Chapter 102: Mary
November, 1612
“Your Highness!” Mrs Robinson exclaimed as Mary ran away, she knew she’d regret doing this, but well, she wanted to be free, she didn’t want to be in the room just now. She ran past the guards, thanking her stars that the Queen had ordered them to give her free rein after her illness. She pushed the doors and ended up in the gardens.
She took a deep breath and then turned slightly at the sound of footsteps, she snorted and ran on. Mrs Robinson wasn’t that quick, and Mary knew if she kept going for a little while, the woman wouldn’t be able to find her, so she kept going. She turned right, then left, then right again, moving through the passageways, ignoring the courtiers who started whispering. She hated them, the insects that they were.
Mary stopped when she came to a little hedge that blocked out the light, there was a little opening for her and she moved into it, shimmying down and up and then resting there, against the small plant that was there. She knew it would dirty her dress, but she didn’t care. She wanted some peace.
Peace. Pah, that was something she didn’t know. Mary didn’t know why she felt like this, but ever since Elizabeth’s betrothal feast, Mary had been scared. Something about being the only girl in the family had terrified her. it had created all sorts of nightmares and she didn’t want to think about that.
Mary sighed, she should probably go back to Mrs Robinson now, she didn’t want the woman to get in trouble. At least not because of what Mary had done, really Mrs Robinson was a nice lady, slightly old and perhaps not the sharpest, but she was nice and she put up with a lot. Mary started to move when she heard a rustle and stopped.
“Mary? Are you there?” A voice called out.
Mary considered remaining silent, she didn’t want her sister seeing her like this.
“Mary?” Elizabeth called out again, something like panic in her voice.
Mary sighed, she didn’t want Elizabeth to worry either. She shifted and then pushed her way out of the bush, blowing some leaves away. “I’m here.” She replied.
Elizabeth turned, her cheeks were rosy. “Why did you run?” Elizabeth immediately asked.
Mary shifted, embarrassed, if she told Elizabeth the truth, her sister would think she was nothing more than a baby and she didn’t want that. But Elizabeth was giving her a look that suggested she wouldn’t let the matter drop until Mary answered her, and so she sighed and said. “I…I didn’t want to be in there anymore.”
“Why?” Elizabeth asked.
“Because it doesn’t feel like home!” Mary said then, her voice going high.
“What do you mean?” Elizabeth asked frowning.
“Well, you’re going soon, and Charles and Robert are boys. Mother never does anything that we do, it doesn’t feel like home.” Mary said, hoping that her explanation made sense, she’d never tried to put it into words before.
“Oh, Mary, sweetheart.” Elizabeth said, crouching down to look Mary in the eye. “I’m not going just yet.”
“But you are going.” Mary said.
“I know, Mary, but I am here until March.” Elizabeth replied soothingly. “We still have plenty of time to do lots of activities together, and I can make sure that Mrs Robinson knows what to do once I am gone.”
“You will?” Mary asked, her eyes wide. Mrs Robinson didn’t seem the type to do those sorts of things, but Elizabeth had a habit of getting people to do the things she wanted them to do.
“Yes, of course, anything for you, sweetheart.” Elizabeth replied.
Mary rushed forward and hugged Elizabeth then. “Thank you!” She squealed.
Elizabeth chuckled. “Of course.” There was a brief pause and then her elder sister asked. “Now why were you hiding in that bush?”
Mary blushed and pulled back to look at her sister properly. “Sometimes I come here to hide and think when Robert’s being too much.”
“Oh?” Elizabeth replied. “And what do you think about when you come here?”
“I think about a lot of things.” Mary said. “Like how I want to go sailing when I am old enough to. Like how I want to be able to see the world, and how I want to do so many other things.”
Elizabeth nodded and asked. “Have you asked Robert if he’ll take you on his ship?”
Mary nodded. “I did, he said ships weren’t for women.”
Elizabeth snorted. “Well, you’re not going to let him get in the way of your desire, are you?”
“I don’t know how to convince him.” Mary said, it was true, she’d thought of everything and hadn’t been able to find a solution.
“You don’t need Robert, you can go to Henry, he’ll be sure to give you what you want.” Elizabeth said.
“He will?” Mary replied uncertainly, she didn’t know, Henry was so much older than her and he scared her a little.
“He will.” Elizabeth said, she rose to her full height then and said. “Especially if I come with you when you ask him.”
“You will?” Mary asked surprised.
“Of course, what else are older sisters for?” Elizabeth replied. Elizabeth extended her hand then and Mary took it happily. “Come now, let’s go back and find Mrs Robinson.”
Reluctantly, Mary walked with Elizabeth, taking the pathways and feeling slightly better. At least Elizabeth wasn’t mad at her, that was what mattered. She could handle Mrs Robinson being mad at her, Mrs Robinson was harmless in the grand scheme of things really.
“Here we are.” Elizabeth said. “Mrs Robinson.”
The elderly Mrs Robinson turned and hurried toward them. “Your Highnesses!”
“It’s fine, Mrs Robinson.” Elizabeth said soothingly. “She just needed some air, didn’t you, Mary?”
Mary looked at Elizabeth and took the hint, she looked at Mrs Robinson and said. “I am sorry for running away, Mrs Robinson, it won’t happen again.”
Mrs Robinson nodded and then said. “Come, the Queen has asked that you both attend her.” Mary looked at Elizabeth wondering what that could be about, but then walked in with Elizabeth as she moved into the Palace.