Sir Walter Raleigh turned up just as the sun dipped below the horizon. He was a shadowy figure emerging from the misty forest. Queen Elizabeth remained hidden behind a rock. She had to make doubly sure that she was safe while observing the liaison she had heard was about to happen. She moved slightly because a stone underneath her jewel encrusted shoe was hurting the ball of her left foot. Then she realized that the ruff she was wearing was entangled in a thorny vine.
Sir Walter Raleigh stood and waited. He had long been Elizabeth’s secret lover. Would events unfold as she had heard they would?
Suddenly there was a rustle in the bushes. Lady Jenny Devereaux appeared. She was one of Queen Elizabeth’s ladies-in-waiting. “Poppy!” said Sir Walter Raleigh holding out his open arms. “Oh Poppy, thank goodness you turned up.” They hugged.
Enough is enough. Elizabeth had long loved Sir Walter. She had to intervene, torn ruff or not. She stood. Then she realized; the edge of the forest was no place to reveal herself. She had caught Lady Jenny Devereux and Sir Walter Raleigh red-handed. She would deal with things once back in Court. She again crouched down behind the rock. Sir Walter and Lady Jenny disappeared into the woods.
Later in Court it was announced that Lady Jenny Devereaux had been beheaded. Sir Walter Raleigh was devastated. He went straight up to Queen Elizabeth the First and asked, “Why did you have my sister beheaded?” It was Elizabeth’s turn to be devastated. She ordered the beheading of Sir Walter Raleigh to cover up her mistake. She had no idea they were brother and sister. Not long after she rescinded her order and instead had him locked up in the Tower of London for thirteen years.
Back to Index
Next Story
Previous Story