Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury (c. 1527-1608), known as Bess of Hardwick is one of the narrators of The Other Queen. From humble beginnings, Bess improved her social standing through a series of good marriages and sound business acumen. By 1568, she was one of the most prominent figures in England, enormously wealthy, a good friend to the powerful William Cecil and has married George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury. Through this marriage, Bess becomes keeper to the dethroned Scottish Queen Mary, queen of Scots.
The Other Queen[]
The novel begins in Autumn 1568 with Bess Talbot thinking on her good fortune and her advantageous marriages. Bess was born a commoner but proved to be good business woman; increasing her succession of husbands' wealth and her own fortunes and properties. After a life time of work, Bess marries George Talbot the Earl of Shrewsbury and enters the ranks of aristocracy. Due to her husband's title and her friendship with the influential William Cecil, Bess is informed that she will house the dethroned Scottish Queen Mary Stuart. When the Scots revolted, Mary fled to England under the impression that her cousin Elizabeth I would help her regain her throne. Elizabeth is mistrustful of Mary and William Cecil actively tries to implicate Mary in treason against Elizabeth seeing Mary as a catholic threat to England. Bess willingly accepts the task with the understanding that she will spy on Mary and hand her over to Cecil when he finds her guilty .Bess' honorable husband George is summoned to court to review Cecil's growing evidence of Mary Stuart's treason; a task that he