBook Award.
I hope you enjoy!
From the Author
I have
studied Tudor history for over fifty years; the fascination for that era and
the people who made up the family of Henry VIII has never waned. I used to say
to people, “When I read about Henry VIII, his siblings or his wives, it isn’t
as if I’m learning something; it’s more like I’m being reminded.”
Reminded
indeed – so perhaps I wasn’t that surprised when I discovered through DNA
analysis and genealogy that I am a direct descendant of Margaret Tudor, and
therefore Mary Queen of Scotts. Henry VIII is my eighteen-time first cousin!
So, I decided to visit my kin.
What
fun! Within the following pages, you will travel with Bridget Littleton, a rich
and beautiful young woman who, with the help of the Bermuda Triangle, is
transported back in time to Tudor England.
Most of
the book is fantasy, of course. Were it not, we’d all be paddling our way to
Tudor times for a visit, but I have stuck to the basic facts of life in Tudor
history. Yes, I have played with it a bit, but the basic facts are there.
I have
also taken the liberty of using my not so royal ancestor John Lyttleton and his
son Sir John Lyttleton whose wife was, in fact, named Bridget. I’m having such
a good time!
So, read on faithful
companion
Much mischief to beget
As we travel through the
mists of time
With our wondrous fair
Bridget
Debra
Shiveley Welch
Pastime With Good Company
By Henry VIII
Pastime with good company
I love and shall unto I die;
Grudge who list, but none
deny,
So God be pleased thus live
will I.
For my pastance
Hunt, song, and dance.
My heart is set:
All goodly sport
For my comfort,
Who shall me let?
Youth must have some
dalliance,
Of good or illé some
pastance;
Company methinks then best
All thoughts and fancies to
dejest:
For idleness
Is chief mistress
Of vices all.
Then who can say
But mirth and play
Is best of all?
Company with honesty
Is virtue vices to flee:
Company is good and ill
But every man hath his free
will.
The best ensue,
The worst eschew,
My mind shall be:
Virtue to use,
Vice to refuse,
Shall I use me?
To
My beautiful adopted son
Christopher who, upon DNA analysis was discovered to be my 4th and 7th
cousin,
And to
Mary Polly Greentree
1815 – 1880
Our closest common ancestor
And to my beta readers Debbie
Leach, Cynthia DePlonty, Janet Huderski, and a special thank you to Crystal Easterwood for all of
her hard work – thank
you so much!
Chapter One
Whereto should I express
My inward heaviness?
No mirth can make me fain
Till that we meet again.
My inward heaviness?
No mirth can make me fain
Till that we meet again.
Henry VIII
From Where Should I
Express
Bridget Littleton raised her face to the darkening sky. Stars sparkled and shone,
accentuating the soft feel of the salt-scented air. Leaning against the rail of
her father’s luxurious yacht, she gave herself up to the gentle listing of the
ship, enjoying the sound of the slap of the waves against the yacht’s steel
hull. To her left, a seagull flew – just at eye level, so close that she could
hear it pull the wind beneath its snowy wings. Intermittently, the maritime
bird would glide and soundlessly ride the air currents, like a silent phantom
above the blue-green waves of the sea. Flap, glide, dip and climb, her airborne
companion followed the yacht for a short time, then soared off in the quest of
an aquatic snack.
She’d brought an opened bottle of
red wine to the aft deck of the yacht. There comfortable chairs and couches
were placed for the ease of her father’s friends and clients. She still wasn’t
sure as to how she was able to convince her father to let her use his yacht,
but she was grateful. The Bridget, so named by her late mother, was a
large, well-appointed vessel, its primary use being for the entertainment of
her father’s business associates. Somehow she persuaded him to lend it.
Bridge preferred this part of the
large, luxurious yacht, preferred to see where she had been rather than where
she was going. Bridge’d always felt that way, felt the pull of a past she
couldn’t quite bring into focus.
Lifting a crystal goblet to her lips, she drank
of the Bordeaux she preferred, savoring the taste of black cherry on her
tongue. She held the wine there for a few seconds, savoring the taste, then let
it slip down her throat, enjoying the chocolate finish of the wine.
The evening was a little cool,
pleasantly so, and there was a slight wind carrying the scent of salt, a briny
perfume she found enticing, seducing. She loved the smell of the sea. To her,
it was a fragrance that called up phantoms of memories she could not quite
grasp.
