The Star of Lancaster - Plaidy Jean. Страница 56

God smile on you. May he preserve you in peace and happiness for as long as we both shall live.'

He was moved. He had not been wrong when he had taken her as his second wife. That she lacked Mary's meekness did not disturb him. Mary had not been meant to be a Queen.

He \vas satisfied with his marriage. It was one of the few aspects of his life which was satisfactory and he was not going to have it even faintly tarnished by his amorous cousin. He would be watchful of him and at the first opportunity he would know how to deal with him.

They went out together to take their places at the joust which was being performed in the Queen's honour. They acknowledged the rapturous greetings of the company and sat at the balcony where all could see them. The Queen was beautiful and in his royal velvet Henry himself made an impressive figure. From the distance it was not possible to see clearly the havoc the disease was causing to his skin.

The opportunity came. York was a reckless young man; the kind who would be embroiled in some plot or other if he were given the chance. It might be why he was a close friend of the Prince of Wales.

After the death of Richard and the fact that people no longer could believe the story that he lived—for if he had Henry would never have been so eager to marry his son to Richard's queen Isabella—the greatest bogey in Henry's life was the young Earl of March. The older he grew the more likelihood there would be of discontented men rallying round him and stating his claim to the throne.

That was why when news came of the plot to rescue the young Earl of March and his younger brother from Windsor, where they were kept under the eyes of the King's guards, and the Duke of York was proved to be involved in it, Henry was able to act justifiably and none could attribute his action to a jealousy regarding the Queen.

It was a plot worthy of York, thought Henry grimly. He was involved with his sister Lady de Despenser who was not a woman of the highest character and they had bribed a blacksmith to make a set of keys to enable them to open the doors of the apartment where the young captives were kept.

There was a period of great consternation when Henry

learned that the two boys had been taken from Windsor. Henry visualized armies in the name of the Earl of March coming against him. Henry imagined that many would flock to their banner simply because they disliked him. His infrequent public appearances did not endear him to the people; how could he tell them of the terrible anxieties he suffered and that sometimes his face was so inflamed that he could not venture out? They did not like his foreign Queen either. Sometimes he thought how popular he and Mary used to be when he was plain Bolingbroke, or Derby or Hereford. It was only when he had become Henry the King that the people had begun to dislike him.

York was no brilliant strategist and it was inevitable that any plot in which he was involved should fail. And so did this one.

After cleverly getting the boys out of Windsor he carelessly allowed their destination to be discovered, and it was not long before the two boys were sent back to Windsor and York was the King's prisoner. Then the story came out. The blacksmith lost his life; it would have been unwise to allow York to suffer the same fate and make a martyr of him; he was sent to Pevensey Castle for safe keeping.

Henry had had his revenge. He had w^anted York removed for he did not like the thought of a handsome young man writing verses to Joanna. Now was his chance. He could dismiss York from Court and no one could say he had not good reason for doing so, and Joanna would no longer be able to compare smooth-skinned York with her husband who grew more ill-favoured every day.

Joanna made no attempt to plead for him, which gratified Henry, and he was convinced that York meant nothing to her. York was one of those men who would always involve himself in dangerous situations in which he had little chance of achieving his goal.

There remained the matter of the Earl of March. The older he grew the more of a problem he would be.

Henry sent for Harry. When his son arrived Henry's feelings fluctuated between pride and irritation. There was no question of his not being a fine specimen of manhood; all sign of that childhood weakness which had caused such anxiety to his mother had disappeared. He was less Planta-genet than de Bohun, but looks were the only characteristics

he had inherited from his mother. Her gentle meekness, her main characteristic, was completely lacking in young Harry. He was dark, with thick smooth hair; his nose was long and straight, his face oval; his teeth were outstandingly white and well shaped and he had a cleft in his chin. He had a glowing complexion which indicated extreme good health; there was a reddish tinge in his brown eyes which could be sleepily good-humoured or fierce when he was angry. Yes, he was a son to be proud of, with his lean body, above normal height, his limbs well formed and his bearing already that of a King. There was a vitality in him which seemed to be fighting to get out. It was a pity he wasted his energies in low taverns surrounded by men of similar tastes.

*I do not need to ask if you are in good health,' said Henry.

Harry thought: I cannot say the same for you, old man.

*I am well as I trust you are, my lord.'

Henry waved his hands. 'You see me in sorry state. More and more responsibility will be put onto your shoulders, Harry.'

Harry stood up very straight, smiling, confident of his ability to carry it.

1 would there were not these reports of you ... carousing in low taverns.'

*It is my way of meeting the people.'

Tou can do that satisfactorily at my Court.'

*Which I do,' said Harry. 'But I would meet all sorts. What do most courtiers know of the villeins, water men, merchants and such like?'

'What do they want to know of them?'

'What they are thinking. That they are loyal subjects. We could depend on such as them to keep us on our thrones.'

'You have not yet a throne, Harry.'

'No, sir. But I am the heir to one.'

*Take care.'

'But it is what I do constantly, my lord.'

'You are acquiring a reputation for low living.'

'And for high living, my lord. I am living my life to the full.'

'You give me cause for anxiety, my son.'

'My lord, you give me cause for anxiety. You are not in good health.'

The King was silent.

'Father,' said Harry, 'you may rely on me to stand beside

you, to be your deputy, to take on those duties which you feel yourself unable to carry out/

My God, thought Henry, his fingers itch to take the crown!

He said coldly: 1 have no duties in low taverns/

'Why,' laughed Harry, *it is my way of passing the time. Give me my tasks and I will carry them out to your satisfaction/

*I am going to put the Earl of March and his brother into your keeping/

Harry's eyes shone with pleasure.

'Rest assured I shall keep them safe from interfering relations and their accommodating blacksmiths.'

'See to it. And Harry ... you have noticed this affliction of mine?'

Harry nodded.

'And others?'

'They do not speak to me of it.*

'There will come a time when I fear it will be the undoing of me. But it is a slow process.'

Harry was silent.

'There should be amity between us two, my son. I would have you remember your position.'

'I could never forget it, my lord.'

'Our claim to the crown could be contested/

'Could and is,' said Harry.

'This matter of young March ...'

'Ah, we have our enemies.'

'Surrounding us, my son. That is why we must stand together.'

'And take great care.'

'York is safe at Pevensey.'