monarch

On the third day after the wedding, Princess Mary and her new husband left the palace for the Halston Manor, where she lived for a long time. The embarrassing atmosphere has eased a lot, and their behavior in front of each other has become much more natural. Princess Mary no longer looks so deliberate, and Philip no longer looks like a bomb when facing some intimate actions of his wife. Like a hairy cat.This marriage, which was not favored by others, now seems that it may not necessarily end in tragedy.

The palace is like a stage that never ends, and there are fresh repertoires every moment. Those noble actors come on stage one by one, and perform tirelessly until they are kicked off the stage.The enthusiasm for Princess Mary's wedding lasted only about a week, and a new topic has attracted everyone's attention - Lord Guildford Dudley, the eldest son and heir of the Chief Minister, is about to marry the Suffolk daughter. The Duke marries Lady Jane Gray, the eldest daughter of the Marquess of Dorset.

Of the sons of the Chief Minister, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, undoubtedly shone brightest, and as the sun eclipsed the stars, his achievements overshadowed his brothers without exception. Among the rays of light, including Lord Guildford, the future heir to the Duke of Northumberland, this young man is shy and sensitive. Such a role is obviously not suitable for the political arena of swords and swords. Even if he is unwilling, he has to be pushed to the front of the stage and become an important pawn on the political chessboard.

In a way, Miss Jane Gray faced a similar situation to Lord Guilford's - she was quite unambitious compared with her Tudor cousins.This quiet girl is now more and more fascinated by literature and art, and she enjoys studying Latin documents in her study more than plotting political intrigues.However, her maternal grandmother happened to be the sister of King Henry VIII, so the quarter of the Tudor family blood in her veins, like a curse, lingered in her life for the past 16 years.For anyone, the first thing they think of when they see her is never "She is a girl of temperament, well-read, and very beautiful", but "She is the third in line to the throne." heir".

Now Princess Mary is 36 years old, and not many people except herself have any hope for her to have children, so there are only two beating hearts between Miss Jane Gray and the crown of St. Edward.Nobody doubts that Miss Jane Gray is a fine property, a lottery ticket with a possible jackpot.

The marriage between the Dudley family and the Gray family is scheduled for two weeks after Princess Mary's grand wedding.The First Minister and the Duchess of Suffolk showed admirable modesty in their preparations for the wedding: instead of appearing to be competing with Princess Mary, the wedding was held not in a luxurious London mansion, but in the Suffolk Duchess The duke's seaside estate, near Portsmouth, was attended by fewer than 100 guests.So the invitations to this wedding are much more sought-after than those of Princess Mary, and the recipients are either close allies of the Dudley family or of such high status that it would be offensive not to send an invitation , or a combination of both.

Three days before the wedding, the guests arrived at the beautiful seaside manor of the Duchess of Suffolk. The mansion of this manor is located on a flat foundation by the sea. Behind it is a terrace facing the sea.Looking out from the huge floor-to-ceiling windows in the house, you can have a panoramic view of the entire bay, and several slender clippers are moored on the rippling waters, which are yachts for guests to dispatch their boredom.The Duchess of Suffolk has always been known for her meticulous hospitality, and she prepared a variety of entertainment for her guests.Gentlemen can take part in the activities held at the tree farm, complete with hounds, falcons and shotguns for grouse, or they can go out to sea on a yacht and go fishing for salmon in the nearby fishing grounds.When they get tired of playing, they join the ladies who enjoy the fresh air by the sea in the gazebo not far away, and enjoy seasonal meals delivered from the kitchen.The raw materials of these meals come from the Duchess's estate, which are very fresh and whet the appetites of the guests.

The Chief Minister and the groom arrived at the manor the day before the wedding. According to tradition, the bride and groom cannot meet on the eve of the wedding, so Lord Guildford was arranged to live in a two-storey building opposite the garden. Hidden among linden bushes and creepers, many guests walk unnoticed by the garden.This quiet paradise was once loved by the father of the Duchess of Suffolk, the old Duke of Suffolk, and he often came here to rest in his later years.

Lord Guilford was very pleased with his temporary accommodation from the moment he entered.This small building is built on a small slope leading to the sea, with two floors on the side facing the garden and three floors on the side facing the sea.Outside the door on the first floor facing the sea is a stone path leading all the way to the pebbled sea; the second floor, the first floor on the garden side, has the main entrance and exit of the small building, and visitors pass through the maze-like flower paths in the garden , came to the black door of this gray stone building like the entrance of a cave, and through this door is the front hall of this small building. The interior of the front hall is only decorated with white and black marble, but the two colors The organic arrangement of the front hall does not look serious and old-fashioned, but quite elegant.There was a bust of the Duke of Suffolk in a corner of the antechamber. When Lord Guilford entered the antechamber, the old man's frozen face was looking at him seriously from behind, as if he wanted to see his granddaughter's fiancé What kind of person is he.