The wind began to pick up, and as
her hair lifted in response to its urging, she shook her head, reveling in the
feel of soft hair moving against her neck and shoulders. She delighted in the
wind in her hair – enjoyed the pull of it, the slight tug as hair and wind
became playmates, dancing around her neck and cheeks, then billowing upward
creating a silky parachute of silver and gold. Leaning her head back, she again
looked up into the vast dome of sky above her. She loved to be at sea. She felt
as if someone were calling to her; the pull of the sea was as strong and as
insistent as a lover.
Footsteps caused her to turn from
the rail. “Ah, Liam, good evening.” She smiled in greeting as one of her guests
approached her – a second bottle of wine in one hand and a shawl in the other.
“I was afraid that you may catch a
chill, Bridget. The wind is picking up.”
“Please, call me Bridge. Thank you,
Liam. That was kind.” Both turned to the rail and observed the wake of the boat
as it made its progress.
“Aren’t we in the Bermuda
Triangle?” Liam asked.
“Yes, we are. Not afraid are you?”
Bridge teased.
“Nah – not really.” Liam chuckled
but finally admitted, “Well, not too nervous anyway.
“Say, this is some yacht your dad
has here. Who named it The Bridget?”
“My mother did when I was born.”
“I see. Not bad to have a whole
luxury yacht named after you.” They fell silent as both gave in to the beauty
of the night and the softness of the breeze. Bridge lifted her glass for
another sip and Liam noticed a ring on the middle finger of her left hand as
she raised it to her lips. The kiss of the moon’s ethereal rays made the stones
dance with light as if the ring were enchanted.
“Wow, Bridge, beautiful ring.”
“Thank you. It was my mother’s. By
tradition, it is given to the eldest daughter of the eldest son. There is some
kind of mystery to it. My ancestress through my mother, Bridget Lyttleton,
supposedly owned it. That is why I’m named Bridget, by the way. My father’s
name is John, and he is also a Littleton, but my parents are something like
seventh cousins. Anyway Bridget’s father-in-law was named John, as was her
husband, Sir John, actually, and my mother thought it would be nice to honor
her, especially since the ring originated with her. So Bridget I am, but of
course it got shortened to Bridge.”
“Well, it certainly is a beautiful
ring. The gold is exquisite and, those are rubies, right?”
“Yes. Actually, it’s a Tudor Rose.”
For the second time that evening
she held up her hand. The moonlight again caressed the stones and they seemed
to come alive. Set in heavy gold, the center gem was a perfect four grain
(equivalent to a karat) pearl surrounded by five slightly smaller rubies which
shimmered in the moonlight. It was stunning, but Bridget measured its value by
the previous owner, her mother, who wore it on the same finger until she died
of cancer when Bridge was three.
“Tudor Rose?”
“Yes, it’s a rather long story, but
basically, a rose bush bloomed with both red and white petals signifying the
union of two royal houses. Don’t get me started or I’ll talk for hours about
it. My hobby is Tudor history,” she laughed.
“Oh, this may interest you,” Bridge
said. Lifting the shawl she now wore and showing him an unusual brooch which
was pinned to her gown.
“Hey, that’s an interesting piece of jewelry
you have there.”
Bridget glanced down at the pin and smiled.
“Yes. Actually, it has an amusing story behind
it.
“Upon hearing that I was intending a cruise
which necessitated my basically staying within the Bermuda Triangle, my friend
Cynthia became frightened. It is superstitious nonsense, of course, but what
can you do?
“So, she went to Tiffany’s and had it made for
me as a good luck talisman.”
“What is it? I can’t quite see.”
“It’s a sixteenth-century ship. She knows of my
love of Tudor history and this is a replica of one of Henry VIII ships named
the Mary Rose, after his favorite sister. Here, dangling from the figurehead is
a diamond. Supposedly representing the North Star. Here on the back of the
ship, on the quarter-deck, is a woman. I guess that’s supposed to be me.
“These scrolls along the water line are waves
and represent that the ship is in a storm, but the woman will be safe because
she has the North Star to guide her. She calls it the ‘Storm Tossed Ship’.
“Oh!” Bridge exclaimed as the yacht
lurched. The wind, heretofore a gentle breeze, was picking up, and the sea was
becoming choppy. The shawl which Liam brought to Bridge rose into the air. She
made an attempt to catch it, slipped and almost fell into the sea, the goblet
of wine crashing to the deck with a splintering sound of shattering glass as
red wine coursed down the planks in blood red streams.
The wind increased and began to
howl.
“Bridge!” Liam yelled. Grabbing her
arm, he attempted to keep her from sliding over the rail as the yacht tossed
and pitched as though it were deliberately trying to throw her overboard. Below
her, Liam watched in horror as a whirlpool appeared starboard, and like a
tornado, began to draw Bridge into its depths. He held on frantically, his eyes
stretched wide as he looked into Bridge’s fear-filled face. Slowly her arm
began to slip from his hands until the whirlpool claimed her and she was gone.
