Henry might as well have
sent along a pair of spaniels to act as chaperons--it would have taken
an army to guard Mary alone--and to tell you the truth our old
chaperons needed watching more than any of us. It was scandalous. Each
of them had a touch of gout, and when they made wry faces it was a
standing inquiry among us whether they were leering at each other or
felt a twinge--whether it was their feet or their hearts, that
troubled them.
Mary led them a pretty life at all times, even at home in the palace,
and I know they would rather have gone off with a pack of imps than
with us. The inducement was that it gave them better opportunities to
be together--an arrangement connived at by the queen, I think--and
they were satisfied. The earl had a wife, but he fancied the old
dowager and she fancied him, and probably the wife fancied somebody
else, so they were all happy. It greatly amused the young people, you
may be sure, and Mary said, probably without telling the exact truth,
that every night she prayed God to pity and forgive their ugliness.
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