A Dangerous Inheritance

‘The young Earl served King Edward loyally, both in Wales and during the war with France,’ Richard continued. ‘Five years ago, he agreed to surrender his earldom of Pembroke to the King in exchange for the earldom of Huntingdon; King Edward wanted the Pembroke lands to come under the authority of his son, the Prince of Wales, and his Council of the Marches. He desired to build up the authority of the Prince in those parts. It was a judicious plan.’

It sounded, thought Kate, a fair exchange, and William Herbert’s readiness to agree to it proclaimed his loyalty. But that could not make her love him! She could never love anyone other than John; and at the thought of him, the tears welled again. She fought to hold them back.

‘It is in recent months that my lord of Huntingdon has proved his worth,’ Richard told her. ‘He served as my Chief Justice and Commissioner of Array in south Wales during Buckingham’s rebellion, and he held the area for the Crown against the rebels. For that, I have handsomely rewarded him, as he deserves, with high offices in Wales and made him my chief lieutenant there in Buckingham’s place. My daughter, your new husband is a virtual king in that country; he is my deputy, and as such enjoys much power and influence.’

‘I am sure the Earl is a worthy man,’ she said dully.

‘He is indeed. If he were not, I would not have made him secretary and chamberlain to your brother the Prince. And his marriage to you will cement his loyalty. That is of prime importance, for I have need of men like him at this time. I will bestow with you a rich dowry and make a generous settlement on you both. Above all, Kate, you have an eager bridegroom! All that is wanting is your consent.’

He regarded her with raised eyebrows. He was her father. He thought he had provided well for her. How could she refuse him?

A

‘I am grateful for your care for me,’ Kate said tearfully. ‘Do not think me ungrateful. But, oh Sire, this is not the husband I wanted!’

‘Now you see what happens when young folks are let to follow their foolish hearts,’ the King muttered to A

When Huntingdon showed himself willing?Her father must have broached the marriage himself, must have offered her as security for the Earl’s loyalty, for it would be a testing job holding Buckingham’s disaffected heartlands. And that generous dowry and settlement – well, it would have to be generous, wouldn’t it, to compensate for her bastard status; because whatever the King said, his baseborn daughter was no great prize in the marriage market. The reaction of John’s father had shown her that. Come to think of it, she had never heard of any other royal bastards making a brilliant match. John was forever forbidden to her, and Huntingdon had been bribed to take her. The realisation was like a leaden weight in her heart.

‘Some fathers would have beaten you for defying them,’ A

‘But it is in Wales!’ Kate sobbed, breaking down again. ‘It is far from you and my father and from – everything I hold dear. I would never see you …’

The King spoke gently. ‘Kate, at some stage, every child must leave its father and mother and cleave to the spouse God has chosen for it. That is what Holy Scripture teaches us. You will have a husband to compensate, and children too, I pray. They will be your life. And you shall visit us at court, and mayhap my journeyings will take me into Wales. In the meantime, we can write to each other. Now, I ask for your consent to this marriage. Will you freely give it?’

She knew herself trapped. If she was to retain her father’s love and goodwill, she must obey him and take this man he had chosen for her. To refuse would only arouse his ire, and anyway, she had no choice. A father’s word was law – as was the King’s.

‘I will,’ she whispered, and again burst into tears.

How she kept her composure as she curtseyed and left the privy chamber she did not know, but once she had reached her own chamber she found herself shaking, her knees weak, her breast heaving. Resting her hot cheek against the cool stone of the window embrasure, she thought about what she had just agreed to, and realised she could never go through with it. Let the whole world condemn her for an undutiful daughter, but she would not marry Huntingdon! She couldnot. Nothing must be allowed to come between her and her beloved.

Her blood – the blood of kings and princes – was up. She knew what she must do. She would enlist John’s help, and they would run away and marry in secret. She would give up everything. It was her only chance of avoiding the tragedy that would be her marriage. She must speak to him as soon as possible. He would agree, she had no doubt of it; he had said they were meant to be together. And once they were wedded and bedded, no one, not even the King, could part them!

Mattie came in. Mattie would help her.

‘Why, mistress, whatever ails you?’ her maid exclaimed, seeing her ravaged face.

‘I will tell you, but first, pray seek out my lord of Lincoln for me, and bid him wait for me at the fountain in New Palace Yard, for our happiness depends on it!’ When Mattie hesitated, Kate cried, ‘Go!’

Left alone, she splashed cool water on her flushed face, brushed her hair, smoothed down her blue gown and clasped about her neck a three-stranded gold necklace hung with pearls – a coronation gift from her father. Then she paused to admire her reflection in the mirror, regretting that no amount of artifice could hide her reddened eyes. John would see at once that she had been crying, but no matter – that might be to her advantage, and would hopefully make him all the more willing to agree to her plan.

She flung on her cloak, then sped down the stairs and through the palace, emerging at last into New Palace Yard. And there was John, already waiting by the canopied fountain. He appeared so tall and debonair in his great velvet cloak, his long locks framing his chiselled features, that it was painful to her to look at him.

‘I came at once,’ he said. ‘What has happened?’

‘The King my father wishes me to marry the Earl of Huntingdon,’ she told him, and burst into weeping afresh. After a pause, he took her in his arms, not caring who saw them, and held her until she quietened. ‘Tell me,’ he said. And she did, pouring it out in a torrent as they sat together on the octagonal stone rim of the fountain, John watching her gravely, shaking his head.

‘In faith, I know not what we can do.’ He sounded despairing. ‘Your father is the King: you must obey him.’

‘Could you get your father to speak for us?’ she urged. ‘If he were to ask for me as your bride, I know the King would consider it well.’

John looked down at his feet. ‘I have done all in my power to persuade my father to let me marry you. I have begged, cajoled, even lost my temper …’ He fell silent.

‘There is a way we can be together,’ she said. ‘We could elope and marry in secret! With the help of my maid, it could be done!’

John gaped at her. ‘Are you mad?’ he gasped. ‘Have you thought of what that would mean? We are not just any village Jack and Jill, but public persons of high estate: you are the King’s daughter, I his nephew. I am Earl of Lincoln and will be Duke of Suffolk in the fullness of time. And you, by the King’s decree, are the promised bride of the Earl of Huntingdon. Royal blood runs in our veins. Were we to run away together, the hue and cry would be after us within minutes, with all the hounds of hell on our heels. And even if we did escape that, and found a priest willing to defy the King and marry us, what then? Disgrace! Dispossession, if not worse, for me. Infamy for you. We would have nothing to live on. We could not survive. I would not do that to you.’