The storm quieted and the ship
ceased its tossing. Crashing to his knees, Liam covered his face with his hands
and cried out, “Bridge!”
Chapter Two
I make you fast and
sure;
It is to me great pain
Thus longë to endure
Till that we meet again.
It is to me great pain
Thus longë to endure
Till that we meet again.
Henry VIII
From Where Should I
Express
Bridge slowly rose from the
bottom of a deep chasm. Slowly, slowly, darkness turned to mist, and mist
turned to light. She could hear voices, faint at first, but as she drifted up
through a veil of unconsciousness they became clearer, more distinct. Something
in her brain, or maybe it was her soul, whispered caution. She waited, like a
small animal, not sure if it should come out of its burrow.
As she floated gradually to the surface, she
listened. There was a clacking sound, which she decided was the sound of wood
on wood – perhaps clogs on a floor. Yes, the rhythm of the clacking was
definitely that of walking. Someone opened a window and a faint breeze wafted
into the room accompanied by an odor she couldn’t quite put a finger on. Her
nose twitched in an attempt to ascertain its identity: something earthy mixed
with the smell of rain. The clacking began again, moving closer until it
stopped near where she lay. Holding her breath, Bridge waited.
“It was a miracle, ‘tis what I say, him just
riding along and finding her there on the banks of the Avon. Why, she could
have drowned, poor poppet! And what a beauty! Imagine if some bad sort come
upon her first? Makes a body shudder.”
“And her shift. I ne’er seen cloth like that,
and what was that she was wearing….underneath?”
“Thee knows as well as I do. The poor maid, and
she but a girl not yet fifteen, I warrant. We shall bring her about, Bessie;
thee can be assured of that!”
The clacking started again, this time moving
away. There was another sound, like cloth on cloth, or the whisper made by
limbs moving over linen sheets.
Bridge was confused. Have I ended up in some
Amish home? She held her breath, and opened her eyes just enough to peer
through the merest slit. What she saw almost caused her to sit upright.
Two women were in the room, gathering what
seemed to be mounds of linen. They both wore what looked like corsets over what
appeared to be white linen blouses with full skirts falling to the tops of
their shoes, which were square of toe.
Aprons covered their skirts, presumably from
any dirt that could be transferred while performing their duties. On their
heads, they wore what resembled a stocking cap, but they were made out of some
kind of cloth: linen, she guessed. They appeared as though they existed within
a living Hans Holbein the Younger painting. Bridge’s confusion grew and a trill
of alarm began to course down her spine.
Closing her eyes and pretending to still be
unconscious, Bridge waited. I think I need to be careful here until I know
where the hell I am!
She had seen the room as well during her
undetected peek. Occupying one wall was a large fireplace. The furnishings were
simple, but the room wore a comfortable feel. The mattress upon which she lay
was undeniably stuffed with feathers, and beneath it felt as if there were a
second mattress which gave firmness to the bed. Were it not for the two women
in the room, she may have been tempted to curl up and enjoy the comfort. But
something here was strange. Where am I? she wondered, and how did I
get here? And where is here?
Avon, she said that I was found on the shores
of the river Avon. Avon? England? What happened to me?
Bridge tried to dredge up through the mists
what exactly had happened, but the memory would not come. She remembered being
on deck with Liam and showing him the pin. The wind picked up suddenly and…and
then…and then…what?
She remembered water! Somehow she was
surrounded by water and it kept spinning and spinning. It was hard to breathe
and a blackness fell over her, and then there was nothing.
The women left the room and she dared to open
her eyes to look around. Sitting up, she looked down at the bed and, her ring!
Her ring was gone! What happened? Calm down. They probably took it off of
you and put it somewhere.
Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she
hopped to reach the floor. Only then did she see the three steps leading up to
the bed. “Wow, a new way to get high,” she remarked sotto voce. She ventured
deeper into the room. Passing the fireplace, the sound of wood popping and
cracking filled the now silent room, the fire within its recesses casting a
dancing glow on nearby benches and filling the room with the scent of burning
wood. Shafts of light cast through a mullioned window fell in pools upon a
solid, wood floor, covered by layers of carpets upon which was placed plain,
but solid, furniture…and no lamps. Not a single electric lamp. All she could
see was candles. Could this indeed be an Amish home? “Wow,” she said
aloud and immediately slapped her hand across her mouth.
Something tells me that I need to be careful
here until I know where I am and whose house I’m in.
