Katharine, The Virgin Widow - Plaidy Jean (книга регистрации .txt) 📗

She understood the danger to herself and her family. She had not only her own but her family’s future to think of. She would not want it known that Juan Manuel had played his part in this; and although Ferdinand had been weakened by the death of Isabella, he was still a power in Spain, and it might be that he would act as Regent for Juana and Philip, who must necessarily spend a certain time in their other dominions.

Elvira knew very well that she was playing a dangerous game.

She went down to the courtyard, while Puebla watched from a window. Katharine had given the chamberlain her letter with instructions to ride to Richmond with all speed, and had returned to the house.

That made Elvira’s task more easy. Puebla watched her take the letter from the chamberlain; he saw the look of surprise on the man’s face as the horse was led back to the stables.

The ambassador sighed with relief. A chance meeting with the Infanta had diverted a catastrophe. He felt exhausted. He would return immediately to his lodgings in the Strand and there rest awhile.

I am too old for such alarms, he told himself.

As he came out of Durham House his servant, who had been waiting for him, came hurriedly to his side, surprised to see his master so weary.

Puebla was about to start on his way when he stopped abruptly. “Wait here,” he said. “If you should see Don Alonso de Esquivel ride off in some haste towards Richmond lose no time in coming straight to me.”

He then made his way to his lodging. He did not trust Elvira. He had always known that the woman sent adverse reports of him to Isabella, and was doubtless doing so to Ferdinand. He had an inkling that she might attempt to thwart him even now that he was aware of her duplicity.

He was right.

He had not been in his lodgings very long when his servant came panting into his presence, to tell him that the chamberlain had, very soon after the departure of Dr. de Puebla from Durham House, set off in the direction of Richmond, riding at great speed.

Puebla was horrified. He should have foreseen this.

The mischief was done. The King was being offered what was tantamount to an invitation to meet Philip and Juana; if he accepted, months of diplomacy were ruined.

He could not prevent Katharine’s letter from reaching the King, but he could at least warn Katharine of the part she had been inveigled into playing. Then perhaps he could warn the King of the unreliable character of the Archduke Philip.

He had no time to form elaborate plans. He must act with speed. Of one thing he could be certain: The Infanta was completely loyal to her own family; if she knew that she had been used in a plot against her father, she would be horrified.

He lost no time in returning to Durham House, and there burst unceremoniously into the presence of the Infanta.

Katharine was with some of her maids of honor and, when he stammered out the plea that he speak to her alone, she was so shocked by his distress that she immediately agreed that he should do so.

As soon as they were alone he said: “Highness, you are the victim of a plot against your father.” He then explained how for months the Castilian faction in Brussels had been working to bring about a meeting between Henry of England and her brother-in-law, Philip.

“You must understand, Highness, that your brother-in-law is no friend of your father. He seeks to take from him all the power he has in Castile and relegate him solely to the affairs of Aragon. You know how distressed your mother would be if she could know what is happening now. In her will she asks that in the absence or incapacity of your sister Juana, your father should be sole regent of Castile until the majority of her grandson Charles. Philip is determined to increase the discord and distrust between your father and the King of England. He will seek to make a pact with him against your father. Dona Elvira’s brother, Don Juan Manuel, is the leader in this plot. It is for this reason that she has urged you to help bring about this meeting.”

Katharine was staring at the ambassador in horror. She was remembering how Dona Elvira had commiserated with her, how she had urged her to write to Juana. So she and Juana were being used by their father’s enemies! Katharine thought of her mother, who had always stood firmly beside her father. How shocked and horrified she would be at the idea of her daughters’ working with their father’s enemies.

She was trembling as she said: “I believe what you say. I see that I have been their dupe. What can I do now?”

Puebla shook his head sadly, for he had realized that there was nothing now to be done. The King would receive the letter from his daughter-in-law, enclosing that from Juana. It was entirely in his hands whether or not that invitation would be accepted.

“At least, Highness,” he said, “you know your duenna for the scheming woman she is. With your leave I will retire now. I shall go with all speed to Richmond, and there I shall try to use my influence with the King to avoid this meeting.”

* * *

HENRY WAS STUDYING the letter from Katharine and that from Juana.

To cross to Saint-Omer, to meet the heir of Isabella and her husband! Perhaps to make the arrangements for those alliances which he coveted? Philip would have the backing of his father, Maximilian, and if they could come to some agreement it might mean that he would have his bride in England soon. Maximilian’s daughter, a beautiful young woman, though twice widowed…. They could get children. He was very eager to have a bride for himself and those alliances for his family. Charles, the heir of the Hapsburgs and of Isabella and Ferdinand, would be the richest monarch in Europe when he came of age. Little Mary was the bride for him. And Eleanor, the daughter of Philip and Juana, would do very well for young Henry. All this could be arranged if he met Philip and Juana.

They would want something in exchange—promises of help, doubtless, against Ferdinand, because there would certainly be trouble in Castile between Ferdinand and Philip. It was easy to make promises.

A meeting was desirable, but it would be expensive; a King could not travel abroad in modesty; that gave an impression of poverty and would not be wise. He did not like travel; he was getting too old, and his limbs were often so stiff when he arose in the mornings that he could scarcely put his feet to the ground. Yet those alliances were what his family needed.

Puebla was announced, and the ambassador, when he entered and stood before the King, was clearly distraught.

“You look disturbed,” said Henry.

Puebla, feeling the situation to be too dangerous for subterfuge, explained in detail how Dona Elvira had used Katharine to suggest this meeting.

“Well, are the means so important?”

“Your Grace, the Spanish situation is fluid…very fluid. There is so much treachery involved in this that it is difficult to know who is one’s friend, who one’s foe. There are the two rival factions in Brussels. How can you know who it is who have arranged this meeting? Is it your friends? Is it your enemies? A King is vulnerable when he leaves his own shores. Philip is as wayward as thistledown. He will sway this way and that. He does not keep his promises if the whim takes him to break them. You would be ill advised to take this suggestion of a meeting seriously.”

The King was thoughtful. There was spying and counterspying in all countries, he knew, but the Spanish situation at this time was certainly dangerous.

He knew Philip for a pleasure-loving young man whose political ambitions waxed and waned. Ferdinand he looked upon as a rogue, but at least he and Ferdinand were of a kind.

“I will consider this matter,” he said, and Puebla’s spirits rose.

He did not believe that Henry would make that journey. Clearly he was dreading it. Crossing the Channel could be hazardous, and if he suffered even a slight wetting he could be sure that his rheumatism would be the worse for it.