The Shadow of the Pomegranate Read online

  Francesca was silent. She did not see how this was going to help her win the Queen’s favor, which was her sole object; but she had grown wise since making her fatal mistake. Her most powerful friend was the ambassador, and if she wished to keep his friendship she must fall in with his wishes.

  “You are right,” she said at length. “The important thing is to prevent the Queen from losing her influence over the King.”

  Caroz smiled slowly. “I think you might ask for an audience with Lady Fitzwalter. Tell her what you know. We will then watch how the Staffords receive the news. If things do not work out as we wish, we might take other action.”

  “I shall do exactly as you say,” Francesca assured him.

  He answered: “You are a good friend to Spain, Doña Francesca.”

  She felt more hopeful than she had for a long time. Perhaps previously she had been wrong to count so much on getting an audience with the Queen. She must work her way back through more devious paths. The Spanish ambassador might even report to Ferdinand her usefulness. It was possible that Katharine’s father would command his daughter to take such a useful servant of Spain back into her service.

  * * *

  EDWARD STAFFORD, third Duke of Buckingham, looked at his elder sister in dismay which was quickly turning to anger.

  Buckingham’s dignity was great. Secretly he believed that he was more royal than the King himself, for the Tudor ancestry could not bear too close a scrutiny; but the Staffords had royal blood in their veins and the present Duke could never forget that he was directly descended from Edward III.

  Buckingham was a member of the King’s most intimate circle, but Henry had the Tudor’s suspicion of any who had too close a connection with the throne, and would never have the same affection for the Duke as he had for men like Sir William Compton.

  In spite of his ambition Buckingham could not overcome his pride. Because he himself could never forget his royal descent he could not help making others aware of it on every conceivable occasion. Often his friends had warned him to beware; but Buckingham, although being fully conscious of possible danger, could not curb his arrogance.

  As yet the danger was not acute. Henry was young with a boy’s delight in sport and pageantry. He enjoyed perfect health and his bursts of ill temper, although liable to occur suddenly, were quickly over and forgotten. So far he was sure of his popularity with his people and therefore inclined to be a little careless of the ambitions of others. But there were times when those suspicions, which had been so much a part of his father’s character, made themselves apparent.

  Buckingham’s reactions to the news his sister was telling him were so fierce that he forgot that the King was involved in this matter.

  He burst out: “Has the woman no family pride! Does she forget she is a Stafford?”

  “It would seem so,” answered Elizabeth Fitzwalter. “I am informed that it can only be a matter of days before she surrenders.”

  “She is such a fool that she would not hold the King’s attention more than a night or so,” growled Buckingham. “Moreover, the King is still too enamored of the Queen for a mistress to have any chance of making her position really secure.”

  Elizabeth bowed her head. She was deeply shocked that a sister of hers should be ready to indulge in such immorality, but she was after all an ambitious Stafford and did know that the families of King’s mistresses rarely suffered from their connection with royalty. But she, like her brother, realized that Anne’s triumph would be short-lived; therefore it was advisable to stop the affair before it went too far.

  “I suppose the whole Court is gossiping of this matter!” said Buckingham.

  “I do not think it is widely known as yet; but of course as soon as she has shared the King’s bed for one night it will be known throughout the Court. So far Compton is acting as go-between, and the final arrangements have not yet been made. Our sister is behaving like a simpering village girl—clinging to her chastity with reluctant fingers.”

  “And likely to let go at any moment. Well, she shall not do so. I trust that we may rely on our informants.”

  “I am sure of it. You remember Francesca de Carceres? She is a clever woman and very eager to return to Court. She is anxious to show the Queen that she is still her humble servant. Anne—the little fool—allowed this woman to wheedle her secret from her; and I believe that Carceres feels that if she can prevent our sister’s becoming the King’s mistress she will have earned the Queen’s gratitude. She makes a good spy, that woman.”

  The Duke nodded. “There is one thing to be done. I will send immediately for Huntingdon. He shall take his wife away to the country with all speed.”

  “I was sure you would know what should best be done, Edward.” She looked anxious. “And the King? I am a little worried concerning his feelings when he knows that she has been whisked away from him.”

  “He will have to understand,” said Buckingham haughtily, “that if he wants to take a mistress he must not look for her among the Staffords, whose blood is as royal as his own.”

  “Edward, do not let anyone hear you say that.”

  Buckingham shrugged his shoulders. “It does not need to be said. It is known for the truth by any who care to look into the matter.”

  “Still, have a care, Edward. I shall be so pleased when her husband has taken her out of danger.”

  * * *

  ANNE’S MAID CAME to tell her that Sir William Compton was begging an audience.

  “Then bring him to me,” said Anne, “and do not forget to remain in the room.”

  He came in and once again the maid set about tidying the sewing box.

  “I declare you grow more beautiful every time I have the pleasure of seeing you.”

  “You are gracious, sir.”

  “I come to tell you that impatience is growing strong in a certain breast.”

  “And what should I do about that?”

  “It is only yourself who can appease it. I come to ask you if you will allow me to arrange a meeting between you and this impatient one.”

