Chapter 39
1602
Nurse could be so tiresome. If I stayed too long in the nursery, I could see from her expression that she was chiding me. If I did not come to see the baby for a day or two, it was the same, always judging. Though of course when she overstepped the mark – as she did often – she was admonished. And yesterday I could hardly believe what she said when I asked why the baby was still crying after so long.
“Babies are not just small humans, you know. They need special care and attention.”
“Well, it’s obvious to me you’re not giving my son that care he needs if he continues to bawl.”
“My Lady, if you think you can do any better, then why don’t you try to calm him yourself?” She handed me the wriggling bundle then stomped off towards the door. “I shall be back tomorrow. If you recall, I am due a day off to see my mother who is ill.”
Off she swept, leaving me holding the mewling child. The insolence of the woman! How dare she speak to me like that; her sullen expression, just like Jeannie’s, was astonishing. How could she think it was proper to address Lady Fyvie in such a manner?
I was going to have to deal with everything myself upstairs until the next day when Nurse would return. Jeannie and a kitchen maid were, of course, assisting, in particular with the foul matters that had to be attended to, and the wet nurse came upstairs when required, which was often. Dear God, how often could a baby feed? But one thing was certain: small babies were not stimulating company. 184
I sat there while Jeannie rocked him up and down, walking around the room so often, I began to feel dizzy. When eventually there was silence and she placed him in his crib, I sighed with relief. I peeked a look at him and he lay there, tiny fists flung behind his head as if in submission, but with a peaceful look on his face. At last.
“Stoke up the fire, Jeannie,” I hissed.
“The room’s already too hot, My Lady.”
Did she ever just obey rather than question?
“Just do what I say. I am going down now for supper with my husband,” I said, tiptoeing towards the door. “Then I shall return later to kiss him goodnight.”
“I can’t stay here all that time, My Lady. Cook needs Meggie here so I have to deal with the upstairs rooms and all the girls while supper is being served. You’ll have to come back as soon as you’ve eaten. Then I can join you when I’m free.”
I stared at her. “But I cannot be alone with the child. What if he needs changing?”
She shrugged and began to fold up the pile of clean clothes in front of her. Then she turned to me, sullen as usual, but with a smirk playing around her lips. She was enjoying this.
“Grizel, I have important information to impart. You must listen very carefully,” Alexander said, pausing from eating to look directly at me. Sometimes he spoke to me as if I were a child, though I suppose that, compared to him, I was. I turned my head to the light so that he could see the glint of the rubies and the sheen of the pearls. He liked me to wear the earrings from my parure when I had on my crimson, pearl-encrusted gown.
“I am not sure if you are aware, but the English Queen is very 185 old. She might die at any time now.”
I nodded, though I was trying to calculate how old my husband was. He must be forty-seven, so, although not as old as her, he too was beyond middle age. Though he does not like me to ever mention the age gap between us, perhaps because I am so much younger or perhaps because he is beginning to look a little, well, ravaged around the edges.
“You will recall that I was at Court a couple of months ago to speak with the Ambassadors and of course the King himself. He is ready now, when she dies, to go to London to take up the throne there and so unite the crowns of Scotland and England.”
“That is such interesting news, Alexander. And presumably the Queen will go with him?”
“Obviously, Grizel. Every man needs his wife to be at his side; and the King especially so. Sometimes you say the most stupid things.”
Once more I felt the many years between us keenly.
“He will take the two older children, Prince Henry and Princess Elizabeth, to London with him as well as the Queen. But the third child, Prince Charles, is rather weak and sickly.”
He paused to stab a large chunk of beef with his fork then turned to me, beaming. “And so I am to be the prince’s guardian until he is stronger. He will live with us here at Fyvie and then we shall take him to London to join his family.”
He chewed on the meat then took a swig of wine while awaiting my response. I knew what he had just told me was an honour, but I could not help but think there was already one child called Charles at Fyvie who needed constant attention; was that not enough?
“I see. Well, Alexander, this is a wonderful tribute to your relationship with the King. And of course we shall do whatever His Majesty wants. But might I ask how old the little prince is?” 186
Please God let him not be a baby like our own Charles.
“He is soon to be two, but as I said, rather delicate and so needs special care. He is not yet able to walk. But mentally, he is strong and indeed, when he has mastered even basic words, I shall begin his education, for I am not only to be his guardian, I am to be his tutor.”
I was trying to take this in and consider what the implications were. “Will we have more servants to tend to his needs?”
“Obviously. The King will pay me well. And everyone will envy the trust His Majesty has invested in me to look after his precious son. Of course, he is only the second-born prince, but who knows, he may one day ascend to the throne himself. Then what an accolade, to have the distinction of having raised a future king.”
I breathed deeply. “I presume we will not hear any more until the English Queen dies?”
“Precisely. I simply wanted to inform you now because I intend to start converting the Preston Tower into a nursery and rooms suitable for a prince.”
My first thought was that was where I had had Lilias’s portrait taken and that I must deal with that as soon as possible. But I said nothing. I merely smiled, which my husband always expected.
“Now, I must go to the Charter Room. I have many letters to write. I shall no doubt see you upstairs later.” He stroked the nape of my neck lightly then stood up as the servants rushed over to pull back his chair.
It was already dark when I got back up to the nursery. The wet nurse was just leaving and she said the kitchen maid Meggie should be back soon. She had laid the baby in his crib and I peeked over. Even in the candlelight, I saw his eyes were shut and 187 he seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Thank God. I sat there for a while, turning over in my mind the fact that, at some stage in the next few years or perhaps even months, our home would have a royal prince staying in it. It was all rather too much to take in. As I was musing over the possibility that our son Charles could end up a friend of Prince Charles and how wonderful that would be, the baby began to stir. I stopped twiddling with my earring and kept completely still, hoping he would settle himself.
I could just make out his face in the low light and saw, with horror, that he had opened his eyes. Dear God, where was the maid? I was far too exhausted to have to deal with a crying baby. He began to whimper and I kept looking at the door, wishing it would open and the maid would appear.
Then I sniffed the air. There it was again, the undeniable scent of roses all around. How was that possible? I looked about the small room but could see no flowers. Whatever could it be? The baby was now yelling and I got to my feet, ready to pick him up, when the door flung open and Meggie the maid rushed in.
“Sorry I’m late, My Lady. Cook had so many dishes to prepare, the washing up took forever. She uses so many pots and pans, and there was no one else to help me with that just now.”
As if I needed such tiresome domestic detail.
“Well, you are here now. The child needs to be picked up and rocked to sleep; he’s been crying.” Though when I looked down into the crib, he seemed to have settled himself.
I sniffed the air. “Can you smell roses?” I whispered as Meggie tiptoed over towards the crib.
She shook her head. “No, nothing at all, My Lady.”
And when I breathed in deeply again, I realised the scent of roses had vanished.