As the Sparks Fly Upward (6 page)

“What should I call her, then?”

“Just call her ‘Your Majesty.' Come along now.”

Ten minutes later the two had been admitted into the presence of the Earl of Shrewsbury, a short, fat man with small eyes and a tight mouth. “Well, Lord Stoneybrook, I'm surprised to see you here,” he said.

“Queen Elizabeth asked me to come and visit her dear
cousin, Mary,” Brandon said. “Will there be any problem with that?”

“Not in the least! As a matter of a fact, I'm glad you've come. Queen Mary grows lonely at times, being cut off from all she has known. She's a lovely woman, you know. I can't see why people dislike her so.”

Brandon tried not to smile, for his father had told him that stronger men than the Earl of Shrewsbury had fallen under the spell of Mary, Queen of Scots!

“I'm sure she is a charming woman,” Brandon said agreeably.

“She will be most happy to receive you. Allow me to lead the way.”

Colin had said nothing but was missing nothing. Tutbury Castle was smaller than his father's castle, but richly arrayed with furniture and wall hangings that gave a bright and cheery aspect to the halls. He walked quickly to keep up with his father and listened as the earl expanded on the many graces of Queen Mary. Sneaking a glance at his father's face, he saw displeasure there. He tucked that away in his memory.
Father doesn't share the earl's admiration of Mary.

“If you will wait right here, my lord, I will see if the queen will receive you.”

The earl slipped through a door guarded by two soldiers. He was back almost at once with a smile wreathing his face. “The queen is delighted! Come right in, sir.”

Colin stayed close to his father as he entered the room, and he was impressed with the opulence of it. The furniture was rich and gleaming walnut. The walls were covered with colorful hangings, and silver and gold ornaments were on the tables that flanked the walls. His eyes, however, were immediately drawn to the woman who rose to greet them. Colin had an almost photographic memory for people as well as for words in a book. He knew at that moment he would never forget this gracious
woman. She was tall and graceful and very good-looking, and there was something about her that most women did not have. Colin was not sure what it was, but he would study her until he found out.

“It's a kindness of you to see us, Your Majesty.” Brandon stepped forward, took the hand that Mary extended, bowed, and kissed it. “Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Baron Winslow of Stoneybrook, and this is my son Colin Winslow.”

“You are welcome indeed, Lord Stoneybrook.” Mary turned a full smile upon Brandon. Colin, even as young as he was, noticed his father was drawn to the woman. Somehow it came to him that she was able to charm men. Colin found himself looking up at Mary, and when she extended her hand, he took it, bowed, and kissed her hand, saying, “I am pleased to meet you, Your Majesty.”

“What fine manners you have! I am completely taken captive by you Winslow men.”

Colin liked being called a man. He smiled at the queen and replied, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“We will have refreshments brought in.” She clapped her hands together, and at once a tall man appeared. “Yes, Your Majesty?”

“We need something good to eat, Benjamin. Bring us the best you can find.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“Now sit down, and let us get acquainted. I want to know more about you. How did you happen to come and visit?”

“We were at court, and Queen Elizabeth asked us if we would come and meet you. She's very concerned with your well-being. If you have any message for her, I will be most happy to take it back.”

“That is very kind of my sister queen. But now you must tell me what is going on in the outside world. I'm so cut off from everything in this prison.”

Colin looked around and saw that there were at least half a dozen servants in the room, including three rather attractive young women. There were also three older women. Including the others outside, he quickly calculated that there must be at least thirty servants.
She doesn't seem cut off, not with all these servants!
He listened as his father and the queen talked. She asked his father questions about the royal court, and then about the English army, the navy, and the ships. She put her questions in a very subtle way, and as young as he was, Colin sensed that Queen Mary was a woman who knew how to manipulate men.

Finally the food came, and it was a feast indeed. It consisted of mutton, chicken, fish, and several exotic dishes that Colin could not identify. The wine was served with the food, and Queen Mary asked, “Are you old enough to drink wine, Colin?”

