Виктория Холт - Katharine, the Virgin Widow

But he had not summoned the boy to talk of extravagance. That could wait. There was a matter which he considered more urgent.

“My son,” said the King, “one day you will be married, and that day is not far distant.”

“I hear, Sire, that a new bride is being suggested now. I like what I hear of Marguerite.”

“Yes, Marguerite,” said his father. “Do you remember that when you were thirteen you were betrothed to another in the house of the Bishop of Salisbury?”

“I remember it well—a hot day. The people cheered me as I came into Fleet Street!”

“Yes.” Henry’s tone was curt. “We know full well that the people cheer you wherever you go. Katharine of Aragon is not the match today that she was at that time. Circumstances change. Now that her mother is dead, her father’s position is not what it was. I do not trust her father. I feel sure that were a marriage to take place there would still be difficulty about getting the remainder of the dowry. In other words, I do not favor the marriage with Katharine.”

“No, Sire. I…”

The King lifted his hand. “We will not discuss your wishes because they are at this time of no moment.”

The blood flamed into young Henry’s face. A protest rose to his lips; then he remembered that this was his father; this was the King. One did not argue with Kings. He tried to suppress his anger. His mouth was tight and his eyes a blazing blue.

“According to what was arranged in the Bishop of Salisbury’s house a year ago, when you are fifteen you would marry Katharine. That is in a year’s time. I now desire you to make a formal protest. You are to meet Archbishop Warham here in the Palace. He is waiting now. You will solemnly protest that you have no wish for this marriage with Katharine of Aragon.”

“But…” began Henry.

“You will do as you are told, my son. The Archbishop is waiting to see you now.”

All the egoism in the Prince’s nature was rising in protest—not against marriage with Katharine but against his father’s management of what he considered to be his personal affair. Young Henry knew that royal marriages were usually arranged, but he was no ordinary Prince. He was old enough to have a say in his own affairs.

If he, of his own free will, decided against marrying Katharine, all well and good. But to be told to make such a protest offended his amour propre, which was extremely sensitive.

His father said testily: “This is what you will say: ‘The betrothal was contracted in my minority. I myself was not consulted in the matter. I shall not ratify it when the time comes, and it is therefore null and void.’”

“I should like time to consider this matter,” said Henry boldly.

“That is enough,” his father retorted; “you do as you are told. Come…say those words after me.”

For a few seconds Henry’s blazing eyes looked into his father’s. But he knew he must obey. He was only a boy not yet fourteen, and this man, whose face was lined with suffering, was the King. He murmured the words he had been told to repeat.

“Again,” said his father.

It was humiliating. Why should I? he asked of himself. Then a cunning thought came into his mind. It would not always be as it was now. One day he would be King, and the man who was now commanding him would be nothing but a moldering corpse. What did words matter? When young Prince Henry was King Henry, then he would have his way and, if he wished to marry Katharine of Aragon, there would be none to deny him his wish.

He repeated the words sullenly.

“Come,” said the King. “I dare swear Warham has arrived already.”

So, in the ground floor apartment in Richmond Palace, young Henry repeated the words which were his formal protest against a marriage with Katharine of Aragon.

Words, thought Henry as he went back to his own apartments. He would never allow a few words to stand between himself and what he wanted.

After that he thought of Katharine of Aragon more frequently. He remembered her as she had been when he had led her to the Palace after her wedding ceremony.

His father had made up his mind that he should never have Katharine, yet his father himself had wanted to marry her. Katharine was now out of reach. She represented a challenge. She had suddenly become quite attractive—more so than Marguerite, who was so enamored of her own brother that she thought him the handsomest boy in the world.

DOÑA ELVIRA WAS IN VERY SECRET CONFERENCE WITH HER husband, Don Pedro Manrique. She spoke quickly and quietly, for she was very eager that what she was saying should reach no other ears but those of her husband.

“Juan is certain of it,” she was saying. “If this meeting can be arranged, it will teach Ferdinand the lesson he needs.”

Don Pedro was alarmed. It was true that his wife was a woman who always had her way; but the domestic politics of the Infanta’s household were a very different matter from those of Europe. She had become more confident than ever, since she had successfully arranged the betrothal of Iñigo and Maria de Rojas. But Don Pedro wished she would leave intrigue to her brother.

Elvira’s great aim was to bring power to the Manrique and Manuel families. Therefore she was going to stand firmly behind her brother, Don Juan Manuel, who at the Court of Brussels represented the Castilian faction, the aim of which was to oust Ferdinand from power and support Philip.

“He is asking your help in this matter?” asked Don Pedro.

Elvira nodded proudly. “Why not? I hold an important position here in England. There is a great deal I could do.”

“What do you propose? Are you going to consult Puebla?”

“That little fool! Indeed I am not. This is a matter which I shall trust to no one.”

“But how do you propose to bring about a meeting between Henry and Philip? And what would Ferdinand’s reaction be if this were done?”

“I do not think we should concern ourselves with Ferdinand’s reactions. Ferdinand is growing old. He is like a lion whose teeth have been drawn. He understands now that he owed much to Isabella. He is going to realize that it was more than he suspects, even now. Ferdinand’s days as a power in Europe are numbered. Once I have arranged this meeting…”

“Elvira, have a care.”

