Lady Rosamond's book

by Lucy Ellen Guernsey

Doubtless this was the grief which weighed so heavy on the poor lady's heart, and for which she had sought comfort in vain at the shrine of St. Ethelburga.

Well, we reached home in safety, and were soon settled down in an orderly way of living, my Lady seeming somehow to establish her sway perfectly, with very little trouble or contention. I think she is one of those people born to rule, to whom government comes easy.

I saw but little of the process, being taken down with a new access of my fever, which lasted two or three weeks. Harry told me afterward she had no trouble with anybody but Prudence and Alice. Alice thought her dignity as a matron, and the prospects of the baby were injured, by my father's presuming to take a second wife. She thought he ought to remain single for the sake of his children; though I don't think she ever thought of remaining single for his sake. However, she thinks that is different, and perhaps it may be, a little.

Harry is thoroughly pleased, and when I hear from him how matters went on—how Prue tyrannized, and the maids rebelled, and how uncomfortable the whole household was made, especially my father, I do not wonder. My Lady being just what she is, I can honestly say, I am heartily glad of her coming among us, though I can't but speculate what it might be if my father had fancied a different kind of woman—somebody like Sister Catherine, for instance.

Master Ellenwood was away when we came home, on a visit to his sisters in Bristol; but he returned just when I was getting about, and in time for the Christmas holidays. I could see that he was shocked at first. He worshipped my dear mother as a kind of saint, and though they did not agree on some matters—in my spending so much time on fine needlework, for instance, when he would fain have kept me at my Latin—yet they never had a word of disagreement, and they used to have many conferences on religious and spiritual matters. But he quite agreed with Harry and me that the change was a good one for my father and the rest of the household, and he and my Lady were presently good friends.

My step-dame is quite in favor of my taking up my lessons again when my health is once more established. She says she has known many learned ladies who were none the worse housekeepers and managers for that, and she instanced my young Lady Latymer, daughter of Sir Thomas Parr, whose father gave her a most excellent education, even to having her taught the Greek tongue. This lady is my step-dame's great friend, and quite a pattern in the court for her piety and discretion. My Lady says she hopes I may some day make her acquaintance.

[So I did; but before that time came she had passed through many strange mutations of fortune, having become first a widow, then a Queen, then a widow again, and at last a most unhappy wife, when she married Sir Thomas Seymor, Lord High Admiral, and died in child-bed not long after. She wrote many excellent pieces, both in prose and verse, two of which, "The Complaint of a Penitent Sinner," and "Prayers and Meditations," I had a present from this godly and afflicted lady's own hand.]

I was about again in time to witness the Christmas revels, though not to take any great part in them. Alice and her husband were here with their boy, and I think my Lady hath quite won Alice's heart by her attention to the brat, which took to her wonderfully. I saw my Lady's eyes soften and fill with tears as she held the child in her arms and looked on its little waxen face.

"Alice, my child, God hath given you a great treasure!" said she, and presently more softly, "Methinks fathers and mothers should have a greater and deeper sense of God's love toward his fallen creatures than any one else. How much must you love any one before you could give the life of this babe for him?"

I don't think this remark struck Alice so much as it did me, but I pondered on it many times afterward. I had often been reminded of our Lady when I had seen a mother and babe, but it had never occurred to me to think so much of God's love. When I repeated the saying to Master Ellenwood, he said: