Briefly I explained about the play, which made him laugh. “But it was not until I realised the night watchman at the Globe thought me a true woman that I had the idea to wear the gown to the ball.”
“Clever fellow,” said he, and patted my arm. “Off you go.”
The ball was held in the Great Hall. At the far end, up on the dais, the King sat with Buckingham to his right and Queen Anne to his left. It was widely known that His Majesty loved his Queen and treated her with deference and affection, but when it came to the King’s bed, it was Buckingham who shared it more often than not.
Lord Salisbury and Lady Elizabeth entered the Great Hall quietly, bowed to the King, and walked among the crowd of revellers for less than an hour before leaving.
Until late, I watched the dancing and joined in w
