Scholastic Canada - The Nine Days Queen

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Scholastic Canada Ltd.
ISBN 0-439-96102-5 HC
240 pages
Ages 9 to 14
5 ¼“x 7 3/8”

by Karleen Bradford

Fifteen-year-old Lady Jane Grey was Queen of England for only nine days before being found guilty of treason. Guilty, even though she had never wanted to become Queen. Now she faces the executioner’s axe. Will anyone come forward to save her?


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Excerpt from THE NINE DAYS QUEEN
by Karleen Bradford

“My lady!” the admiral exclaimed, hastening to bow and kiss her hand with elaborate courtesy. “It seems I am to have the delightful pleasure of your company once again. My home at Seymour Place awaits your coming. I will have a suite of rooms decorated for you that will be suitable for a princess — nay, suitable for a queen!”

Before the astonished Jane could answer, he straightened and, with a flourish of his heavy riding cloak, was gone.

Jane turned to her parents. “What is the meaning of this, good my lord father and lady mother?”

“You are to return to live with his lordship, the admiral,” her mother replied archly. “He has graciously agreed to accept you as his ward.”

“For payment of five hundred pounds, first payment of two thousand pounds!”

Lady Frances coloured and her plump cheeks trembled with rage. “How dare you speak to your parents in that fashion, mistress? Your lord father and I are the ones to determine what is best for you. You will obey us without question!”

“And the betrothal my lord spoke of, what betrothal did he mean? What have you been conspiring with him?”

“Be quiet!” Jane’s father grabbed her by the arm and shook her. “Hold your tongue! There was no talk of betrothal. You are to become the Lord High Admiral’s ward, that is all. Hold your tongue!”

Behind his fury, Jane saw a glint of fear in his eyes. They were conspiring something secret. And something dangerous also, if it could not be spoken of openly. It could only be one thing. They were planning to marry her to the king. And if the Lord High Admiral was arranging it, it could only be in order to further his own interests. Jane knew him well enough by now to know that his thoughts were solely for himself, for the furthering of his own power. If she were the admiral’s ward and she were to become queen . . . If that were to happen, then the admiral would have power equal to or even surpassing his brother’s, the Lord Protector. She and her family would be indebted to him. Would owe him the greatest of favours.

“I refuse.” Jane pulled her arm out of her father’s grasp haughtily and made as if to turn away. “I refuse to return to the care of the Lord High Admiral. Besides, without the queen there it would not be seemly.”

“You what?” The Lady Frances’s face coloured even more, to a deep and ominous purple. Her arm drew back and she slapped Jane full across the face. The sound of the slap echoed in the silence that followed. “Go to your room!” Her father looked as if he too were about to hit her.

Jane shrank back, her momentary courage deserting her. She made one last attempt. “It would not be seemly . . . ”

“Lady Seymour, the admiral’s mother, will be there, and he has retained all Queen Katherine’s maids and ladies to wait upon you. He has gone to much expense and trouble for you, you ungrateful wretch.” Her father grabbed her arm again and squeezed so tightly Jane knew there would be a bruise there the next day. “To your room, I say, and make ready. You will leave as soon as possible!”

From The Nine Days Queen, copyright © 1986, 2005 by Karleen Bradford.

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"I certainly thought it was great to see such a detailed and precise book of factual materials on the life of the Nine Days Queen, Lady Jane Grey. Well done!" Michael L., Age 14, U.S.A., Rating: 9 "I think it was quite excellent . . . it presented a point of view of the chaos of the Tudor dynasty in Lady Jane's mind. It showed that royalty is not just fun and glamour, like Disney. It can be dangerous." Angie T., Age 11, Ontario, Rating: 9

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