Mary’s mouth opened wider. ‘Why?’
‘People give them to her because they know she likes to look pretty.’
‘What colours are they?’
‘Most of them are black and white with some different coloured trimming, but some of them are cloth of gold or cloth of silver and a lot of them have pearls sewn on them loose enough to drop off when she walks.’
‘Why?’
‘So people will pick them up and keep them and remember her by them.’
‘Will she come here?’
‘It’s very unlikely. She doesn’t travel so much now she’s... er... a little older.’
Dodd had learnt enough about the Queen from Carey by now to know that mentioning her age was skimming dangerously close to treason as far as Her Majesty was concerned.
‘Is she very old?’
‘She was already a grown woman and Queen when I was born. But she’s still beautiful,’ said Carey diplomatically.
‘Will she die soon?’
‘It isn’t polite to talk about it.’
‘How many gowns has she got?’
‘A couple of hundred, most of them made of velvet.’
‘Like your doublet?’
‘Yes.’
‘I like your clothes. They’re pretty. Do you have lots of pretty clothes like the Queen?’
‘Not nearly as many,’ said Carey straight-faced. ‘And not a tenth as pretty.’
‘Why are your hose so fat?’
‘Because it’s fashionable.’
‘Does it no’ make it hard to walk?’
Carey grinned. ‘A bit. But you get used to it.’
‘Do you like pretty clothes?’
‘Yes, very much.’
Now there’s the truth, thought Dodd.
‘What, made of brocade?’
‘Yes, only it’s purple. Mrs Dodd gave the bits to me mam when she made hers. It’s very beautiful.’
‘It sounds it. You’re a lucky girl.’
For God’s sake, Dodd thought to himself, what is the Courtier on about, prattling over clothes with a child?
‘And I am learning to sew. I made a purse for money.’
‘Excellent.’
Carey made a small choking sound which he turned into a cough and then smiled.
‘I’ll give you two pennies if you can show me you have a good memory.’
Eh? thought Dodd.
‘I have a very good memory,’ said Mary. ‘Me mam says so. She says she canna speak her mind without I’ll repeat it after.’ Her face clouded over momentarily as she remembered how the Deputy had come and taken her mam away.
‘I thought so. But I bet you can’t remember what happened on Monday.’
‘That was the day before me dad died?’ said Mary anxiously.
‘Yes,’ said Carey simply. ‘And I’m sorry for your dad dying.’
Mary blinked at him for a moment. ‘Why? Ye didnae like him, ye sacked him.’
