28th of October, 1546: Today, we met the legendary Lady Dorothy Rickard. So that her story doesn’t get lost, I will write it down; as it is one of the most interesting I have ever heard. So, from what I know she came to court when I was quite young, as a new courtier. It was around the time that my mama almost died giving birth to a dead little boy. While mama was recovering, Father fell in love with Lady Rickard, who fell equally in love and told the entire court that when mama died she would be his new Queen. This didn’t happen.
After mama was fully recovered, she attempted to have Lady Rickard sent away as she had with Lady Clinton (my brother the Lord Fitzroy’s mama) last year. But Father refused and, when mama gave birth to Margaret, Lady Rickard became pregnant with the infamous Lord Humphrey and Lady Alyce, the monster children. When mama found out she became very angry and brought me and Elizabeth to Father to show him what he was risking losing.
But, as I stated before, Lady Rickard didn’t give birth to any normal children. She gave birth to monster children. While they are nice enough in temper (I have met them several times when we go on progress Father makes me and Elizabeth entertain them) they are hideous in appearance. Lord Humphrey, who is the elder, has an obvious humped back, ugly grey eyes and a malformed lip. Lady Alyce is not quite as deformed, with a club foot and mismatched eyes. But both are known as the monster children and Father will not see them as he does the rest of his children.
After the birth of these children, Father was surprised when mama gave birth to Margaret then to Anne in the span of one year, though Anne was always tiny and died very young. So Father sent Lady Dorothy away, but first gave her enough money to support herself.
When we met her, she came up and addressed us. She was quite beautiful, with big grey eyes that were like the attractive version of her son’s and long blonde hair. But what was amazing was that she only smiled once, and that was when I offered to help her walk and she said:
“Yet another with the Howard charm. Not even diluted by the Tudor blood. It’s a wonder why it took that family so long to get one of their own on the throne.”
But she was not alone, she had her husband. Lord Rickard, who was made a baron right before the birth of the monster children, is a man who scurries, like a rat. He looks like the sun setting; big and red. But he was also very quiet. I tried to talk to him but he could barely get the customary “Your Highness” out before stuttering like a fool. When he did though, Lady Dorothy gave him an angry look and clenched her fist. I wonder why she was so angry.
Well, after the visit she promised to visit Ludlow when she could, as she always loved the court before and wished to be of any help she could be. Lord Arundel murmured something to her at that point and we left.
I must go to sleep, but when I awaken I will ask Lord Arundel if he knows why Lord Rickard seemed so afraid of his wife. It doesn’t seem right.
