The Merry Monarch's Wife Read Online Free PDF Page B

mingle that quality of regality with familiarity which enchanted all. I doubt whether there was ever a king of England so loved by his people.
    He always called himself an ugly fellow, and when one considered his features that could be true, but his charm was overwhelming. There could never have been a more attractive man. I know that I loved him and one is apt to be unaware of the faults of the object of one’s devotion, but I can vouch for it that I was not alone in my opinion.
    He used to talk of the ringing of bells, the flowers strewn in his path, the women who threw kisses at him, the shouts of loyalty.
    â€œOdds fish!” he said. It was a favorite oath of his. “They gave me such a welcome home that I thought it must have been my own fault that I had stayed away so long.”
    But he was home, and from that moment the excitement grew.
    My mother was exultant. She had known, she said, that this must be. She had planned for it since my seventh birthday when the matter had first been raised. Keeping me from suitors, which had amazed so many, had proved to be right. She had not been fanciful, as so many had thought. She had been shrewd and realistic. She had one regret—that my father was not alive to see how she had been vindicated.
    But we were not there yet. A king restored to his throne, fêted by his people, having learned the lesson of his father’s downfall, being determined—in his own phrase—“never to go wandering again,” seemed secure on the throne. He would need to be married, of course—and such a king was a very desirable
parti.
    My mother was very much aware of that. And, being herself, she immediately took action. Don Francisco de Mello was already in England.
    She talked to me a good deal, for indeed I was at the very center of her plans. She watched me anxiously, wondering, I was sure, how well I should play my part. She took me into her confidence as she never had before.
    One day I said to her: “England is an important country. There will be many eager to marry the King.”
    â€œThat is true,” she replied. “The King of Spain will have his protégées. But I trust Don Francisco. He is an able man. He knows the importance of this match to us. I tell you, Catherine, we need this marriage. I wonder if you realize how much.”
    â€œI have always known that you wanted a union between our two countries.”
    â€œIt does go deeper than my personal hopes for you, my daughter. At this time we have freed ourselves from the hated Spaniards, but our hold on freedom is frail. We must remember that they have the might. We have been fighting for our freedom which has given us great strength. That is good, but it is not everything. They are a mighty nation. We shall live in fear until we have strong allies to support us.”
    â€œYou mean the English.”
    She nodded. “The nation the Spaniards fear most is the English. They do not forget, though it is some hundred years ago, the ignoble defeat of their so-called invincible armada. They still talk of El Draque—the Dragon—their name for Sir Francis Drake who drove them to disaster and destroyed their dreams of conquest. They will say it was the storm which defeated them, but they were defeated before the storm arose, and they know it was the English sailors and El Draque who beat their armada. If England were allied to us, they would not dare attack us. So, my dear daughter, you must marry the King of England to strengthen the alliance we already have with them. Your country needs this.”
    â€œDo you think I shall?”
    She looked fierce. “Anything else is unthinkable. It would be the happiest day of my life if I could see you Queen of England.”
    â€œCountries always look for gain in marriages,” I said.
    â€œOur country would gain a good deal from this. I may tell you that the English will not be without gain. I have sent a good offer by Don