Jean Plaidy - The Murder in the Tower: The Story of Frances, Countess of Essex

When Frances read the verses she was furious. Soon he might be openly talking of her. He was a clever man; he had shown that he had already begun to ferret into her past, and there was too much that was unsavory to be discovered there.

She had little to fear from Essex. While they were at Court he had discovered that his wife was conducting a love affair with Carr, and at last understood that her repulsion to living as his wife had nothing to do with her innocence; it was simply that she wished to be the mistress of another man. He had learned too that the Prince of Wales had been her lover, and it was no innocent virgin whom he had taken to Chartley.

Disillusioned, feeling he had been rather foolish, having listened to vague warnings from Wilson whose judgment he trusted, he had come to believe that he would be well rid of such a woman. He had found comfort in hunting and other outdoor sports with friends of his own sex, and when he heard that Frances was desirous of divorcing him, he shrugged his shoulders and thought that it might be good to be free of her and in time find a wife who was ready to lead a normal life with him.

They had scarcely seen each other for some little time, and now that she believed she would soon be free of him, Frances rarely thought of him.

But another ogre had risen in his place: Sir Thomas Overbury.

She could not tell her lover of her fears because he would laugh at them, not understanding what harm Overbury might do if he discovered too much. Robert would not know how much there was to be discovered. But there was one she knew who would not be shocked by her villainies, providing they could be suppressed and did not cause open scandal; and now that he was working with her, would be ready to use his great power to suppress them. This was her great-uncle, the Earl of Northampton. So to him she went.

He read through “The Wife” and regarded his great-niece severely.

“Yes,” he said, “this man could make trouble—great trouble.”

“It is for us to see that he does not,” answered Frances.

“You have been very indiscreet.”

“Perhaps. But I am where I am, and it is not for you to reproach me, for you are glad that I am there.”

What a wild creature she was! thought Northampton. Young and inexperienced as she was, and old and experienced as he was, he would not care to have her for an enemy.

“H’m,” he said after a pause. “We must put an end to this man’s activities.”

“I have already tried to do this.”

Northampton’s eyebrows shot up. “What?” he cried.

“I offered a certain man a thousand pounds to engage him in a duel and kill him.”

“My dear niece, you are too impulsive. What man?”

“Sir David Woods, who I knew hated him because he was sure that it was due to Overbury that Robert refused him a post he coveted.”

“And what did he say?”

“He said it was too dangerous, and that only if Robert himself commanded him to do it and would promise him his patronage when it was done, would he undertake it.”

“And Robert?”

Frances laughed. “It is clear that you do not know Robert. He is so innocent. There is much he does not understand.”

Northampton looked intently into his great-niece’s face. “I believe that,” he said.

She shook herself impatiently. “Oh, come, it is not for you to preach to me. Do you think I do not know you take bribes from Spain?”

“Hush, niece, hush.”

“Then do not look as though I am the only sinful member of the family. My mother takes bribes and lovers. And you—”

He held up his hand and looked over his shoulder. “My dear Frances, be discreet if you can. I am not blaming you for what you have done. I am only asking you to observe the decency to see that you are not found out.”

“That is what I am trying to do. That is why I want an end of Overbury.”

Northampton was thoughtful.

“We must, I think,” he said at length, “find some means of sending him to the Tower. Safely there he would have little hope of making mischief.”

“Robert would never agree.”

“Robert has quarreled with him, I believe.”

“Oh, yes, but Robert is still grateful to him. He says he is his friend. The quarrels take place when that snake Overbury reviles me . Robert refuses to listen—and for that I must be thankful. Robert thinks Overbury is jealous and you know how indulgent he always is. Please understand this: Robert must be made to see that some action should be taken against Overbury. That is where you come in. If I try to explain he will think I am afraid of the slander Overbury is spreading about me . You must make Robert understand.”

“How?”

“That is for you to decide. After all, you stand to gain a great deal from this marriage, do you not?”

Northampton had to admit that that was true.

Northampton made sure that none could overhear their conversation when he opened the subject with Robert in the latter’s apartments.

“This man Overbury alarms me,” admitted Northampton.

“Tom? Oh, he has got a little beyond himself, I’ll grant you,” said Robert with a laugh. “He’ll calm down.”

“I believe he has uttered insults against my great-niece.”

“For which,” went on Robert, “I find it hard to forgive him. But he has been a very close friend of mine and I fear he is a little jealous.”