It was then that she noticed that she was
wearing a shift of some kind. Made of snowy white linen, the garment covered
her from the collar bone to mid-shin. The voluminous sleeves were gathered at
the wrist by a blue ribbon threaded through sewn eyelets in the cuff. A chill,
like a bucket of ice water, washed down her spine a second time.
What is going on here?
Approaching
footsteps drove her back into the bed. Diving in, she barely managed to get
under the covers and back into position before the door opened and the woman
named Kate, if she was remembering her voice correctly, walked in with another
person.
“Here she is, Missus.”
“So, how does she?” a pleasant feminine voice
queried.
“I think she will awaken soon, Missus. I have
seen her move about a bit, natural like, so I do not think it will be long.”
“Excellent, Kate.” So it was Kate.
“When doth Mister Lyttleton return, Missus?”
“Any day now, Kate. Until then, we must care
for our guests. Mister John Lyttleton, my dear husband’s brother, will tarry
until yon maid is able to travel.”
Bridge could hear the rustle of clothing as
either the woman, whose name was obviously Missus Lyttleton, or the woman named
Kate, walked over to the bed where Bridge lay and pretended to still be
unconscious. A cool hand was laid upon her forehead.
“Her skin is cool to the touch. ‘Tis certain
she is noble. Regard her brow, her well-kept hair and hands – and her beauty.
‘Tis not well that we offend by ill care, Kate. Perchance she is of noble
blood. We must take special care of the maid. Do you take my meaning?”
“Aye, Missus!”
“Very well. Let me know of any change. I shall
return anon. And close yon window, one half is open allowing a breeze to enter;
the street reeks.”
“Yes, Missus.”
There was the clacking sound again followed by
a creak as the door opened and closed.
Slowly
Bridge slipped from beneath the covers and stepped out of bed, this time using
the small stair steps provided. Looking around, she tried to orient herself as
to where she was. Her last memory was of standing at the rail of her father’s
yacht with Liam, then a sudden storm, the whirlpool, and…nothing. How did she
get here?
Walking on tiptoe to the window, Bridge gazed
through one of the diamond-shaped panes which made up the aperture. Discovering
the latch, releasing it and hearing a slight click, she slowly opened the
window. The smell of dust mixed with mud, animals and another odor, rotting
vegetation and dung, she guessed, greeted her immediately. Gasping and backing
away, she closed the window, placing the latch back into position. “What is
going on here!” she exclaimed. “Where am I? WHEN am I?” The opening of the
door, heralded by a now familiar creak, alerted Bridge to the fact that she was
no longer alone. Swinging around and facing away from the window, her back
pressing against the sill, she beheld a man.
He stood approximately five-ten. Dark hair
framed a handsome face from which her own eyes, the color of orchids, sparkled
with intelligence. Smiling, he walked toward her slowly, gently, as if
approaching a wild animal that was in danger of bolting. Bowing he said,
“Hello, Mistress. I am called John Lyttleton. I
am he who found you on the banks of the Avon. I am glad to see that you have
come ‘round. I am here to help you.”
John Lyttleton! She looked at him closely. He
appeared to be in his early 40s. Is it possible? She examined his
clothes, the room, remembered what she had seen out of the window. Have I
lost my mind? The time…the street outside…the house…he has my eyes. Other than
my parents, I’ve never seen anyone with my eyes. I remember a John Lyttleton
from my research into my family roots. Is this my twenty-time great-grandfather?
This doesn’t make sense. What happened to me? Was it the Bermuda Triangle? It
can’t be; I don’t believe in that mumbo jumbo, but mumbo jumbo or not, I’m in a
room without electricity, in a city with people walking around in the mud in
Tudor dress with horses and carts and garbage in the street, and now here is
this man, claiming to be John Lyttleton, looking at me with my own eyes!
Bridge, because of her love of history, and her
inheritance of the Tudor Rose ring, had thoroughly traced her lineage, and the
name of John Lyttleton, later spelled Littleton, was found in her family tree
as early as the late 1400s to as late as the 1700s where Pharell, grandson of
Sir John Littleton, MP, appeared in Virginia as one of the overseers on George
Washington’s plantation. Amazed and confused, she backed away slightly,
fumbling for something on which to hold.
She could feel her heart slamming against her
ribcage and hear her breath as it escaped her lungs with a soft wheezing sound.
Sweat sprung out upon her brow as she fought to not lose consciousness. This
was unreal – this couldn’t be!
The little maid is frightened, John thought with regret.
Smiling, in an attempt to calm her, he said, “Good morrow. Prithee, little one.