  “It would depend.…”

  “On what, Madam?”

  “On when and where this meeting should take place?”

  Compton came closer and whispered: “In one of the royal apartments. None would see you come to it. It should be a matter between you and him who bids me tell you of his impatience.”

  “Then it seems this would be a command rather than a request.”

  “It could seem so,” agreed Compton.

  She smiled, her eyes gleaming. “Then I have no alternative but to say, Tell me when…tell me where.…”

  The door opened suddenly. The Countess of Huntingdon gave a little cry of alarm, and the maid dropped her sewing box as the Duke of Buckingham strode into the room.

  “Why, brother, is it indeed you?” stammered Anne.

  “Whom else did you expect? Your lover! Or is this one he? By the saints, Madam, you forget who you are! This is conduct worthy of a serving wench.”

  “My lord Buckingham,” began Compton sternly, “I come on the King’s business.”

  “Neither the King nor anyone else has business in the private apartment of a married woman of my family.”

  “The King, I had always believed, might have business with any subject, an he wished it.”

  “No, sir, you are mistaken. This is my sister, and if she has forgotten the dignity due to her name, then she must be reminded of it.” He turned to Anne. “Get your cloak at once.”

  “But why?”

  “You will understand later, though it is not necessary for one so foolish to understand, but only to obey.”

  Anne stamped her foot. “Edward, leave me alone.”

  Buckingham strode forward and seized her by the arm. “You little fool! How long do you think it would last for you? Tonight? Tomorrow night? Disgrace to your name. That you are ready to bear. But, by God and all the saints, I’ll not suffer disgrace to mine. Come, you would-be harlot, y
our cloak.” He turned to the maid. “Get it,” he shouted, and the girl hurried to obey.

  Compton stood looking at the Duke. He wondered how long such arrogance could survive at Court. But Buckingham was no youngster; he was well past his thirtieth birthday; he should be able to look after himself, and if he valued his family pride more than his life, that was his affair.

  Compton shrugged. He was faintly amused. It would be interesting to see how the spoiled golden boy responded to this.

  Buckingham snatched the cloak from the maid’s trembling hands and roughly threw it about his sister’s shoulders.

  “Where are you taking me?” she asked.

  “To your husband who, if he takes my advice, will place you this night in a convent. A pallet in a cell for you, sister; that is what your lust shall bring you.”

  Compton plucked the sleeve of the Duke’s doublet.

  “Do you realize that His Grace will not be pleased with you?”

  “I,” retorted Buckingham haughtily, “am far from pleased with His Grace’s attempt to seduce my sister. Nor do I care for pimps—even though they be the King’s own—to lay hands on me.”

  “Buckingham,” murmured Compton, “you fool, Buckingham.”

  But Buckingham was not listening; he had taken his sister by the shoulders and pushed her before him from the room.

  * * *

  “AND SO, YOUR GRACE,” said Compton, “the Duke burst into his sister’s apartment, bade her maid bring her cloak, and thereupon hustled her from the apartment with threats that he was taking her to her husband, and that the pair of them would see that this night she would lie in a convent.”

  The King’s eyes were narrow and through the slits shone like pieces of blue glass; his fresh color was heightened.

  “By God and our Holy Mother!” he cried.

  “Yes, Sire,” went on Compton. “I warned the Duke. I told him of Your Grace’s pleasure.”

  “And what said he?”

  “He cared only for his sister’s honor.”

  “I planned to honor the woman.”

  “’Tis so, Sire. The Duke has another meaning for the word.”

  “By God and his Holy Mother!” repeated the King.

  Anything can happen now, thought Compton. The frisky cub is a young lion uncertain of his strength. He will not be uncertain long. Soon he will know its extent, and then it will go ill for any who oppose him.

  Compton tried to read the thoughts behind those pieces of blue flint.

  Frustrated desire! Now the lady seemed infinitely desirable. Out of reach in a convent! Could he demand her release? Could he have her brought to his apartments, laid on his bed? But what of the people, the people who adored him, who shouted their approval of their golden boy? They had seen him embrace his wife whom he had married because he said he loved her more than any woman. The people wanted their handsome King to be a virtuous husband. What would they say if they heard the story of the King and Buckingham’s sister? They would laugh; they would snigger. They might say: Well, he is a King, but he is a man as well. They would forgive him his frailty; but he wished to have no frailty in their eyes. He wished to be perfect.

  His eyes widened and Compton saw that they were the eyes of a bewildered boy. The cub was not yet certain of his strength; he had not yet grown into the young lion.

  Now there was anger on the flushed face…vindictive anger. He would not send for the woman and there would be no scandal. Yet he would not lightly forgive those who had frustrated him.

  He turned on Compton. “How did Buckingham discover this?”

  “It was through his sister—Your Grace may recollect that the Duke has two sisters—Anne, your Grace’s…friend, and Elizabeth, Lady Fitzwalter.”

  “I know her,” growled Henry. “She is with the Queen.”

  “A lady of high virtue, Your Grace. And much pride, like her brother.”

  “A prim piece,” said Henry, and his eyes were cruel. Then he shouted: “Send for Buckingham.”

