Виктория Холт: The Queen's Secret

“The King is very serious. He is more interested in learning than the use of arms. He will be a great king.”

“Yes…in time. That is what I tell him. But he must wait for that time. Until he is of age he must rely on his advisers.”

“He would have the best advisers, my lady. He understood this. But since he has talked to you, he has lost his confidence.”

“The King has the wisdom to come to the conclusions he came to.”

“I trust, my lady, you will not consider it discourteous of me if I suggest that living shut away in the country, you cannot have a grasp of matters of state. May I add, Madam, that you have allowed yourself to become the tool of that archvillain the Cardinal and that fool Warwick.”

“No, my lord, that is not so. I have come to my own conclusions in the matter. They are my own and not those of others.”

“It may be that you would be wise to keep out of matters of which, by the very nature of the life you lead, you know nothing.”

“And you, sir, I wonder if you would leave me in peace to recover from my illness.”

He stood regarding me somewhat insolently. He looked around the room.

“Did you hear me?” I asked.

“Perfectly well, my lady. I am just about to depart, but there is one thing which has set me wondering.”

I waited in trepidation, for there was evil in his countenance. The heat of passion had passed and it was replaced by something cold, deadly and evil.

“I was wondering what you…such a beautiful lady…find to amuse you in the country?”

“I enjoy country life, my lord.”

“Here! With a few ladies-in-waiting? And men-at-arms, of course. I would say that that Welshman has quite a presence. Would you, my lady?”

He was looking at me maliciously. I thought in terror: he knows something.

I felt my color deepening and I was beginning to tremble.

“Did not he distinguish himself at Agincourt?”

“The King thought highly of him,” I said. “He was in his household…and he continues to be in mine.”

“That must be a very desirable situation. Though this is hardly the place for a soldier. Why is he not in France with my brother Bedford?”

“I have no idea,” I said. “Some soldiers tire of perpetual war.”

“I’ll swear he has a liking for country life. Please, sister, do try to be a little kinder to your poor brother-in-law. It is a great sadness to me to know that you are not friendly toward me and suspect me of…I know not what.”

“This matter has nothing to do with my friendship toward you, my lord. My son asked me for my opinion and I gave it to him because I felt that it was the right one.”

He bowed to me. “You must come to Court,” he said. “You and I must get to understand each other.”

He was at the door. I sank back onto my pillows, and as I heard his clattering footsteps going down the stairs, I could not stop myself trembling.

Joanna Courcy came in.

“I could not stop him,” she said. “I wanted to get up to warn you.”

“I know. There was no help for it.”

“Why did he come here? Does he suspect anything?”

“I know why he came here. And I think he suspects.”

“Oh God have mercy on us! What next?”

“Where is Owen?” I asked.

“He is in the gardens, I think.”

“Does he know Gloucester was here?”

“I do not know.”

“He must keep out of the way. I do not want him to be seen. Gloucester talked of him…in a certain way.”

We heard the sounds of departure below, and Joanna went to the window. “He is leaving with his men,” she said.

“Thank God he has gone.”

“I will go and get something to steady you.”

“No…no…stay. I wish Owen were here. I must talk to him. The way Gloucester spoke…I fear he knows …”

We were silent, and almost immediately there were sounds of arrival. I heard Edmund’s voice.

Guillemote was coming back with the children.

They were home again. My heart was leaping uncomfortably. And Gloucester was just going.

Could it be possible that they had met as Gloucester was leaving the house?

Guillemote brought the children to me. Edmund and Jasper scampered across the room, Jacina toddling after them. They threw themselves into my arms. I held them so tightly that they protested and wriggled free. I was trying to stifle the terrible fear in my heart. I gazed over their heads at Guillemote. She was standing still, holding the baby, and I knew by the expression on her face that she had met Gloucester.

The children were all talking at once, telling me about their journey…how Edmund had ridden with Jack on his horse, and Jasper with Dick. Jacina had been in the litter with Guillemote and the two babies—Daisy’s, who was the wet nurse, and little Owen. I feigned an interest but all the time was wondering what had happened.

They had gone to the big house, Edmund told me. They had all slept together…except the babies. They had played in the gardens.

I knew that Guillemote was longing to talk to me, but by tacit agreement nothing was said until the children had gone to the nursery.

Owen was with me. He had been in the gardens, had seen Gloucester’s arrival and had thought it wise to keep out of sight. Then she had seen his departure after the brief visit and had been about to come to me when Guillemote had arrived with the children.

“I was horrified,” he said. “It seemed certain that they had met.”

Guillemote explained to us.

“We were turning into the palace when he came riding along with his small company. I was in the litter with little Owen and Jacina and the wet nurse and her child. Edmund and Jasper were riding with two of the men. I recognized the Duke at once and I was very shaken. We could not turn back. We were too close for that and he had already seen us. We had to pass each other.”

“What did he do?”

“He drew to one side of the road…signing for his men to do the same. They stopped. He lifted his hat and bowed his head. He seemed to be staring at us all. I was not sure whether he knew who I was. He would probably know some of the ladies. I thought it hardly likely that he would have noticed me from the past when he may have seen me once or twice. He looked at the children and…we passed on. The way he was looking at us sent shivers down my spine.”

“Is that all?” I asked.

She nodded.

I looked at Owen. It was enough, we both knew.

We were certain that Gloucester would take revenge. The only thing we were unsure of was when; but we believed it was only a matter of waiting.

He had always had the notion that, in view of my position, I must be watched. He had been determined that I should not marry again. I had been wife to the King, and he probably thought that any children I might have could imagine they had pretensions to the throne. It was hardly likely, of course, but a man such as Gloucester would be alert for possibilities.

My son was King; it was likely that he would marry and have undisputed heirs to the throne. But strange things happened in the royal line. And at the moment between Gloucester and what he coveted there was Henry and after Henry, Bedford. And Bedford had no heirs. I believed Gloucester had not worried a great deal about my activities in the past—but certainly enough to try to prevent my marrying again. Yet I had been a mild irritation until now. The King was growing up, and it might be that my influence over him might increase. And now I had openly offended Gloucester. He believed I had turned my son from falling in with his wishes. Gloucester was a man who did not like to be flouted. He would regard what I had done as an insult—and insults must be avenged.

I guessed, therefore, that sooner or later he would strike, and I am sure the blow would have come more quickly but for a dramatic turn of events.