A Dangerous Inheritance

Mr Secretary clears his throat. ‘In that, Madam, alas, you are mistaken. Under your father and brother, any man contracting an unauthorised marriage with a princess of the blood would have been guilty of treason, but King Edward repealed that statute. So legally, in marrying, neither Lord Hertford nor the Lady Katherine has committed treason, and they ca

‘She has gone against my express command not to marry without my consent,’ the Queen flares. ‘Is that not treason?’

‘It’s disputable, Madam, insufficient as a basis for proceeding too harshly against her.’

‘Then what is to be done? Answer me!’

‘Your Majesty might require the Lady Katherine to renounce her claim?’ suggests the Earl of Sussex.

‘Could she be trusted to keep her word?’ Robert Dudley asks.

‘Even if she did, there are those who would break it for her,’ Cecil says. ‘She has a goodly following both in England and abroad. No, we ca

‘What way?’ raps the Queen.

‘We could have the alleged marriage declared invalid. There was only one witness, and she is now dead. We ca

‘What of the marriage lines?’ Sussex asks. ‘The Lady Katherine may produce those as proof that she is a good woman and a wedded wife.’

‘My lord, you are too short-sighted,’ Cecil reproves. ‘If there are any marriage lines, which I doubt, then we will deal with them as we think best. And when this pretended marriage is proved no marriage, which must be done with all dispatch, the Lady Katherine’s child will be born a bastard, and can pose no threat to her Majesty’s security. And, as the world knows, any princess who bears a child out of wedlock must be entirely shamed and discredited, and none will ever again think of her as fit to succeed.’

Elizabeth has been regarding her Secretary of State with keen eyes. ‘By God’s blood, Spirit, you have the sow by the right ear, as my father used to say. By all means proceed along these lines, with our hearty consent.’ There is a chorus of ayes from along the council table.

‘Madam, may I have a word in private?’ Cecil asks later, after the other business of the day has been concluded. Only he, and the detestable Lord Robert Dudley, whom she favours inordinately, can speak candidly to the Queen, and what Cecil has to say is of a highly sensitive nature. Even Elizabeth’s trusted privy councillors should not hear it.

Her Majesty dismisses the rest with a regal nod, and sinks back into her cushioned chair at the head of the long table. She is taut with agitation.

‘Madam,’ Cecil begins, ‘may I remind you, again, that you are as yet unwed and without an heir.’

‘You never cease reminding me, William,’ she retorts wryly. ‘I tell you, I am already married to a husband, and that is the kingdom of England.’

‘The kingdom of England is not going to give you an heir,’ Cecil smiles. They have had this conversation before – countless times. His smile, though, is fleeting. ‘It is my duty to remind you that, until you bear a child, the Lady Katherine is your rightful heir, according to the Act of Succession passed in your father’s time.’ He himself would have championed Katherine’s cause, had indeed tried to help her, but now things have gone too far, and he has had to abandon her, even though he knows she has the best claim. In truth, he likes not this business, and while he is doing what he knows the Queen expects of him, he is aware that the long-term consequences might be serious. Because all he wants is for this interminable problem of the succession to be settled – and he fears it is less likely than ever to be after this. Yet he dare not appear to be supporting the Lady Katherine now. Without her, though, who shall succeed the Queen?

‘Never!’ Elizabeth glares at him. ‘I will not have that strumpet follow me on the throne.’

‘I agree, it would be most unfitting, especially now that she has disgraced herself. Her illicit pregnancy is a sure sign that God does not approve of her succeeding. But the Act of Succession provides that if you, Madam – Heaven forfend – die without issue, the crown must go to the heirs of your father’s sister Mary, late Queen of France and Duchess of Suffolk. That means her granddaughters, Lady Katherine and Lady Mary Grey. Failing them, what is to be done about the succession?’

‘ Iwill name my heir, when I am good and ready!’ Elizabeth snarls. ‘As I said, I may yet decide to wed and have an heir of my body.’ Cecil, that astute man, is aware of her biting her lip. He knows how overmuch she fears marriage and childbirth.

‘No one will rejoice more at that than I,’ he replies smoothly, ‘but until that happy day, the Act remains in force.’

‘I’ll not have Lady Katherine as my successor! I ca

‘Some would use the persuasive argument that she is a Protestant, born in this kingdom – unlike Mary, Queen of Scots.’

‘A Protestant? Bah!’ Elizabeth bangs her fist on the table. ‘She trims her sails to the wind. She was a Catholic when it suited her, when she thought it would win her a crown. Her conversion in my sister’s reign was purely self-seeking. Since then, she has been all things to all men.’

‘Might I remind your Majesty that you too had to make a pretence of conforming to the old faith?’ ventures Cecil. ‘Those were dangerous times. And I have no doubt that the Lady Katherine had in mind the fate of her sister, who was the focus of Protestant ambitions. Standing so near to the throne, she really had no choice – not when Queen Mary was burning Protestants.’

‘That’s as may be,’ Elizabeth mutters, not prepared to be mollified. ‘But she should have reverted to her faith when I came to the throne. There was no threat then. Instead, she began dallying with the Spaniards.’

‘Maybe she felt she was being unjustly treated,’ Cecil says bravely. ‘You had, after all, forbidden her to marry, and a Spanish match was in the offing.’

‘To court it without my blessing was nothing less than treason,’ the Queen fumes. ‘And now this misalliance with Hertford. God only knows how long that was going on. Mayhap that dalliance with Spain was a cover for it. I tell you, William, I will never name her my heir, especially now. And youwould do well to consider where your loyalty should lie! Methinks you would be her advocate.’

Cecil ignores the barb. ‘But your Majesty must of necessity name someone, and soon. All this uncertainty does nothing to bolster your throne, which is, I need not remind you, less than secure, what with the Catholics all over Europe calling you a bastard, a heretic and a usurper, God confound them. Some, may I remind you, would prefer the Queen of Scots.’

Elizabeth looks at him sharply. ‘Over my dead body! A Catholic and a foreigner, who has already quartered my royal arms with her own and proclaimed herself Queen of England.’

‘I agree with your Majesty entirely. She is the last person who should rule here. But if you repeal the Act, who else is there? The Earl of Huntingdon?’ It is an old joke between them, for the Earl, despite having a distant claim to the throne, is known to have no desire to occupy it, and could expect little support anyway. ‘So we are back to Lady Katherine. I must say I do not share your view that she has designs on your throne. She wants only to be named your heir presumptive.’