Let us sit upon yon bench. I am sure you are confused, and mayhap I can answer
questions, which I am sure run rampant in your mind. Pray, sit ye down. I will not
harm you!” he said, chuckling and lowering himself onto the bench. Sweeping his
arm to the right, he indicated where she should sit.
Walking over to him slowly, Bridge continued to
stare into his eyes. He did appear to be kind, and she felt safe with him. She
sat down gingerly, yet still left some space between them. The bench was cool
beneath her sweaty palms and as she fought to quiet the beating of her heart,
she attempted to draw in a deep breath.
“You…you found me?”
“Aye, I am he what discovered you. I found you
awash in naught but a shift, a wondrous garment, but alas, worse for the wear.
How fair you?
“Sir, ummm … prithee … ummm … where am I?”
“Ah! Aye! You would not know. As fate will have
it, you are now in Bristol, and here you shall abide in the house of my good
brother William until such time as I may take you thither to mine own home in
Worcester.”
“Bristol?”
“Aye.”
Bristol, apparently somewhere back in time.
Bristol – once called Brigg Stow or meeting place at the bridge. Main industry
import and export…wine, wool. How did I end up here?
“Sir,” Don’t give away that you don’t know
what year it is. Think….your knowledge of Tudor history can help you
now…think…. “That is, kind, good sir. What is the latest news of Bristol?” There,
maybe that will help me hone in on when I am!
“Fancy you should ask! Why, Bristol is right
proud, for a new grammar school has been founded and all may now boast of an
education.” He beamed his joy, which began in his sparkling, orchid eyes and
slipped down to a surprisingly well-preserved smile.”
Oh, my God! Let me think…1532? Really? 1532?
And if this is indeed my twenty-time great-grandfather, that would make
him….forty-two, maybe forty. John interrupted her thoughts,
“Mistress, where hail ye from, for I do declare,
you have mine eyes. Never have I beheld such as mine in another living creature
outside of mine own family. From whence hail ye? Are we perchance kin?”
Almost blurting out “Yeah, real distant
relatives, grandpa!” Bridge metaphorically bit her tongue. This was going too
fast. She needed time to think, needed time to assimilate all that was
happening to her, needed time to figure out how to speak without drawing
attention to herself or making everyone think she was looney tunes.
She had to admit that his language was seeping
into her brain and becoming more and more familiar. Her penchant for reading
letters from this era was turning out to be a godsend. More and more she was
hearing his language as if it were modern English. That is, she understood as
quickly and as intuitively as she did her own.
These were very dangerous times, and if I am
indeed in 1532 Tudor England, fascinating as it may be, I will have to tread
softly. There is the issue of allegiance to the Queen versus….oh, my! Anne
Boleyn! Religion!
“I…I…” Taking note of her confusion, John
immediately associated it with fatigue.
“By your leave, Mistress, I will leave you now
for you are quite wore out. Know this: I will take care of you. When you are
strong and able to travel, we shall journey to mine home where my good wife
Elizabeth will aid you in any particular of your wellbeing. I will be your
protector and friend; you need have no fear. Now, allow me to help you to your
bed. I will tell my sister-in law that you are in need of sustenance.”
“Thank you,” Bridge mumbled. She was tired,
overwhelmed, incredulous, unbelieving, half believing and just plain
frightened. Then she remembered.
“Pardon, good sir, where is my ring?”
“Your ring?”
“Ye…aye.”
“Why, Mistress, there was no ring, but ah, aye,
I have forgot me, I did manage to save this.” Reaching into his pocket, he
pulled out the brooch, the “Storm Tossed” pin; the diamond was still attached.
John bowed and left the room. Walking to one of
the benches situated by the fireplace, Bridge sat. Cradling her face in her
hands, she wept. She felt horribly alone, extremely frightened and vulnerable.
To make matters worse, she somehow lost the one anchor she had to her old life
that she really cared about: her mother’s Tudor Rose ring.
Chapter Three
And if any person will meddle
of my cause, I require them to judge the best.
Anne Boleyn.
The air smelled of beeswax.
Candles blazed, their light reflecting off of various jewels and dancing within
the eyes of beautiful women. The room was warm and filled with the sounds of
lutes and flutes, trumpets and drums.
The king sat at the main dais, the jewels on
his fingers, and adorning his gem encrusted hat, shot flashes of fire as
candlelight played within their facets. Henry sat watching the dancers, sipping
a goblet of Bordeaux and absentmindedly nibbling on a Deception, a relatively
new art form in which the cook in charge of all things sugar in the kitchen
created edible sweets and modeled them to look like castles, unicorns, even
goblets and bowls. Considered by many future scholars to be the ancestor of the
wedding cake, Deceptions were very popular in Henry’s court. Made of sugar
icing and formed to represent a mermaid, the confection was sweet, perhaps
overly so, and he decided that he’d eaten enough of the sugary treat. Besides,
he wanted the main form to remain intact as it was made to honor his guest, a
beauteous maiden by all reports, pulled from the edge of the river Avon.
