the heir's secret

Going back

"My two aces beats your Queen!" Elizabeth laughs dramatically as she picks up all the cards from the middle of the table and puts them into her pile. I look down at the cards I have left. Two kings, a 2 of hearts and a 3 of spades. Well then there is no point of me trying, she has won once again.

"Alright I give up you win." Elizabeth smiles as she looks at my defeated face. All the years I have known her I have never won at a game of cards, it is one of her skills. I give her my cards as she bundles them all together to put back in her chest. I look out the window and see complete whiteness. It had snowed all yesterday and everyone seems to be enjoying it today. When I was a young girl I had ran outside at the first glimpse of snow but now that I was older it amused me very little. I shiver slightly in my fur trimmed dress and hold it closer to my body. "Would you like to play chess?" I ask as Elizabeth sips at her heated wine.

"No, we played that yesterday."

"Well there is nothing else to do." I reply in a huff. This is why I do not like winter there is never anything to do. In summer you can take walks in the sunshine or travel to the beach, you can ride in a boat or dance in the warm night air, this is where me and Elizabeth differ. She has always liked the winter, the warmth of the fire and the warm fur she gets on her dresses and she specifically likes Christmas, she always has.

"Why don't we take a walk in the snow." She says as she walks towards the fire. "It has been a long time since I have had a snow ball fight."

"Elizabeth, you know full well the Queen will not allow you out without a chaperone." Her smile slowly fades and she looks down to the floor like a small dog being shouted at for taking scraps from the table. A year ago Mary had come to Heveningham and asked Elizabeth to come with her to take the throne and when Elizabeth had refused she had told her that she will never have a place at court. Mary has gone back on that promise for she does, though with a cost, Elizabeth cannot go anywhere without being chaperoned and she does not attend any feasts or balls, she is pushed into the darkness and here she is told to stay, she is in a prison but yet nobody knows. Even at Mary's wedding Elizabeth was made to watch from a high balcony where no one could see her. And she could not attend the celebration afterwards. After Phillips obvious approach on her Mary was taking no chances. Phillip hardly saw her, which Elizabeth does not mind and neither do I.

"I need more of these puddings." Elizabeth says as she picks up the last crumbs from the plate and puts them into her mouth with a few getting a way and falling onto the blue silk of her winter dress.

"I can go to the kitchen and ask them to make you some more if you like." I reply as I rise from my seat, tucking it back under the table.

"I shouldn't really." She exclaimes as she rubs the crumbs from her dress. "But they are so very nice." I smile at her and take the plate from her hand. "Can you make sure they put a cherry on it." Elizabeth cries from the door as I walk down the hall. I look back at her and nod as a man in a fur coat moves around me as I block his path with my sudden stop. I shiver as I walk down the long hall way, I have spent almost all day in that room with a strong blazing fire and so now suddenly stepping out into the stone cold hallway I curse the changing of seasons as I feel my nose turn pink. I pass many people as I walk down several flights of stairs and through many doors until I reach a dead end with a big red door before me, I curse under my breath as I realise I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere, I have been staying here for almost an entire year but I am still not used to it. I am about to turn around to find the right way when I hear a strong proud man's laugh from within the red door. I hesitate, it has always been a bad thing about me, I have always been curious, it burns within me until I can resist it no more and as quietly as I can I move towards the door as the muffled voices begin to become more clear. I kneel in the ground before the key hole and silently with steady hands lift up the key hole cover and I look within.

My eye slowly adjusts to the colour of the room. Rich tapestries fill each wall and a blazing fire lights the room. A richly decorated bed sits in the middle of the room with red curtains pulled back around it displaying two bodies laying on it. At first glimpse of the figures I straight away recognise Lady Maud Hartley, the stupid girl Mary had given to Elizabeth and King Phillip. I try to hold in my gasp as I watch them dressing their naked bodies with the light from the fire shining on their skin. I knew there had been something about Maud that wasn't right, she had painted herself a Catholic, but she was not innocent at all. She giggles at Phillip as he laces her corset, kissing her neck as he does so.

"I can do it myself, you know. I have had enough practise." She smiles as he ties a bow at the top and then goes back to putting on his shirt. "I thought you weren't going to come back to me after last night, but it seems you just couldn't get enough." Phillip laughs at her seductive smile before going back to buttoning his shirt.

"I have to get my enjoyment somewhere." He replies with his strong Spanish accent.

"What is the Queen like?"

"What do you mean?" He asks her as he adjusts his jacket.

"You know." Maud smiles as she looks at his clueless face. "In bed?!" Phillips smile fades and a seriousness is replaced.

"She is so clueless, she has no idea what she is doing most of the time, on our wedding night I suggested doing something... different and she started crying!" Maud roars with laughter at the Embarassing story that Phillip carries on to tell. "And she is barren."

"What is that?" Maud replies as she kisses his shoulder.

"It means she cannot get pregnant. She promised me a son. I have been laying with her for eight months but she still has not done so." Phillip stops and looks at the fire. "I cannot do this any longer, I am going back to Spain." Maud takes his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her.

"Take me with you, please, I will pleasure you, and most of all I will be there for you." Phillip smiles again and he kisses her lightly on the lips.

"If that is what you want." I cannot hear anymore. Quietly I put back the keyhole cover and rise from my knees I slowly walk back still holding the plate in my hand. I open the door in front of me and walk out into a corridor. I hear my heart beat in my ears as I walk. I can't believe it. Phillip is going back to Spain! What will be Mary's reaction? What is she going to do? Quickly I find the right way to the kitchen and find the cook. She looks at me and I see the confusement on her face.

"The lady Elizabeth wants another pudding." I tell her as I try to understand what I just saw. The cook picks up a pudding from the side which is already cooked and puts it on my plate. I thank her quickly then walk away. I walk as fast as I can as I think over the scene I saw in my head. He is leaving! Finally I reach Elizabeth's chamber and open it. Elizabeth stares at me from her seat by the window.

"What took you so long?" Elizabeth asks. She goes to say more but I see her pause as she looks at my ecstatic expression.

"The bastard is going back to Spain."