Madam, do you trust him?

/ Dee

Good to be back. The photo this week is from Claire Fuller, I have just finished reading her brilliant book ‘Our Endless Numbered Days’ which certainly stays with you quite a while after you finish reading.Thank you to Rochelle for her continued captaincy of the good ship ‘FF’ and for her latest book ‘Please Say Kaddish For Me’ which I have just started to read.  I feel humble to be in such talented company.

Copyright - Claire Fuller

Copyright – Claire Fuller

Genre: Historical Fiction

Word Count: 100

‘Madam, do you trust him?’

‘I have a mind to.  Anthony has been a loyal page and is also a good friend of John Ballard, both seem set upon my release. The letter sets out a plan so daring, it takes my breath away, but with God’s help it will succeed. Bring me paper, I will reply.’

Imprisoned at Chartley, Mary’s letters were encrypted by her secretary Gilbert Curle and smuggled out in casks of ale, only to be intercepted by Sir Francis Walsingham. Her eager reply to Babington’s letter sealed the fate of both herself and the plotters.

The Babington Plot

Courtesy of National Archives

Courtesy of National Archives

 

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Mary,Queen of  Scots                                         Courtesy of Wikipedia

 

 

34 thoughts on “Madam, do you trust him?”

    • Thanks Lorna. The thought process went something like – prison – filing system – secret files -secret codes – letters … Mary Queen of Scots has long been a favourite historical figure, much maligned I feel.

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      • The photo is of library moving stacks — it saves space to have all the stacks bunched up together, and then you roll them one by one until you open up a “hallway” between the two stacks you need. But it’s also used for security, because you can lock the stacks so they won’t move. So I thought Dee was making a very clever reference to how these historical letters would have been stored carefully in these vaults!

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  4. Dear Dee.

    I love it that Claire’s photo this week is kind of obscure for most of us and has already inspired a variety of stories. Of course you know my love of historical fiction. 😉 Well done.

    I’m pleased you’re reading my book and am honored to be mentioned in the same paragraph as Claire. I read Our Endless Numbered Days as well. Haunting and so well written.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    • Dear Rochelle
      Thank you, I hoped my story wasn’t too far a stretch from Claire’s photo, Lorna already asked how I got there and it was a bit of a winding thought process, which I understood perfectly!
      To know both you and Claire through FF is really great and you are both such accomplished wordsmiths, writing in different genres and equably readable, it is a pleasure to ‘know’ you both.

      Best wishes
      Dee

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    • Thanks Dawn. I’ve seen those thing before somewhere and I think Joy has said they are called stacks. Anyway I went from prison, to secret files to secret letters – shows the way my mind works!!! Thanks for reading.

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    • Dear Doug

      Lovely to hear from you and very pleased that you liked my tale of secrets and intrigue.

      We are all human and will go on making mistakes and errors of judgement, which proves we are alive and still in control of our own thoughts and actions.

      Best wishes

      Dee

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  8. I recently read Philippa Gregory’s account of Mary’s ‘imprisonment’. (The Other Queen). Your story brought it back to me. The dialogue was very convincing in tone. Well done.

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    • I haven’t read her book, but years ago I was given a copy of Elizabeth Byrd’s ‘Immortal Queen’ I think it has been reprinted and if you can get a copy I’m sure you will enjoy her well written story of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots.
      Thank you for your kind comments, I’m glad you liked the story.

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