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Bess went in to Elizabeth. Robin Dudley had not left the queen's chambers until four that morning, and after Bess had escorted him from the anteroom, Elizabeth had gone to bed for four hours. “Are you feeling well, Your Majesty?”
“I am feeling very well and extremely generous today, Bess. I believe I have found you the perfect husband.”
“Your Majesty, I don't want a husband!” Bess blurted out.
“You may not want one, but you certainly need one. A respectable marriage to the right gentleman would raise your standing at Court. I have given Syntlo permission to court you.”
“Your Majesty, I could never love another man after Cavendish.”
“Piffle! What does love have to do with marriage? A woman takes a husband for financial security and prestige. I have just appointed Syntlo chief butler of England. Surely you are ambitious, Bess. If not for yourself, then for your children?”
“Your Majesty, I would be lying if I told you I was not ambitious, but no man would be fool enough to take on a widow with six children, whose crippling debts are common knowledge.”
“Ah, yes, Syntlo and I were just discussing your debt to the Crown.” Elizabeth's eyes glittered.
Bess flushed darkly with shame.
“I have decided to reduce your debt to one thousand pounds. I told you I was feeling extremely generous today.”
Bess felt the blood drain from her face. Had she heard right? She was dizzy with relief. After twenty long months of worry and anguish, the crushing burden of debt would be lifted. And obviously she had Sir William St. Loe to thank for it! Bess sank down before Elizabeth and kissed her beautiful beringed fingers. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Your Majesty.”
Elizabeth looked down at her and experienced a stab of jealousy for Bess's lush beauty. Had Talbot enjoyed her body? Was that the reason he had blackmailed his queen into forgiving most of the debt? It was high time Bess was respectably married.
By the time Bess took her leave of Elizabeth, her mood was absolutely euphoric. She put the problem of the thousand pounds she still owed out of her mind. She would find some way to pay it off. Bess sought out Sir William immediately to thank him for the immense service he had just rendered her.
St. Loe laughed happily when he saw her glorious smile.
Bess could not restrain herself; she flung her arms about him. “Oh, thank you, thank you, Syntlo, you have saved my life!”
He flushed with pleasure. “Bess, I did nothing.”
“I know better, my dear lord. The queen told me that you discussed my debt to the Crown with her.”
“All I did was remind her that your debt was crippling,” he assured her.
“It took such great courage to broach the subject and beard the lioness in her den. She has reduced it to one thousand pounds. I shall be in your debt forever, my lord. Oh, I can't wait to tell my family!”
“Come, it will give me the greatest pleasure in the world to take you home to them.”
Aboard the barge, St. Loe sat beside her and took her hand. “Bess, I've never seen you look so radiant. The queen has given me leave to pay my addresses to you. If you would do me the honor of becoming my wife, I would consider it a privilege to take care of you.”
She studied him openly. Had he really needed the queen's permission before he dare propose? Did Elizabeth dominate his life to such an extent? “You do me great honor, my lord. I swore I would never marry again. Will you give me a little time to consider your proposal, and can we still be good friends, no matter my answer?”
“Take all the time you need, my dearest heart.”
When Bess told Jane and Marcella that her debt had been reduced, they knew their prayers had been answered, for there were times they had feared Bess would worry herself into an early grave. When Bess also told them that Sir William St. Loe had proposed to her, Jane was speechless. Marcella said bluntly, “I never believed you would bring such a refined nobleman up to scratch. It's the breasts—it's got to be the breasts—there is no other answer!”
“I'm going to tell him no,” Bess said firmly.
“You must be mad, girl! He'll pay off your debts, he'll pay for the boys to go to Eton, he'll provide a dowry for Francie. The children need a father, even if you don't need a husband.”
“It wouldn't be fair to him; my heart died with Rogue Cavendish.”
“If Cavendish were here he would tell you to seize the moment, Bess. I wouldn't be surprised if Cavendish hadn't chosen St. Loe for you. It will be a giant step up in the world for your Cavendish children, and to top it all off, you will be able to start building at Chatsworth again. You know that a marriage should be a sound business arrangement. You've always used your head over your heart, and it's never let you down yet!”
For four days Bess seriously considered the marriage. It had so many advantages, and only one drawback: She was not in love; she could not make Syntlo happy. Then she remembered Rogue telling her once, Bess, in almost every relationship one loves more than the other, and the one who loves is the lucky one, the happy one.
Bess sighed. She owed Sir William St. Loe so much. He had made her almost debt-free and certainly worry-free. And the queen had made it plain that she wanted Bess to remarry, insisting that Syntlo was the perfect husband. Bess sighed again and made her decision. No one would be pleased with her answer—not her family, nor the queen, nor Sir William—but it was the only answer she could give.