On the left side of the front hall is a small living room, the wall of the small living room is pasted with dark wall panels, and the furniture in the room is all in antique style, while the dining room on the right side seems to adopt the same style. decorate.The Duke of Suffolk's coat of arms can be seen everywhere in these two rooms, and the creepers and bushes outside the windows make the whole second floor look somewhat dark, which complements the decoration style.

Compared with the second floor, the decoration on the third floor is much brighter. The walls of the entire third floor have been demolished, and it is completely opened up into a spacious bedroom. The chests in the bedroom are as old as the big bed, but the fireplace is as old as Bogut. All kinds of gadgets on the shelf make the whole room look lively and lively.A large glass cabinet is filled with oriental porcelain, while a small coffee table next to it is decorated with painted pottery made in Italy.The colorful silks, made by Chinese or Persian or Ottoman women workers, are now scattered on several armchairs, and their purpose is only to decorate the room and make it appear more colorful.There are huge floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides of the room, and the floor-to-ceiling window facing the sea can be opened to a small balcony outside.Two wicker chairs and a small tea table are thoughtfully placed on the small balcony, and a jug of fresh lemonade is already placed on the tea table.

Lord Guilford settled comfortably here, furnished and decorated to his liking, and in the afternoon he went for a walk by the sea, and in the evening an exquisite supper was brought to him in the great kitchen, of which The trout had been caught by Miss Jane Gray's own hands the previous morning in a brook not far away in the woods.

Time flies by like a galloping horse. When the clock in the house strikes nine o'clock in the evening, Lord Guilford is sitting on the terrace facing the sea. The cool but not cold sea breeze carries a slight salty smell. Gently brushed his face.Like his brothers, Lord Guildford also has handsome facial features, but similar facial features will show different temperaments on different people.There was always a hint of melancholy in his beautiful blue eyes, a window into his sensitive inner world.

A full moon hangs high in the dark blue sky, the soft light falls on the calm sea, and some ripples can be seen vaguely.The waves crashed against the rocks on the shore, not so much as hitting, it was more like a mother's gentle hand stroking the baby in her arms.Britain, a small island hanging off the European continent, is the child of the goddess of the sea. She was born in the waves, the waves are her baby, and the sea breeze is the lullaby sung by her mother in a low voice.The ocean is the womb that conceives this country, the umbilical cord that feeds her, and one day this island will grow up and become the supreme master of this ocean.

From the other side of the garden, muffled sounds of music, talking and laughing came from the dinner and dance held by the Duchess of Suffolk on the terrace of the mansion. Although there were not too many guests, the atmosphere was Still enthusiastic.These guests had all participated in the grand wedding between Princess Mary and Philip of Spain not long ago. Obviously, they seemed more open at this wedding, without the sense of restraint brought by those grand ceremonies.

Lord Guilford, as the groom, was not able to go to the mansion to join in the joyful celebration.According to ancient tradition, the bride and groom must not meet on the eve of the wedding, otherwise it will be a bad omen.Many happy guests regretted that he missed this pleasant occasion, but he himself did not think so. At this moment, he was intoxicated in this quiet paradise, feeling the suffocating beauty of nature.

He took out a few sheets of paper and a charcoal pencil from his pocket, and with a few strokes, he outlined the reefs, shoals, and yachts dancing gently with the waves in the harbor under the moonlight.

"It's really a good drawing." The sweet voice from behind startled Lord Guildford, and the charcoal fell from his fingers and broke in two on the ground.

He turned his head in astonishment, just in time to meet his fiancée's flowery smile.

Miss Jane Gray looked up at her fiancé like a deer with big watery eyes.She was wearing a light white silk dress, the hem of which was already wet with dew, and the cracks on it were obviously the openings where the branches had hung.She was panting quickly, her face was slightly red due to the exercise, and there were fine beads of sweat on her ivory-like smooth forehead.

Lord Guilford hurried to the cupboard on the other side of the room. He opened the door and grabbed a thick woolen blanket.He walked up to Jane Gray with the blanket in his arms, and wrapped her tightly like a mummy.

"You're going to wrap me up!" the girl said with a smile.

"Why are you wearing so little? It's already very cold outside, you'll get pneumonia, miss." Lord Guilford ignored his fiancée's protest and wrapped the blanket even tighter.

