While in Lady Zouche's household she was married to a 13 year old page in the household. Robert Barlow, named after his Derbyshire family's estate, was a sickly child and died 18 months after.

Says Judy: "By 16 she was a widow and legally entitled to the return of her dowry of 40 marks, plus a third of his income from the Barlow estates. But the Barlows refused to pay up, on the grounds that the marriage had produced no children.

"Bess took her claim to the courts in Derbyshire and fought for her rights."

With money to her name, she decided to further her career - and went off to become lady-in-waiting to the grander Lady Dorset, the mother of Lady Jane Grey, at the family seat in Leicestershire. Through this job came her second marriage. She was 20 when she wed one of Lady Dorset's acquaintances, William Cavendish, a rich, twice-married 42 year old.

"He was a millionaire by today's standards; Bess had done well for herself, says Judy. "I often wonder whether he was her sugar daddy."

William taught Bess all he knew about business; they had eight children together, six of whom survived. And when a small manor called Chatsworth came up for sale, Bess persuaded him to buy it.

Unusually for the times, the names of both husband and wife were put onto the deeds. And Bess persuaded Cavendish to sell many of his lands in the south of England and buy around Chatsworth. A great estate was created, just 17 miles from Bess's family home in Hardwick.

The proximity of the two homes Bess held so dear was to come into greater play, though. In 1557 Cavendish died, leaving Bess alone with her children. Modern rumour has it that she may have hand a hand in his death, but Judy is adamant: "She loved him. And from a business point of view, it would have been very stupid. Just before his death, Cavendish, treasurer to the court chamber, had to take on a £6,000 discrepancy in the accounts. His widow had to inherit the debt."

She was alone with six children when a golden career opportunity fell into her lap. Henry VIII's daughter Princess Elizabeth had become a friend - so much so that she was godmother to Bess's eldest child. And when Elizabeth succeeded Queen Mary to the throne, she made Bess her royal lady-in-waiting.

But it meant Bess had to leave her children to live in royal palaces at Greenwich and Hampton Court.

Would it have been a dilemma, having to leave six children, grieving for their father? Judy believes so.

Within two years at the Queen's palaces, Bess met her third husband, the "stinkingly rich" chief butler Sir William St Loe. He died, too - by poisoning.

"But it's highly unlikely Bess did it," says Judy. "She was visiting her children in Chatsworth at the time."

At the ripe old age of 40 she married again; and this time she hit the jackpot. George Talbot, the sixth Earl of Shrewsbury, was one of the richest men in the country. his homes included Sheffield Castle, Wingfield Manor and Manor Lodge; Bess had known him for years.

The union was a powerful one - and to seal it, the newly-weds married off two of each of their children to each other to ensure riches would not leave the family. A canny move. But although the money lasted, the love didn't...

Mary Queen of Scots got in the way.



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