Henry ate his main meal at eleven o’clock that
morning and had feasted on a saddle of spit-roasted lamb, roasted gammon,
carrots glazed with honey, a salad, roasted turkey, a new and intriguing
addition to his table, porpoise, a custard with berries and clotted cream
finished off with a tray of various cheeses.
The food was prepared in his own, private
kitchen, each employee required to take an oath of allegiance to the king
before being permitted to touch his food. Poisoning was a very real threat.
“Where is the maid?” Henry demanded, startling
Archbishop Thomas Cranmer from a quite delicious doze. Cranmer was finding it
hard to stay awake on this warm candle scented evening.
“Your Grace, I am sure she will come anon. She
arrived but two hours ago and, as Your Highness well knoweth, it takes a maid a
good bit of time to make herself, shall we say, presentable?”
“God’s wounds, I am impatient to see the girl!”
Leaning toward Cranmer, he winked and added, “I hear she has the breasts of a
white dove and hair the color of moonlight,” Henry said, using the term duckys
instead of breasts.
“Aye, Sire, she is wondrous fair. I think you
will find that she is worth the wait.”
Brushing
Bridge’s hair, Elizabeth Lyttleton lingered over the task. She never failed to
wonder at its texture, its color or its silkiness. It shone like the moonlight
it was often compared to, and from it rose a scent of – what? What could she
compare it to? Ah, the smell of a meadow when the wildflowers were in bloom, or
mayhap dew kissed roses.
As she was helping Bridge to dress earlier, her
thoughts turned to her husband John. She was sorry that he could not be present
to witness Bridge’s introduction to the king, but the invitation summoned only
Bridge and a “lady to wait upon her.”
Lizbeth, as her husband called her, accompanied
Bridge. Her love for the girl had grown in the few, short weeks Bridge spent
with them, and so, she made a gift of her best shift, given her as a wedding
present and never worn, but rather saved as a treasure. It was made of fine
linen as white and soft as a cloud. Along the hem and the gathered wrists was
the finest lace. The bodice too was trimmed in the same fragile filigree cloth
which formed a small ruffle below the neckline.
Fine woolen stockings held up with garters made
of ribbon came next, followed by a red, woolen petticoat, or underskirt, a
product of her own husband’s looms, over which was placed the kirtle.
Removing the garment from a chest, Lizbeth held
it up for Bridge to admire. Across her arms lay a beautiful underdress, the
front a stunning brocade in saffron and gold, touched here and there with small
petals of the most tender sea green, a gift from the king, which would match
her sleeves. The back of the garment was a tawny silk. The bodice was made of
the same brocade as the front of the kirtle and was lined with whalebone. Laced
up the back, the fabric pushed the breasts upward, giving them a pleasing
“rise.” Lizbeth was proud of this raiment especially, sewn by her own hands,
and wondered at the king’s gift of the material which accompanied the
invitation, no the command, that Bridge come to court. Only nobility was
allowed to wear cloth of gold or cloth sewn with gold thread, and even that was
restricted as to how much. Next came the gown. The tawny silk gleamed in the
firelight. Lizbeth acquired it early on in her marriage and was saving it for a
special occasion. That occasion had arisen, but not in any fashion she could
have predicted.
As she placed the gown upon Bridge’s shoulders,
she marveled at the fact that she, Elizabeth Lyttleton, the wife of a wool
merchant, should come to court.
All because of this maid. I do fear for her.
Such beauty often brings disaster.
Lizbeth moved around to face Bridge, adjusting
the coat-like garment. Cut so that the front of the kirtle could be seen, it
covered the bodice except for the very top where a row of pearls and rubies
gleamed and sparkled in the firelight. She tied the bodice cover of the gown
and stepped back. The golden brown silk made Bridge’s eyes stand out, and her
hair glowed like a halo.
“Tawny is your color, Bridge,” she exclaimed.
Lizbeth added the fore sleeves, which were tied
to the main sleeve of the gown, made of the same tawny silk and lined with the
same brocade as the kirtle. Trimmed with fox fur, they added a luxurious touch
to the finished costume. A pair of square toed velvet slippers, the exact color
of the gown, finished her ensemble.
How do they wear all of this every day? Bridge wondered. She turned
and looked into a mirror and was stunned. Wow! Just like in the movies. Like
dress up, only this is for real.