“Oh you are a fool, Pedro. You are too timid. If it had been left to you, Iñigo would still be looking for a bride.”

“All I ask is that you should go warily.”

“Can you not trust me to do that?”

“You are clever, Elvira; you are shrewd. But this is dangerous politics. Tell me what you propose to do.”

She looked at him with a scornful smile, made as though to speak and then paused. “No,” she said, “I think I will tell you afterwards. You are too timid, my dear Pedro. But have no fear. I know exactly how to handle this matter.”

* * *

KATHARINE’S MAIDS of honor were helping her to dress when Elvira came to them.

“Is that the best gown you can find for Her Highness?” she demanded, staring at the stiff brocade skirt which had been mended in several places.

“It is the least shabby of Her Highness’s gowns,” said Inez de Veñegas.

Elvira clicked her tongue and murmured as though to herself: “A pretty pass…a pretty pass…”

She watched while the maids dressed Katharine’s hair, then she waved her hands in a gesture they knew well, shooing them away as though they were chicken.

When they had gone Elvira said: “It distresses me, Highness. I often wonder what your mother would have said if she could see what has befallen you in England.”

“She knew how I was placed, even before she died, yet there was nothing she could do. Had it been possible she would have done it.”

“An Infanta of Spain to be so shabby! I feel it should not be allowed to continue.”

“It has gone on so long that one grows accustomed to it.”

“There is a new Queen of Spain now. I wonder what she would say if she could see her sister.”

“Ah…Juana!” murmured Katharine, and thought of that wild sister who laughed and cried too easily. “It is strange to think of her as Queen in our mother’s place.”

“How would you like to see her again?”

Katharine did not speak. To see Juana! It would be the next best thing to seeing her mother.

“I do not see,” whispered Elvira, watching her closely, “why it should not be arranged.”

Katharine turned to her swiftly. “But how?”

“Suppose you wrote to her, telling her of your desire to see her. Do not forget, she is the Queen now. Suppose you told her of your homesickness, your longing to see a member of your family; I feel sure she would be as eager to see you as you are to see her.”

“You mean that I should leave England…?”

“Why not? They could come to the coast to meet you. The King might accompany you; it would be an opportunity for him to meet the new Queen and her husband.”

“Doña Elvira, do you really think…?”

How young she is, thought Elvira. How innocent. How easily she is deluded!

Elvira turned away as though to hide an emotion of which she was ashamed because it showed a weakness.

“I think it is worth trying. Why should you not write a note to your sister, suggesting such a meeting. What harm could that do?”

“I can see no harm in it. I should so rejoice to hear from Juana.”

“Then write the note and we will send it by special courier to Brussels. He shall wait there and bring back your sister’s answer to you.”

Katharine rose and went to her table. Her fingers were trembling with excitement as she took up her pen.

* * *

KATHARINE LOOKED at the note. It brought back memories of Juana.

How wonderful for them to be together, to exchange experiences, to give themselves up to the joy of “Do you remember?” It would be almost like living those days of childhood again.

We should be together, thought Katharine; there are so few of us left now.

Juana had written that she would be delighted to see her sister, that there was nothing she wanted more. Why should not the two parties meet half way?

If King Henry and Katharine would cross to Calais and travel to Saint-Omer, which was but eight leagues away, there Juana and her husband, Philip, would be waiting to meet them.

Katharine showed the letter to Doña Elvira, who was overjoyed. Juan had been clever to get the unbalanced Juana to write the letter exactly as he wished, so the strategy had succeeded even beyond her hope.

There was now of course the difficulty of persuading the King to enter into the plan, but Elvira did not think that would be difficult, since Henry desperately needed a bride and was desirous of linking up with the Hapsburgs. He was feeling his age, it was true, and a sea journey would not be very comfortable, but he was ever a man to put diplomacy before comfort. Elvira had little doubt that he would accept the invitation.

She was jubilant. She would have achieved for her brother that which he had been working hard to bring about: A meeting between Henry and Philip which could only work out to the detriment of Ferdinand and the Aragonese faction.

“You should write to the King at once,” said Elvira, “showing him this invitation from your sister. If you will do it now, I myself will give the order for your chamberlain to prepare to take it to Richmond with all speed.”

“I will write at once. Tell Alonso de Esquivel to make ready. He rides faster than any, and I can scarcely wait for the King’s answer. I will take it down to him myself when I have written it, with special instructions that it is to be put into no hands other than those of the King.”

Elvira nodded, well pleased, and went off at once to tell the chamberlain to make ready.

Katharine carefully wrote her letter to the King, sealed it and was making her way down to the courtyard when she came face to face with Dr. de Puebla.

She felt so happy that she could not resist confiding in the ambassador, and said almost childishly: “I have had an invitation from my sister. She has invited me…and the King…to see her. I am asking the King to agree to this.”

Puebla put his hand out to the wall to steady himself. He knew at once what this meant. Katharine would not go alone. There would be a royal party and the King would most certainly be at the head of it. The enemies of Ferdinand had been working long and secretly to bring about such a meeting. This was direct treachery towards Katharine’s father.