A Dangerous Inheritance

The messenger’s words are greeted by an appalled silence that is broken only by the Duchess of Northumberland’s anguished wail. ‘My lord, I thought you had sent men after the Lady Mary to seize her?’

‘By God, my lord Duke, you’ve let her slip through your fingers!’ my mother cries.

‘The Lady Mary has no forces to back up her bold words,’ Northumberland says, striving for urbanity, but he seems to be trying to convince himself.

‘Not so, my lord. She has gathered a company of loyal gentlemen, and has sent out letters of summons to towns throughout her realm,’ Hungate informs him. ‘Furthermore, she has let it be known that she will maintain the religion of England as established by her brother, and make no rigorous changes.’

‘Give me the letter and get out,’ says Northumberland, and Hungate departs, smirking at my lord’s discomfiture.

‘She has pulled the carpet from under the Duke’s feet,’ Pembroke mutters, his face tense, as Harry nods grimly. ‘Her declaration of tolerance will appeal to many. They will no longer see her as the enemy of the true faith, but as one who embraces all faiths.’

‘Don’t be deceived,’ my mother says savagely. ‘I know her. She is a fanatic. She will not be as tolerant once the crown is on her head.’

Jane has said nothing. I truly believe that being queen is unimportant to her, and that she is hardly concerned at all about this latest development.

‘I assure your Majesty that the Lady Mary, a woman alone without friends or influence, poses no threat to your throne,’ the Duke reassures her, and several councillors say aye. She inclines her head but does not reply.

Northumberland turns and beckons a warder. ‘Arrest the man Hungate and throw him into a dungeon for his insolence,’ he orders.

I feel like crying. The banquet has been ruined by Hungate’s intrusion, and the air of celebration has evaporated. Clearly the festivities are at an end, for the Duke rises and summons the councillors to attend him. ‘We must draw up a document repudiating the Lady Mary’s claims,’ he tells them. There is a scraping of chairs and benches as the lords depart to the council chamber. I have no doubt at all that they will deal with this threat with the briskness it deserves.

They are gone a long time. Harry and I sit with the Countess of Pembroke, sipping the spiced hippocras wine that has been brought for those left at table.

Jane retires to bed. Before she departs to the Queen’s lodgings, she makes her way past the bowing and scraping courtiers, and embraces and kisses me.

‘Goodnight, sweet sister,’ she says in a low voice, holding me upright when I would have curtseyed. ‘Remember, my crown is a matter of indifference to me, and it shall never come between us. Pray for me, please. They want me to make Guilford king, but I will never consent to it. So ask God to give me the strength to resist them.’

‘I will,’ I promise, thinking that, if I were queen, I would not deny Harry a crown. He would be Harry the Ninth! It has a certain ring to it …

After Jane has gone, the atmosphere in the hall is dispirited. Jubilation has turned to fear. ‘What if the Lady Mary doespress her claim?’ I say to Harry and his mother. ‘Surely the country will not rise for her?’

‘We must pray it will not,’ Harry says. ‘Do not fret, darling. We have much to look forward to – especially tonight.’ I am reassured by his words. I am young and in love, and nothing shall stand in the way of my happiness.

The councillors return at last, and Pembroke joins us, unsmiling.

‘I must lodge here at the Tower tonight,’ he says. ‘There is a furious row going on in the Queen’s apartments. Jane is refusing to name Guilford king, and his mother is doing battle with her. In truth, I would rather be anywhere else. But you should all be getting back to Baynard’s Castle.’

The Countess summons her maid for her cloak.

The room is emptying and the courtiers leaving; there is nothing now to stay for. The Earl escorts us out to the Court Gate, where our barge awaits us. On the way, I am suddenly struck by a frissonof fear and the strong urge to run. I ca

As the barge approaches the steps, Pembroke mutters, ‘Hearken, all of you. I do not like the situation in which we find ourselves. Mary has always been popular. Katherine, your sister is not known to the people, and her reception today was cool. They think she is the tool of Northumberland, and he is hated. This letter from the Lady Mary has divided opinion. During the council meeting I sensed a certain cooling off on the part of several lords, and there were even those who were openly suspicious of Northumberland’s determination that Guilford should be king. As I left the council chamber, the Earl of Arundel took me aside and said he feared that the Duke’s arrogance will be infinitely greater as father-in-law to the Queen than as Lord President of the Council. Then Winchester confided to me that he is only supporting Northumberland to preserve his own skin. Clearly, some lords are waiting on events.’

‘And you, Sir – where do you stand?’ Harry asks, his face troubled.

His father frowns. ‘I do not think it wise to be bound irrevocably to Northumberland,’ he murmurs. ‘If necessary, I will break with him. But not yet. I too think it best to wait to see who emerges triumphant.’

I say nothing. It is plain that Pembroke owes no true allegiance to either Northumberland or Mary, and certainly not to Jane; he is thinking only of himself and his future influence and prosperity. And that becomes even more brutally clear with his next words.

‘Harry,’ he says, as we prepare to make our farewells. ‘You must forget what I said earlier, because everything has changed. I absolutely forbid you to consummate your marriage. We may not wish to be allied to the House of Suffolk if events go against Northumberland.’

I am horrified to hear him say that; horrified and outraged. Does he not care one jot for my feelings? How dare he disparage my family! And is he not being over-pessimistic? Mary has no support to speak of, and Northumberland has sent men after her, so she may soon be his prisoner, and Jane will be the undisputed Queen – and then, yes then, I will remind my lord Earl of Pembroke how he insulted her sister. But for now, I am devastated, fighting to stem the tears. I will not look at Pembroke; I will not give him the satisfaction of seeing how he has wounded me.

Harry’s eyes flash. I thrill to hear him argue in a sibilant whisper, ‘Katherine is my wife and I love her! You ca

‘Marriages like ours are made for policy, boy,’ the Earl says evenly. ‘Love is not a consideration. If we need to extricate ourselves from this tangle, you will thank me that I did not commit you to this alliance. If the marriage is not consummated, it can easily be a

I am weeping bitterly now, not caring who sees.

‘I don’t want it a

‘And remember that she might soon be accounted the daughter and sister of traitors, you young fool,’ his father mutters.

I find my voice. I will not have my family’s honour impugned thus. ‘No traitors, my lord,’ I hiss through my tears, ‘but people zealous for the faith that you profess! My sister does not desire the crown. She has only accepted it because she believes it to be God’s will, and that she may preserve true religion in this land.’

Pembroke looks as if a mouse has just roared at him. But my blood is up, the blood of kings and princes, of King Harry and King Edward, and all the great monarchs back to William the Conqueror and Alfred. I will notbe treated as a nonentity! My parents would be proud of me if they were here, and as offended as I at the Earl’s attitude.