“Perhaps a little, Your Majesty.”

“You will like this, I believe.”

Colin had tasted wine only a few times, but the queen poured him a full flagon, and he took a small sip. “Very good, Your Majesty.”

“I am glad you like it.”

The meal lasted for some time, but finally after it was over, Queen Mary said prettily, “You must come back often to see me. Will you do that, Colin?” She came forward and extended her hand, and he took it. Colin saw that her eyes were quite penetrating, and for one moment he felt as if she were looking at his very soul.

“Yes, ma'am,” he gulped, “if my father will allow me.”

“I am sure he will. You must bring your wife, Lord Stoneybrook, and your other children. I would love to meet them all.”

“It would be a pleasure, Your Majesty.” Brandon bowed deeply and Colin did the same, then followed his father out the
door. As soon as they were outside, Brandon turned and asked, “Colin, what did you think of her?”

Colin could not answer for a moment. He was afraid to speak his utmost thoughts, but finally he asked, “Is she a witch, Father?”

“A witch? No. Why do you ask that?”

“She scares me. She knew what I was thinking. She looked right down into me!”

“She has been called worse than a witch. But don't be afraid of her, Colin.” He put his hand on his son's shoulder. “Don't be afraid of anyone, Son!”

Brandon and Eden entered Colin's room, stopped, and looked around almost in despair. It had been four months since Brandon and Colin had visited Queen Mary. Eden had been taken along with Adam and Adara to meet Mary. She had been somewhat intimidated by the queen, and when they were alone, she had warned her husband about Mary. “Brandon, you must be careful of that woman.”

“Careful? What do you mean?”

“She devours men.”

“Well, she won't devour me, sweetheart,” Brandon had said instantly. “But I know what you mean. I'll be very careful.”

While surveying Colin's room, Brandon remarked, “Will you look at this? What a mess!”

Eden nodded. “It is, rather.”

Indeed, the room was packed to overflowing with live specimens—frogs, mice, snakes, and several small birds in cages. There were also stuffed specimens of animals, which, while not done expertly, at least pleased Colin.
He loves every living thing,
Eden thought.

The two continued to discuss the room but turned when Colin entered. He halted abruptly, then said nervously, “I didn't know you were in here.”

Brandon said sharply, “Son, this room is a disaster!”

Eden saw that Colin was embarrassed and said quickly, “It does need some work.” She looked at a table that contained the body of a bird that had been laid open. “What are you doing to this bird?”

“Oh, I'm seeing what the inside of this thrush looks like.”

Eden sighed deeply, then asked, “Why do you do such things as this, Colin?”

“Why, the bird was dead, Mother. I didn't kill it, but I wanted to see her organs and muscles.”

“Why would you want to know about that?” Eden asked curiously.

“I don't know.” Colin thought deeply for a moment. He was tall for twelve and stood almost as high as his mother. Adam had nearly the bulk of a grown man at the age of fourteen, but Colin did not have the strength of his father the way Adam did.

Eden waited patiently. While most young men would say right away what was on their minds, Colin often paused to arrange his thoughts before he spoke. “If I knew how animals and birds work inside, maybe I could find out the way people work.”

“And what would you do if you found that out, Son?”

“I don't know. Maybe I could help people.”

Eden searched for something to say. Finally she said, “Son, I think you need to spend more time with your family and with friends and less time with animals and birds.”

“I feel more at home with them than I do with people, Mother.”

“Son, you shouldn't say that! These creatures don't love you as we do.”

Colin dropped his head, and Eden saw she had hurt him. He was the most sensitive of all her children, and quickly she put her arm around his shoulders. She saw his eyes were troubled, so she said quickly, “Don't worry about it.”

“I—I promise to spend more time with you and the others.”

“That's a good boy, Son.” Eden kissed his cheek and stepped back, but said, “I think you're spending too much time with Meg Caradoc.”

“No, Mother, she's a good woman.”

“You know what people say about her, that she's a witch.”

