The Shadow of the Pomegranate by Jean Plaidy Read Free Book Online Page B

interests.
    ‘The affair must be stopped,’ he said.
    ‘I doubt whether it has begun,’ answered Francesca. ‘The King has been a faithful husband so far, in spite of temptations; but I think he is eager to subdue his conscience and take a mistress. I believe therefore that we should take some action . . . quickly. The Queen will not see me. Could you approach her, tell her that I have discovered this and am sending the news to her through you? You might hint that if she would see me I could tell her more.’
    The ambassador shook his head. ‘It would be dangerous to approach the Queen. We cannot be sure what action she would take. She might reproach the King, which could have disastrous results. Nay, this woman has a sister who is in the service of the Queen. We will approach the sister, Lady Fitzwalter. She will almost certainly call in the help of her brother the Duke and I am sure that the proud Staffords would not wish their sister to become the mistress even of the King. They will doubtless realise that the relationship with this rather foolish woman would be of short duration.’
    Francesca was silent. She did not see how this was going to help her win the Queen’s favour, 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 intimatecircle, 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