For a Queen's Love: The Stories of the Royal Wives of Philip II by Jean Plaidy Read Free Book Online

surveyed his pupil with some dismay. He had been courteous enough when the Emperor had brought them together; he had bowed with the ceremony Philip expected; he had walked at a respectful distance behind the Prince when they went into the stables; but as soon as they were there his manner changed.
    The big man leaned forward and felt the Prince’s arm.
    “Your Highness will have to develop his muscles.”
    “If I wish to, I shall,” answered Philip haughtily.
    “If you wish to ride a horse and learn to fence, you will, your Highness,” was the grim rejoinder.
    Some princes would have lifted their whips and struck a servant for such familiarity; but Philip hesitated. His anger was cold. He would wait.
    “Now mount,” said Don Juan.
    The man had been Commendador Mayor of Castile and he had spent much of his time at court, so he should have known how toaddress a prince. The Emperor could not know what an insolent creature he was or he would not have entrusted him with this task. Philip ignored the command. He stood very still, and only the heightened pink of his cheeks showed his anger.
    “Well?” said the intrepid Don Juan. “Did your Highness not hear?”
    “I could not believe that you addressed me,” said Philip. “I am not accustomed to being addressed as though I am a serving-boy.”
    “Then I crave your Highness’s pardon. It will, I fear, delay your Highness’s tuition if your Highness must be addressed by all your titles on all occasions. What if your Highness’s life should be in danger? Say the horse bolted? Must I crave your gracious permission to act before I aid you? Must I say, ‘Your Highness, I fear your horse has bolted. Have I your most gracious permission to …’?”
    “Enough!” cried Philip. “My father has chosen you to teach me to ride as he thinks I should, to fence and to acquire those tricks that will enable me to take part in tilts and tourneys. For that reason I will allow you to teach me. But I will not endure your impertinence, and if there is more of it I shall ask my father to find me a new teacher, and the old one shall not go unpunished.”
    “Your Highness has spoken.”
    During the riding lesson the Prince’s anger was increased, though none would have guessed it as he sat his horse.
    “Heels down. Back straight. Grip with your knees. Do you want a tumble?” Was that the way to speak to the heir of half the world?
    “Saved you that time! A pretty pass if I had returned the Prince to his family with a broken nose, eh?”
    Philip did not reply; but he had made up his mind.
    And when the lesson was over the man had the effrontery to say: “Your Highness needs much practice. Why, you sit your horse like a bag of grain.”
    As soon as he was alone with his father, Philip said: “Father, I must have a new teacher.”
    “A new teacher! Why, Zuñiga is the best horseman in Spain. He’s a master fencer too. There could not be a better teacher for you.”
    “But I cannot endure his insolence. He spoke to me as though Iwere … any boy learning to ride. He said I sat my horse like a sack of grain.”
    Charles drew his son to him so that Philip could smell the garlic on his breath. “You were a boy learning to ride this morning, my son; and a prince learning to ride must learn all the tricks that any boy must learn. I saw you ride into the stables, and, Philip, you did look like a sack of grain.”
    The boy did not speak, but his usually pale cheeks were fiery red. He felt that he would die of shame.
    The restraint of the boy never failed to astonish Charles. He softened as he said: “Listen to me, my son. If Zuñiga were to flatter you and be only solicitous of ministering to your wishes, he would be like the rest of the court, and you would have one the less near you to tell you the truth—and a worse thing cannot happen to any man, old or young; but most of all to the young, for their want of experience does not enable them to discern truth from error. You are a