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."Hello?"No one answered.I examined My Lady's dressing table.Water was still in the pitcher, the bowl dry, Her Majesty's towel untouched.Surely Francesca was with the Queen.She must have arisen late herself and rushed My Lady's toilet and now they had gone to Mass.I glanced around the room.Where was the Queen's nightgown? Nothing made sense.The halls were empty because of the commencing service.I ran to the chapel inside the palace, my pace checked only Upon reaching the door.What would the condesa say when I arrived so late?I eased my gaze through the stone arches of the windows that opened from the chapel into the hallway, as the priest sang the Kyrie Eleison: Mass had just started.On her pew, the condesa sat rigidly straight, her pomander to her nose.Next to her slumped madame, fingering her beads.On the other side of the crowded chapel, Don Alessandro sat with his chin Upon his doublet, sleeping.The Queen was not there.I dropped into a crouch, fearful of being discovered.At that very moment, the door to the outside opened at the far end of the hall, letting the cold morning sunshine come pouring inside.Sparked by an Urging inside me, I ran for the light, discovering Upon passing through the portal the reason for its open state: The man on the other side was polishing the iron straps of the door.He had stopped to chat with a guard; neither man marked the exit of a panicked woman in disheveled dress.I ran through the garden and over the wooden bridge and into the elm woods.Had My Lady escaped once more to the freedom of the woods? Oh, but the condesa would be harsh with her for missing Mass.Dona Juana would file it away for future damning Use.Why had Francesca not stopped My Lady? Where was she?I raced down the sandy trail, mentally scolding the Queen, berating Francesca, hectoring myself, when I was startled by a further thought: What if the King had ordered My Lady to be taken away?I hurried on, my stomach burning with anxiety, when around the bend I spied two beggar women in layers of ragged clothing.I drew back, fearful of discovery, even as a ball of white threw itself from within the cloak of the smaller beggar and charged toward me.The larger beggar woman whirled around, her upturned chin trembling above her wimple."Signorina!"I gasped."Francesca?" Cher-Ami bounded into my arms."My Lady?"I ran forth to embrace the Queen.Beneath her layers of rough black rags, she wore a simple cowl of fine ivory wool, added protection against the morning chill, but not enough for someone in her weakened state."What are you doing, My Lady? Why are you dressed so?" I felt her forehead.She was feverish."You were not to find us!" Francesca groaned."Go, signorina, while you can.""I will not! What are you doing?""Go back! No one will have to know."A low whistle came from the direction of the river.Cher-Ami leapt down and scrambled through the underbrush.Before I could make sense of it, Francesca helped My Lady limp after the dog."Francesca, what have you told her?" I demanded, following."I mean it--go!""I am not leaving!"Moaning like a wounded bear, Francesca gathered up the Queen, then crashed through the greenery.She broke out at the river's edge, where Don Juan waited in the water, holding the reins of a single mule and his great bay horse.His dog, Rojo, loped over to greet Cher-Ami.With a last groan from the effort, Francesca relinquished the Queen into Don Juan's arms.Wordlessly, My Lady melted against him.It shocked me to see her do so, she who had for so many years scrupulously avoided his touch.Don Juan drew back and looked searchingly into her face, so pale within her coarse black shawls."Are you well, My Lady?"She drank in his gaze."Yes."He cradled her to him, tenderly resting his chin Upon her shawl-covered head."Did anyone see you?" he asked Francesca.She scowled at me."No.""I did not know you were coming," Don Juan said to me."She not!" Francesca exclaimed."We go!""Let me be the one to decide!"With his free arm, Don Juan steadied the sidestepping mule and handed its reins to Francesca."There is a stream that branches from the river just around the bend.We will follow that as far as we can toward Toledo to cover our tracks.Then we will have to ride hard for the Gredos."She nodded."I know places to hide there," Don Juan told me."When it is safe, we will ride to Portugal, then set sail for the New World."He pulled over his own horse and lifted the Queen Upon it.He grasped her hands."Elisabeth, this puts you at great risk.Speak now and we abandon the venture."She gazed toward the palace."My baby child.She won't even know me." "We won't go
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