"I sneaked out of my bedroom. Do I still need to ask the maid to change my clothes? Mom will definitely not allow me to come to your place." Jane Gray shrugged, looking like a The little girl who was caught distracted by the female teacher.

"I haven't had time to say, what are you doing here? We shouldn't meet tonight."

"I can't wait to see you since you've been here." Jane Gray blushed more and more, whether it was from shyness or the heat from the blanket, "I want to see your smile, I I can't wait one night to touch your skin with my own hands, can't I?" She stretched out her hand from under the blanket and hugged her lover.

"This waiting is tormenting me too, my dear." The young man hugged the petite Miss Jane Gray in his arms, "but I think that this night's suffering will bring us a lifetime of happiness, and I have the strength again ’” He picked up a lock of Jane Gray’s chestnut hair, put it on the tip of his nose and sniffed gently, the hair smelled of lilac and grass. "I swear this will be the last night we spend without each other, and every day from now on I will sleep with you in my arms and wake up with kisses on your lovely lips," he said He said, kissing each other's lips, "I miss you so much, my dear, my future wife."

"Do you really believe that it will be ominous when we meet tonight?" When the fierce kiss finally ended, Jane Gray panted heavily to calm her breathing, and asked worriedly, "We will be happy , will you, Guilford, be happy forever?"

"We will." The young man said firmly. He took his fiancée's hand and walked to the Turkish sofa beside the bed to sit down. With his fingertips, he gently traced the other's face, and suddenly he laughed loudly. .

"What are you laughing at?" asked Jane Gray.

"I was thinking about the day we signed our engagement, the first time I met you, I looked at this complete stranger and thought 'is this my future wife' and I really thought, we Like Princess Mary and King Philip, they will be a political couple and put their life's happiness on the altar of power."

"Maybe Princess Mary and Philip of Spain will find their happiness too, as we have," murmured Jane Gray.

"You are such a good angel, but what I want to say is that no one will ever be as happy as the two of us." Lord Guilford's always melancholy eyes suddenly ignited a warm flame, as if it had been silent for many years Like a sudden eruption of a volcano, "I thank my father and your mother, they decided to let us live together for a period of time before getting married... It is this precious experience that made me know you and fall in love with you! I finally Realizing how lucky I am to have a woman who is so compatible with me in every way as my partner for life. Others connect us because of politics, but our spiritual connection is us s Choice."

"Me too, my dear, me too," murmured Jane Gray. "I love you so much."

Two people leaned together, stopped talking, just looked into each other's eyes quietly. For two people who share the same mind, language is the most unnecessary thing.In this quiet little world, only two hearts are beating with the same beat.

After an unknown amount of time, Lord Guilford finally raised his head, "What happened?" He pointed in the direction of the mansion, where there was a loud noise.

Jane Gray lowered her head and thought for a while, "It must be that His Majesty the King has come."

The two walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows facing the mansion, opened the window, and just in time saw a four-horse carriage surrounded by a group of cavalry floating in the thick and sticky night, passing through the cast-iron gate and garden, Stop by the colonnade of the mansion.

The door of the carriage opened, and two figures came out of the carriage, surrounded by the crowd who came to greet them.

"That must be His Majesty and my brother," said Lord Guilford.

"Do you think they will be as happy as we are?" whispered Miss Jane Gray, leaning into her fiancé's ear.

Lord Guilford was taken aback, "What do you mean?" He was so frightened that he stuttered.

Miss Jane Gray covered her mouth and smiled slightly, "You looked so funny just now."

"I don't quite know what you mean." Lord Guilford cleared his throat and replied somewhat unnaturally.

"I'm not a fool, my dear." Miss Jane Gray straightened her cuffs. "Everyone can see this kind of thing, but they dare not say it. My cousin is better than Edward II , but more like Alexander the Great, who dares to spread rumors about him?"

"In short, let's not interfere in their affairs." Guilford hugged his fiancée again.

"I don't care what those moralists say at all." Jane Gray lightly pecked each other's lips like a woodpecker, "Actually, I think they are a good match. Besides, he is a king...they will be very happy happy."

Lord Guilford laughed, "I don't know how happy it is to be a king, I only know that with you, I am the happiest person in the world." He looked at the bustling crowd at the mansion, "If the two of them People are really as you said, I think they must also envy us at this moment."

"Everyone in the world is envious of us at this moment." Jane Gray kissed the other party's lips again, and everything returned to silence, leaving only the never-ending sound of the sea still echoing, like the goddess of the sea murmuring.