  Compton left him, but Buckingham was not at Court. He, with Anne and Lord Huntingdon, were on their way to the convent which Buckingham had ordered should be made ready to receive his erring sister.

  * * *

  THE KING’S ANGER HAD had time to cool by the time Buckingham stood before him; but Henry was not going to allow anyone to interfere in his affairs.

  He scowled at the Duke.

  “You give yourself airs, sir Duke,” he said.

  “If Your Grace will tell me in what matter I have displeased you I will do my best to rectify my error…if it be in my power.”

  “I hear you have sent your sister into a convent.”

  “I thought she needed a little correction, Your Grace.”

  “You did not ask our permission to send her there.”

  “I did not think Your Grace would wish to be bothered with a family matter.”

  The King flushed hotly; he was holding fast to his rising temper. The situation was delicate. He was wondering how much of this had reached the Queen’s ears and hoping that he could give vent to his anger in such a manner that Katharine would never hear of it.

  “I am always interested in the welfare of my subjects,” he grumbled.

  “Her husband thought she was in need of what the convent could give her.”

  “I could order her to be brought back to Court, you know.”

  “Your Grace is, by God’s mercy, King of this realm. But Your Grace is a wise man, and knows the scandal which would be bruited about the Court and the country itself, if a woman who had been sent by her husband into a convent should be ordered out by her King.”

  Henry wanted to stamp his feet in rage. Buckingham was older than he was and he knew how to trap him. How dared he stand there, insolent and arrogant! Did he forget he was talking to his King?

  For a few moments Henry told himself that he would send for Anne; he would blatantly make her his mistress and the whole Court—ay, and all his subjects too—must understand that he was the King, and when he ordered a man or woman to some duty they must obey him.

  But such conduct would not fit the man his subjects believed him to be. He was uncertain. Always he thought of the cheering crowds who had come to life when he appeared; he remembered the sullen looks which had been thrown his father’s way. He remembered too the stories he had heard of his father’s struggle to take the throne. If he displeased the people they might remember that the Tudor ancestry was not as clean as it might be—and that there were other men who might be considered worthy to be Kings.

  No. He would remain the public idol—perfect King and husband; but at the same time he would not allow any subject of his to dictate to him what should be done.

  “My lord Buckingham,” he said, “you will leave Court. And you will not present yourself to me until I give you leave to do so.”

  Buckingham bowed.

  “You may go,” went on the King. “There is nothing more I have to say to you. I should advise you to be gone in an hour, for if I find you lingering after that I might not be so lenient.”

  Buckingham retired, and the King paced up and down like a lion in a cage.

  He summoned one of his pages to him and said: “Send for Lady Fitzwalter, I would have immediate speech with her.”

  The page rushed to do his bidding and soon returned with Elizabeth Fitzwalter.

  She looked disturbed, Henry was pleased to notice. A prim woman, he thought, with none of her sister’s voluptuousness. The sight of her reminded him of Anne, and he was furious once more to contemplate what he had lost.

  “Lady Fitzwalter,” he said, “you are, I believe, one of the Queen’s women.”

  She was bewildered. Surely he knew. He had seen her so often when he was in the Queen’s company.

  “Did I say you are one of Her Grace’s women? It was a mistake, Lady Fitzwalter. I should have said you were.”

  “Your Grace, have I offended…?”

  “We do not discuss why we banish from
our Court those who do not please us, Lady Fitzwalter. We merely banish.”

  “Your Grace, I beg to…”

  “You waste your time. You would beg in vain. Go back to your apartment and make all haste to leave Court. It is our wish that you are gone within the hour.”

  The startled Lady Fitzwalter curtseyed and retired.

  Henry stared at the door for a few minutes. He thought of voluptuous Anne and realized suddenly how urgently he desired a change, a new woman who was as different from his wife as could be.

  Then he began to pace up and down again…a lion, not sure of his strength, but aware of the cage which enclosed him. The bars were strong, but his strength was growing. One day, he knew, he would break out of the cage. Then there would be nothing—no person on Earth to restrain him.

  * * *

  ELIZABETH FITZWALTER came unceremoniously into the apartment where the Queen sat sewing with Maria de Salinas.

  Katharine looked with surprise at her lady-in-waiting, and when she saw how distraught Elizabeth was she rose quickly and went to her side.

  “What has happened to disturb you so?” she asked.

  “Your Grace, I am dismissed from the Court.”

  “You, dismissed! But this is impossible! None has the authority to dismiss you but myself. Why…,” Katharine paused and a look of horror spread across her face. There was one other who had the power, of course.

  Elizabeth met Katharine’s gaze, and Katharine read the truth there.

  “But why?” demanded the Queen. “On what grounds? Why should the King dismiss you?”

  “I find it hard to say, Your Grace. I am to leave at once. I have been told to make ready and go within the hour. I pray you give me leave to make ready.”

  “But surely the King gave you a reason. What of your brother?”

  “He has already gone, Your Grace; and my sister also.”

  “So the King is displeased with all your family. I will go to see him. I will ask him what this means. He will keep nothing from me.”