“Oh no, she's not! She's nothing like a witch! She knows every plant and which ones help the sick. You remember how Dooley our coachman got sick, and I brought the medicine from Meg and it cured him?”

“Yes, I remember that. I'm sure she's helpful.”

“She gets lonely, Mother, and I like to spend time with her. She's teaching me all about herbs and how to use them for remedies.”

“All right. I know you are her friend, and I don't want to come between you and a friend. Hurry now, we're going to have supper soon.”

Colin nodded and didn't speak, and as soon as the door shut he looked down at the thrush and said, “Now look what you have done! You've made my mother sad.” He picked up his quill, dipped the tip into the ink bottle, and began to draw some of the muscles of the bird. He had struggled to transfer what he saw to paper. For a while he worked on his drawing, then finally he took a deep breath and expelled it, saying, “You're a little miracle, you are! Just as all living creatures are miracles!”

A few days after this meeting with his mother, Colin was sitting with Meg inside her shack. It was smoky and dark, but he felt comfortable there. “I brought you this, Meg.” He handed her a small package, and when she opened it she exclaimed, “Why, that is
pepper
! A very expensive spice, indeed!”

“I know it, but we'll never miss it. I brought you a wild turkey, too, but I left it outside.”

“How did you catch it?”

“One of the dogs caught him and was killing him. He was dead when I got there, but they didn't tear him much.”

“What a good boy you are!”

“What are you working on, Meg?”

“I am going to pull a frog apart so you can see how it works.”

Indeed, that is what Meg did for the next hour. She had careful and sure hands, but finally she let Colin take over part of the work. Colin eagerly plunged into the process, and soon the frog was all spread out, ready to be drawn.

“Do people ever tell you to stay away from me, Colin?”

Colin bit his lip and finally said, “Some people do.”

“They may be right. I'm not a safe woman.”

“Why, you would never hurt me, Meg.”

“No, I wouldn't, but others might.”

“I don't understand what you are saying, Meg.”

“You are so innocent, Colin! The world is full of evil beasts, and you walk around as if there is no danger. You'll get hurt sooner or later. If I were ever hanged for being a witch, they would want to hang my friends, too.”

“They won't do that!”

Meg put her hands on his shoulders, and when Colin looked up he saw concern in her eyes. “You will be hurt, Colin, and I wish I could stop it. But all of us get hurt. As the Bible says, ‘Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.'”

Meg's words made Colin feel uncomfortable, and he changed the subject, saying, “Let's cook the turkey.”

“Right you are, boy! Go bring that turkey in, and we'll have a feast!”

Colin had eaten enough of the turkey to make him somewhat overfull, then he left, knowing his parents would worry if he were late. He was almost home when he saw two boys. They were standing around something, and when he got closer, he
saw they were tormenting a bird that was apparently wounded.

Without thinking, Colin moved forward. He did not know the boys, but they looked rough. He said quickly, “Please don't hurt that bird.”

The taller of the two had a blunt, cruel face. “Where do you get off telling us what to do? You get out of here or I'll break your face!”

Colin was afraid of the two, but when he saw the injured bird, something turned over in his heart. “Don't hurt it anymore.”

“What will you give us?” demanded the smaller of the two, a thin boy with a fox face.

“I've got some money. You can have that.”

“All right, let's have the coin,” the taller boy said.

Colin handed over the coins, and the larger of the two took them, then laughed. “Now we have the money, and we'll do with the bird as we want.” He turned around and poked the bird again with a stick. Suddenly anger filled Colin, and he threw himself at the larger boy. He had no experience with fighting, and immediately something struck him in the back of the head and he felt blows landing all over his body. He kicked and tried to defend himself, but he didn't cry out.

Finally the blows stopped, and he heard the larger boy say, “Now, you mind your own business!” He laughed and said, “Come on, Sid. Leave the bird lover alone.”

Slowly, Colin got to his feet. His face was bleeding, and he was sore from the punches he had taken. He ignored the pain, reached down, and picked up the bird. He started for home, talking to the bird, saying, “You'll be okay. Don't you worry . . .”