but Katharine was unaware of all the beauty of an English spring. She could think only of the husband whom she had lost, the husband who had been no husband.
And then there came a sudden blinding flash of hope as she remembered the fate of her sister Isabella, which was so like her own. Isabella had gone into Portugal to marry the heir to the throne, and shortly after their marriage he had died in a hunting accident. The result was that Isabella had returned to Spain.
Now, thought Katharine, they will send me home. I shall see my mother again.
So how could she be completely unhappy at that prospect? She believed that this time next year her stay in England would be like a distant dream. She would wander through the flagged corridors of the Alhambra; she would look through her windows on to the Courtyard of Lions; she would stray into the Court of Myrtles, and her mother would be beside her. The pomegranate would no longer merely be a device; it would be all about her— growing in the gardens, pictured on the shields and the walls of her parents' palace. Happiest of all, her mother would be beside her. “You did your duty,” she would say. “You went uncomplaining to England. Now, my Catalina, you shall stay with me for ever.”
Katharine of Aragon would again become Catalina, Infanta, beloved daughter of the Queen.
So, as she went on her way to Richmond, she thought tenderly of Arthur who had been so kind to her in life, and who in death would, she believed, bring her relief from bondage.
QUEEN ELIZABETH was waiting to receive the widow.
Poor child! she thought. She will be desolate. How will she feel, alone in a strange land? Does she realize how her position has changed? She, who was Princess of Wales, is now merely a Spanish Princess, who has been married in name only. If there had been an heir on the way the circumstances would have changed considerably. But now … what is her position? How sad that girls should be used thus by ambitious men.
The King came to her apartment. He gave her that cool appraising look which she knew meant that he was looking for some sign of pregnancy.
She said: “The Infanta should arrive at Richmond tomorrow, I believe.”
A wary look replaced the speculative one in the King's eyes.
“I will keep her with me for a while,” went on the Queen. “This is a terrible shock for her.”
“It would not be wise for her to remain at Richmond,” said the King quickly.
The Queen did not answer, but waited for his commands.
“She should be installed with her household outside the Court,” went on the King.
“I thought that, so soon after her bereavement…”
The King looked surprised. It was rarely that the Queen sought to question his orders.
“This is a most unsatisfactory state of affairs,” he said. “Our son dead within a few months of his marriage, and that marriage never consummated—or at least so we believe.”
“You have reason to suspect that it was consummated?” asked the Queen sharply.
The King shrugged his shoulders. “I ordered that it should not be, but they went to Wales together—two young people, not displeased with each other. It would not have been impossible for them to be together… alone.”
“If this happened,” said the Queen excitedly, “if Katharine should be with child…”
“Then she would be carrying the heir to the throne. Our son Henry would not be pleased, I'll swear.”
“Henry! He is so like my father sometimes that I do not know whether to rejoice or tremble.”
“I thank God we have our son Henry, but I am not an old man myself, and I should have some years left to me… enough that Henry may be of age before his turn comes to take the throne. But, as you say, what if Katharine should be carrying a child? It
is
possible, although I doubt Arthur would have gone against my expressed wish. If only he had lived a few months longer. You may be sure there will be difficulty with those Spaniards.”
“They will be more
And then there came a sudden blinding flash of hope as she remembered the fate of her sister Isabella, which was so like her own. Isabella had gone into Portugal to marry the heir to the throne, and shortly after their marriage he had died in a hunting accident. The result was that Isabella had returned to Spain.
Now, thought Katharine, they will send me home. I shall see my mother again.
So how could she be completely unhappy at that prospect? She believed that this time next year her stay in England would be like a distant dream. She would wander through the flagged corridors of the Alhambra; she would look through her windows on to the Courtyard of Lions; she would stray into the Court of Myrtles, and her mother would be beside her. The pomegranate would no longer merely be a device; it would be all about her— growing in the gardens, pictured on the shields and the walls of her parents' palace. Happiest of all, her mother would be beside her. “You did your duty,” she would say. “You went uncomplaining to England. Now, my Catalina, you shall stay with me for ever.”
Katharine of Aragon would again become Catalina, Infanta, beloved daughter of the Queen.
So, as she went on her way to Richmond, she thought tenderly of Arthur who had been so kind to her in life, and who in death would, she believed, bring her relief from bondage.
QUEEN ELIZABETH was waiting to receive the widow.
Poor child! she thought. She will be desolate. How will she feel, alone in a strange land? Does she realize how her position has changed? She, who was Princess of Wales, is now merely a Spanish Princess, who has been married in name only. If there had been an heir on the way the circumstances would have changed considerably. But now … what is her position? How sad that girls should be used thus by ambitious men.
The King came to her apartment. He gave her that cool appraising look which she knew meant that he was looking for some sign of pregnancy.
She said: “The Infanta should arrive at Richmond tomorrow, I believe.”
A wary look replaced the speculative one in the King's eyes.
“I will keep her with me for a while,” went on the Queen. “This is a terrible shock for her.”
“It would not be wise for her to remain at Richmond,” said the King quickly.
The Queen did not answer, but waited for his commands.
“She should be installed with her household outside the Court,” went on the King.
“I thought that, so soon after her bereavement…”
The King looked surprised. It was rarely that the Queen sought to question his orders.
“This is a most unsatisfactory state of affairs,” he said. “Our son dead within a few months of his marriage, and that marriage never consummated—or at least so we believe.”
“You have reason to suspect that it was consummated?” asked the Queen sharply.
The King shrugged his shoulders. “I ordered that it should not be, but they went to Wales together—two young people, not displeased with each other. It would not have been impossible for them to be together… alone.”
“If this happened,” said the Queen excitedly, “if Katharine should be with child…”
“Then she would be carrying the heir to the throne. Our son Henry would not be pleased, I'll swear.”
“Henry! He is so like my father sometimes that I do not know whether to rejoice or tremble.”
“I thank God we have our son Henry, but I am not an old man myself, and I should have some years left to me… enough that Henry may be of age before his turn comes to take the throne. But, as you say, what if Katharine should be carrying a child? It
is
possible, although I doubt Arthur would have gone against my expressed wish. If only he had lived a few months longer. You may be sure there will be difficulty with those Spaniards.”
“They will be more
Similar Books
