Page 11 of Love, Remember Me

"Nonsense!" Bliss said. "You have an envied appointment, Nyssa Wyndham. As a maid of honor to the queen, you will be sought after by many eligible gentlemen. Once you find a husband, you will marry and live happily ever after. That is the whole purpose of your coming to court. I am ashamed that my sister's daughter would be so weak-livered as to want to run away. You will be seventeen at the end of next month, Nyssa. Need I remind you you are practically considered too old for a first marriage? Blaze does not need you mooning aboutRiversEdge. She does not need to worry about you when she has your two little sisters to get safely through their infancy, and your younger brothers to bring up and find rich wives for, child. You, Giles, and Philip have been sent to court to find your destinies. To flee home is unthinkable!"

Philip and Giles Wyndham looked as if they wanted to burst into laughter, but they did not. Instead they watched as their elder sibling grew pink with embarrassment and outrage at her aunt's words.

"I am not weak-livered!" Nyssa said angrily. "This is all very new to me. Please remember, Aunt, that when you first came to court, you came with your husband. You came to play. I, however, have been asked to serve a queen. I have no experience in the court. I am terrified lest I shame the family, but I am not weak-livered!"

"No, you are not," her uncle agreed. "I remember when I first came to court as a lad, Nyssa. I was to be a page to Prince Henry, now our king. I was only six, and I had never before been away from home. It was a terrifying prospect. I know just how you feel, but do what I did. For the first few days be very mannerly, and watch, and ask. Do not be afraid of seeming stupid. Better you ask than make an embarrassing error later on. Besides, the new queen has not yet come, and will not arrive for a few weeks yet. You have plenty of time to learn your new duties. The Mistress of the Maids will help you. Your good performance reflects well upon her. She will want you to learn."

"Thank you, Uncle Owen," Nyssa told him. "I am glad you understand my fears." She glared angrily at her aunt, but Bliss was not affected by it.

Their carriage had now arrived at the palace, and footmen in royal livery ran forward to open the doors to the vehicle so that its occupants might quickly dismount, and the coach be parked in order that room for the next carriage be made. As Bliss stood shaking the wrinkles from her gown, there was a nearby shriek of delight.

"Bliss!Is it really you? I cannot believe it!" A plump woman with dark hair, a pretty face, and lively brown eyes flung herself at the Countess of Marwood and hugged her enthusiastically.

"Adela? Adela Marlowe? Why indeed, it is you!" Bliss responded.

Adela Marlowe laughed. "I've grown as plump as a shoat with childbearing, haven't I?But you!You look the same as ever!"

"Only a true friend would say such a thing," Bliss said, laughing in return. "I'm not quite the slip of a girl I once was, Adela."

Adela Marlowe swung her gaze to Nyssa. "Is this your daughter?" she asked, obviously assessing the girl.Young. Innocent. A good dowry.

"Nay, 'tis Blaze's eldest daughter," Bliss answered. "This is my old friend, Lady Adela Marlowe," she told her niece. "This is Lady Nyssa Catherine Wyndham, Adela. She is to be a maid of honor to the new queen. Blaze's two eldest boys have places as pages." She nodded to her nephews. "Philip, Viscount Wyndham," she said, "and Giles Wyndham." To her absolute delight, both boys bowed elegantly, impressing Adela Marlowe.

"Are you betrothed, child?" Lady Marlowe asked Nyssa.

"Nay, madame, I am not," was the soft response.

"Ahh, then, you must meet my son Henry," replied Lady Marlowe.

"What a fine idea!" Bliss enthused.

"Bliss, my dear," her husband interjected, "we had best present Nyssa to Lady Browne. She is expected, and should not be late. That would not, I fear, make a good impression upon the lady." He took his wife's arm in a firm grip.

"Owen is correct," Bliss said regretfully, and then she kissed her friend upon both cheeks. "We'll see each other later, Adela, and catch up on all the gossip," she promised with a smile. Then her attention was caught by her son. "Young Owen, you get right down off that coach box! Where is Edmund Kingsley? Have we lost him already? Ohh, perhaps it was not a good idea to bring all these lads to court after all."

Her husband smiled archly. "They are your responsibility, puss," he said wickedly. "You did volunteer to bring them."

Bliss glared at her husband, but with a smile he turned to go, and she was forced to quickly gather her brood and follow him.

Lady Margaret Browne was the wife of Sir Anthony, a gentleman-in-waiting, and the King's Master of the Horse. Her husband stood very, very high in the king's favor. He was a hardworking man whose sole interest was the king's interest. He never involved himself in the political infighting that went on among the different factions of the court. His loyalty was to Henry Tudor alone, and his wife echoed his sentiments. Sir Anthony's behavior had recently been rewarded by huge tracts of land in Surrey, formerly in the possession of Chertsey Abbey, Merton Priory, St. Mary Overey in Southwark, and Guildford Priory. His wife had been appointed the new queen's Mistress of the Maids, a most coveted position.

Lady Margaret's apartments were near those that would belong to the new queen. She greeted the Earl and Countess of Marwood cordially.

"It seems only yesterday that you came to court a bride, Lady FitzHugh," she said to Bliss. "You do not, I think, suffer time too greatly. How many children living have you?"

"Three sons and a daughter, madame," Bliss replied.

"Are these they?" Lady Browne asked, peering myopically.

"Only one is mine, madame. Young Owen, make your bow," Bliss commanded her son; smiling, pleased, when he did so. "Allow me to present Edmund Kingsley, the eldest son of my sister Blythe, and her husband, Sir Nicholas Kingsley. And these two lads are Philip, Viscount Wyndham, and his brother Giles, the sons of my eldest sister, the Countess of Langford. The king has appointed them pages in the new queen's household. I was told to bring them to you, madame."

The three boys bowed in turn as they were introduced, and Lady Browne nodded, obviously delighted by their good manners. "And the lass, Lady FitzHugh. Who is she?"

"This is Lady Nyssa Catherine Wyndham, madame. The daughter of the Earl and Countess of Langford. She is to be a maid of honor."

Nyssa curtsied prettily.

"A maid of honor?" Lady Browne exclaimed, and her face registered her distress. "Oh, dear, not another one! Every young woman of good family has come to court to be a maid of honor. There are simply not enough places! I wish I could help you, Lady FitzHugh, but I cannot."

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