But Mary’s thoughts that day were all for her daughter. It would be wonderful to have another child in the nursery. Perhaps their next would be a boy. Even if it were a girl she would not mind. She adored her little Frances already, being certain that she could detect in her—as she certainly could in little Henry—some resemblance to Charles.
How good the child was during the trying ceremony.
She lay blandly staring up at the canopy of crimson satin on which roses and fleurs-de-lis had been embroidered.
Dear innocent little baby, thought her mother. One day you will have to go to Court because, after all, my precious one, you are the niece of the King.
Christening was a time for good wishes.
May she find happiness in her husband as I have found it in mine, prayed Mary.
Danger at the King’s Court
THE YEARS WERE PASSING and the love between Mary and her husband was strengthened. She had always believed that theirs would be an ideal marriage; he had been too cynical to accept this view, but she had weaned him from his cynicism, and he substituted her creed for his.
He had begun by being mildly astonished; and now he had accepted his happiness as a natural state.
She was different from other women; she was unique. It was in her capacity for happiness and her genius for choosing those gifts from life which could give her true contentment.
Little Eleanor had been born. Another daughter. But it seemed that Mary had wanted a daughter. And as she said to Charles once, the fact that from time to time they must show themselves at Court only increased their appreciation of a quiet life in the country.
Rarely had Lords of the Manor been loved as they were loved. It was a strange situation, Charles often said: A Queen who longed to be a simple country lady; a Duke and Duchess who sought to retire from Court instead of making their way there.
He had watched her when Charles of Castile had come to England. Perhaps that was one of her most enjoyable visits to Court. Then she had seemed like the young Mary who had loved to dance and flaunt her charm. Charles of Castile had been betrothed to her and had sought another match; and how she delighted in letting him know what he had missed! She had set out to charm him and she had succeeded. Poor Charles of Castile had watched her open-mouthed, had sought every opportunity to be at her side, and was clearly furious with those who had advised him against marrying her.
Henry was amused at his sister. He laughed with his friends to see the poor young Prince of Castile fascinated by the girl who had once not seemed a good enough match for him.
“By God,” said Henry, “where Mary is, there is good sport. She should be at Court more often.”
Later they accompanied Henry to France for his extravagant meeting with Francois; and Francois, while his eyes followed the radiant woman who had taken the place of the beautiful girl he had known, was as regretful as Prince Charles.
It was as the King said—where Mary was there was amusement.
“You should be more often at Court,” he constantly repeated.
“Your Highness,” was Charles’s answer, “since I married your sister I have become a poor man. I cannot afford to live at Court, and my wife and I must needs retire to the country from time to time when we can live most cheaply.”
Henry scowled at his brother-in-law. If he thought he was going to be excused his debts he was mistaken.
But later he conferred with Wolsey, and one day summoned Mary and Charles to his presence; and as he greeted them his blue eyes were shining with pleasure.
“It grieves me to see you two so poor that you must needs leave us from time to time,” he said. “But do not think I shall excuse you your debts. I have been lenient with you, and it is not meet and fitting that my subjects should disobey me and be forgiven.”
Mary smiled at her brother. “Nay, Henry, we do not ask to be forgiven our debts. We are content to pay our debts.”
“Then you admit they are your debts.”
Mary smiled demurely. “I forced Charles to marry me, and you thought we acted without consideration of our duty to you. You therefore imposed fines upon us which have made us poor. You were kind to us, brother. You might have sent us to the Tower. So we do not complain although we do at times have to retire to the country.”
“I miss you when you are away,” said Henry. “But I’ll not let you off your debts for all that.”
“Most right and proper,” Mary agreed.
He dismissed them soon afterward, and as they were leaving he thrust some documents into Charles’s hand.
“Look at these and let me have your opinion,” he said.
Charles, surprised, bowed his head and Henry waved them away. When they were in their apartments Charles unrolled the documents while Mary watched him.
“What is this?” asked Mary.
Charles stared at the papers. “Buckingham had estates in Suffolk,” he murmured.
“Buckingham!” Mary’s face was set in lines of horror. She was thinking of the Duke of Buckingham whose claim
