The Wild Queen by Carolyn Meyer Read Free Book Online Page B

her tone and her expression that she still did not approve of them, but she no longer referred to them as
les petites sauvages,
at least not within my hearing. But I received no explanation of what I had heard.
    After three or four days with my Guise relatives, I returned to Fontainebleau. When summer came and the king ordered the court to move back to Saint-Germain, I continued to make the trip to Joinville, but now I traveled by riverboat. It had been a year since the king’s royal galley arrived in Dumbarton and my friends and I had embarked on the journey to France. But the anniversary of my departure from Scotland passed without notice. I was by now thoroughly and completely at home in France.

Chapter 8
Death in the Family

    K ING H ENRI WAS the most important man in all of France—I never doubted that. But I was unsure who was the most important woman: Queen Catherine or Diane de Poitiers? I understood why the king spent so much time with Madame de Poitiers, who was lively and amusing, and so little time with his wife, who seemed dull and unfriendly compared to the duchess. The queen had the superior title, yet I had heard members of her own court refer to her behind her back as “the merchant’s daughter.” What did they mean?
    I asked my grandmother, who explained it this way: “Though it is true that Queen Catherine lacks royal blood, her family, the Médicis, were not simple grocers, as some jealous courtiers would have you believe. Hers was a family of great prestige and enormous wealth and influence in Italy The Médicis built a fortune through trade in spices and cloth and an even greater fortune in banking. The queen’s great-grandfather Lorenzo the Magnificent ruled the city of Florence like a prince. Her parents died when she was very young. Everyone called her Duchessina—'Little Duchess.’ Her uncle became pope and arranged for her marriage to Henri, who was then duke of Orléans. Catherine de Médicis came with an enormous dowry, and old King François was happy to have her marry his second son. When the first son died, Catherine found herself queen of France. Poor girl—it was not easy for her here. Years passed before she produced her first child, your future husband, François. Before that finally happened, there had been talk of sending her back to Italy.”
    This story made me feel more sympathy for the queen, but I was more curious than ever about the duchess. “What about Madame de Poitiers?” I asked.
    Grand-Mère sniffed disapprovingly, almost as she did when she spoke of the Four Maries. “Henri became infatuated with her when he was just a boy, even though she was old enough to be his mother. They are still very close, the queen tolerates it, and that is all I wish to say about it.” I had more questions, but Grand-Mère was not in a mood to answer them. “Now you have the queen’s story. You can make up your mind about her yourself. She will no doubt be your good friend if you do not cross her.”
    â€œJust one more question,
s’il vous plaît!
Why does Madame de Poitiers always wear black and white?”
    Grand-Mère smoothed the skirts of her gown. “Because it pleases her,” she said. “The reason she does everything.”
    ***
    One day Queen Catherine surprised me by saying, “Should you wish to develop your needlework skills, Madame Marie, I would be pleased to help you.”
    I was not certain I wanted the queen’s help or instruction—she seemed so remote and cold—but, remembering Grand-Mère’s advice, I thought it was better to accept than to refuse.
    My mother had not been much interested in needlework, preferring to spend her time with music. I remembered her sweet voice and the harp and lute she played so beautifully. And how she loved to dance! She and Lady Fleming and her other ladies often spent whole evenings dancing in her royal apartments.