Turning a little to the side, Bridge once again noticed the absence of her
mother’s ring. How beautiful it would have looked with this gown! she
mourned, then decided to put the thought aside. She needed to keep her wits
about her and couldn’t be distracted by thoughts of her past, or was it now her
future?
Bridge turned to the left, then the right, and
rotated so that she could look over her shoulder. The gown was stunning. She
was amazed at the difference in how the clothing of this era enhanced a
person’s look in a way no modern dress, which was geared toward comfort and not
show, could make. Well, except for the paned slops, or pumpkin pants, some of
the men would be wearing by around mid-century. She thought they looked like a
baggy diaper and wondered how they walked in those stupid things. In her past,
in the future, she often had to suppress a giggle when attending a Shakespeare
play when she saw the actors strutting around in the, to her modern mind,
ridiculous garb, which made her think of the commercial showing the baby
walking in what the narrator called a “cowboy diaper.” She knew from her
reading that they weren’t popular yet, and the more attractive doublet and
upper and nether hose were the style at present. But fashion was headed that
way, and by the time Shakespeare came upon the scene, they would be de rigueur
in men’s wear. In the meantime, the men were handsome in their close-fitting
hose and finely wrought doublets. In fact, Bridge found the fashion quite
romantic.
Fashion reflected the sensibilities of the
people in a designated era, and Bridge remembered from her studies that at this
point in time in Tudor England, a man liked to show off his calves. A nice,
large, substantial calf said “I can afford a lot of meat. I am prosperous. I am
a man of status, a man of means.” Ah, well, people don’t change, not really,
Bridge decided.
One thing that surprised her was that the
people in this century were exactly like the people she knew in her past…her
future. The future? Essentially the same. Whereas this period was more immersed
in religion and the journey of the soul to the rewards of heaven, as a general
rule not found in the twenty-first century, still and all there were religious
groups who still lived their lives completely for the salvation of their souls
or for personal afterlife rewards.
No, people haven’t changed much that I can
tell. Still, it is somewhat a relief not to see Wal-Mart fashion…
Her musings were interrupted by Lizbeth,
“You should not wear a hood for your hair,
methinks. It would be sinful to cover such glory. This cap will serve nicely.”
Lizbeth stood on tiptoe and placed a simple coif accented with pearls and small
rubies, another gift from the king, upon Bridge’s head.
“You are indeed beautiful, Sweeting,” Lizbeth
murmured.
She had become very fond of the much younger
woman, and tonight her heart swelled with pride when she thought of the
reaction of the court when Bridge entered. On Bridge’s part, she was afraid.
No, she was terrified.
What if she slipped up and used words like mind
blowing or referred to something as a train wreck. Or what if she made a
pre-Shakespearean slip and said something like “Let’s party,” or “the game is
up,” or referred to someone going off half-cocked? What if I ask if a couple is
dating! My God, I have to remove all modernology from my brain! I’m
terrified. They behead people here! They burn them at the stake! Turning to
Lizbeth, she grabbed her hands and held them to her bosom,
“Lizbeth, I am afraid! I am so afraid. You know
what a monster he is!”
“Shhh, ‘tis treason to speak so!”
“But he is! What if he tries to…” Bridge
searched for a contemporary word, “What if he tries to woo me into his bed?
What shall I do?”
“Sweeting, stay calm and keep your head. Oh,
dear,” Lizbeth inadvertently slipped into a pun most ill-chosen. “I mean, keep
your head about you. Oh, you take my true meaning! I will await you here and we
will talk it over the night.” With that, Lizbeth kissed Bridge on the cheek
while smoothing her silky hair. A knock sounded on the door.
Here we go! Bridge began to tremble.
Lizbeth opened the door and a small, very plain
young woman stood within its entrance.
“I am come to take you to the great hall.
Follow me.” Bridge walked to her slowly and smiled.
“Thank you. And what is your name?”
“Jane Seymour.”
“The hell you say,” Bridge said sotto voce.
Jane whipped around, “What say you?”
“Oh, I said…say…I hope the king is well today.”
Jane looked her up and down as if she’d discovered something foul. She looks
like she smells a skunk, Bridge thought. A skunk she’d like to have
carved up and served on toast.
Ah, now she understood the portraits of Jane
Seymour as queen, with her pursed lips and chinless face. Bridge often regarded
Jane’s portraits when in her studies and always wondered about it.