“Robert, you are too good-hearted. You look at evil and see it for good.”

“There is nothing evil in Tom Overbury.”

“It depends on what you call evil. I hear he boasts of his activities and tells his friends that your rise to fame is due to him.”

“We must not take too seriously what he says at this time.”

“But it is serious, Robert. He is against the divorce and your marriage and he has said that he will stop at nothing to prevent it.”

Robert looked shaken. “Has he said that then?”

“More. He is circulating lies about Frances. That is something I cannot forgive.”

“Nor I,” added Robert quickly.

“In fact, he is dangerous. I know he has been a good servant to you in the past, but he is so no longer. I think we should teach him a lesson. He should have his anger cooled.”

“I will speak to him.”

“You will but fan the flames, Robert. There is one other matter that I have in mind. There were unpleasant rumors at the time the Prince of Wales died; and it was well known that you and he were not fond of each other.”

“He seemed always to seek to bait me.”

“And people whisper that not long before his death he was a strong and healthy man. How was it, they say, that he took sick and died so suddenly?”

“He died of a wasting disease aggravated by a fever.”

“There are some people in London, not far from Whitehall, who know how to make a victim appear to die of a wasting disease.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“I speak of rumors that have come to my ears. If Overbury gave the word, those rumors would carry a great deal of weight.”

“You cannot think that I had a hand in the Prince’s death?”

“I do not think so. Rumor does not always have to be truth, Robert. At one time the Prince was in love with Frances; the Prince died and she became your mistress. That is not generally known. The King does not know it. He believes that you and Frances have fallen in love because her husband is impotent. He is sorry for you and wants to help you. A little scandal now and who knows what would happen? Who knows who would be accused of what? Overbury is in the mood to make that scandal. He is an arrogant self-opinionated man, Robert. We have to be careful of him. I suggest that if we could put him away … oh, only for a week or two … just while he cools down … well then life would be a great deal happier for all of us.”

Robert was thoughtful. “If he is going to make mischief—”

“He is making it fast. It should not be difficult to get him a spell in the Tower.”

“But he was my friend … still is. I feel I should explain to him.”

“Robert, this is not a matter to be explained. Let us endeavor to get him into the Tower. When he comes to his senses it will be an easy matter to have him released.”

Robert’s expression was unhappy. Northampton laid his hand on his arm.

“Think about it,” he said. “But do not delay too long.”

Robert could not reconcile himself to the plot to get Overbury imprisoned in the Tower. He could not forget their friendship and was certain that Overbury would eventually give up this ridiculous plan to prevent the divorce.

An idea came to him when James was sending new ambassadors to the Low Countries and France. Why not send Tom? It would be good experience for him; he was fully qualified to make a success of the mission; and it would remove him from the scene while the divorce was being arranged.

When Robert suggested this to Northampton he thought it an excellent idea and lost no time in putting it before the King.

James had never greatly liked Overbury. He felt he had too much influence with Robert and was overbearing; Robert had found him a useful secretary, but James had heard how the man boasted of his own importance.

“We shall appoint Sir Thomas Overbury to the Low Countries,” said James. “Or if he would prefer it, to France. I think he should do well in the post.”

As a result Overbury was summoned by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Ellesmere and the Earl of Pembroke to come to them to hear the King’s wishes.

Overbury, rather startled by the order, was unprepared for the suggestion which was offered.

“Ambassador to the Low Countries or France!” he cried. “No thank you! I prefer to remain in my own country.”

The eyebrows of the Lord Chancellor were raised in astonishment. “But it is the King’s wish that you should undertake this office.”

“My health is not good enough for me to undertake it.”

“I am surprised,” said the Chancellor, “for I thought that you were in excellent health.”

“I should not be for long if I went abroad.”

Pembroke said: “Sir Thomas, you would be ill advised to refuse this offer. I do believe it to be a prelude to a post in the royal household, perhaps Treasurer. The King wishes to satisfy himself that you would serve him well.”

“The King knows I would serve a master well.”

“Then why do you not give him this further assurance?”

“Because I have no desire to leave England at this time.”

“Is that your final word?”

“You may take it as that.”

When an account of this interview was taken back to the King, he was annoyed.

“I like not the stiff carriage of his fortune,” grumbled James. “This is an arrogant man. He boasts that he rules the Court and country. He has boasted too often. This is a matter of contempt and punishable by imprisonment. He should not think that I shall allow this to pass.”