She knew that an artist paints what he or she
sees, and it goes beyond the surface. Perhaps Holbein felt like she was
smelling something foul as well, and had her chin tucked in as if to register
disgust. Or maybe he didn’t like her. Holbein reportedly fell in love with Anne
of Cleves when painting her, ergo the very complimentary portrait sent to Henry
when contemplating his fourth wife. Perhaps Holbein felt the exact opposite for
Jane as his subject. Maybe she turned him off. Bridge mentally gave her head a
shake, bringing herself back to the present. Jane finally answered,
“Please God, the king enjoys good health.
Follow me.” With that, Jane turned and began to walk down the long corridor.
Torches
nested in brackets along the wall and did a surprisingly good job of lighting
the hallway. Bridge followed meekly, terror half closing her throat. She
noticed the way Jane walked and corrected her own, fighting the desire to mimic
her guide in an exaggerated manner. Fear often brought out the clown in Bridge,
but she suppressed the impulse and mirrored Jane’s demeanor as precisely as she
could. Shoulders back, head high, hands folded in front, she walked slowly and
with as much dignity as she could muster under the terrifying circumstances.
Jane Seymour – destined to be the king’s third
wife, came to court to attend Catherine of Aragon and was now one of Anne’s
ladies. Talk about a front row seat! Bridge concluded. This could
turn into such a mess if I’m not careful! Knowing what she knew, Bridge
would have to walk on proverbial eggshells. One misstep and she could be in
serious trouble and possibly face the stake or the chopping block. She tried to
clear her mind and focus on what was happening at that exact moment.
Bridge decided to concentrate on the sounds of
the swish of silk fabric against brocade, the report of their wooden heels
against the floor, the play of light on the jewels of Jane’s cap. Eventually,
she heard music, very lively and accompanied by laughter. The hallway
brightened and she was there. Jane promptly deserted her.
She couldn’t believe her eyes! Here she was,
little Bridget Littleton, standing in the great hall of Hampton Court, and
there before her eyes was none other than Henry VIII. He was magnificent!
Resplendent in cloth of gold and ermine, jewels flashing as he moved his hands
to eat, drink or in conversation, the first thing she noticed was how extremely
handsome he was. He reminded her of someone, but in her present state of
agitation, she couldn’t bring to mind who it was. His portraits did not do him
justice. Perhaps the painter’s goal was to accentuate his stance, robes and
jewels. Or maybe his mouth was made to look smaller because he was supposed to
look stern, and his painted eyes, bereft of eyelashes and brows pencil thin,
made his face look rather plain and porcine-like. From where she stood, she
could see a well-formed mouth, the lips pink with health; she wondered what
they would feel like upon hers.
Shaking herself inwardly, appalled that such a
thought should speed through her mind like a bolt of electricity, she failed to
see that the king was looking at her.
Leaning forward and signaling to a tall
courtier with dark hair, he spoke to him abruptly. The young man turned,
pinpointed Bridge and strode over.
Watching him approach, Bridge felt a moment of
panic. Her heart bouncing against her rib cage like a captured bird trying to
escape made her feel giddy. Her breathing became labored, encased as it was in
stiffened cloth and whale bone, as the frantic organ’s beats hit her esophagus,
causing her to gasp and choke. Her blood, akin to a river of ice water, ran
through her veins as frantic fear settled upon her, and she was suddenly very
cold.
A dream-like quality settled over her, like a
mantle of thick cloth, muffling the music and laughter. The young gentleman
stepped before her. Offering his hand, he simply said,
“M’Lady, the king awaits.”
By
Maia Silverdagger
on September 27, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
A powerfully moving story that was utterly addictive! From the very
first page, I was swept off my feet and carried away by the author's
poetic writing. With an all new and fresh look at some of the most
prolific characters of the Tudor era, you gain some insight of who Henry
VIII might have been before his devastating accident and spiral into
madness. Anne Boleyn is often portrayed as a cold and devious
individual, yet in this majestic retelling, you get to actually see her
as never before as a real person with tender feelings and horrible
injustices done against her. Journey back in time with Bridget (Bridge)
and witness the birth of Queen Elizabeth and her rise to revolutionize
and change the entire world! The writing was very well executed, with
beautiful, poetic descriptions that will fully immerse you into the
time. The characters were absolutely realistic with palpable emotions
and you get to really feel for them, especially Bridge as she battles
with her emotions to not meddle with the current events even though she
cringes at all the horrific things she knows is coming. This was a
poignant tale of hope, loss, love, betrayal and rebirth that left me
thinking about it long after I finished the book! I thoroughly enjoyed
reading it and really did not want it to end! I would strongly recommend
this book to anybody who enjoys history, adventure, time travel or just
a really moving story and can be enjoyed by all ages teen and up!
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