accomplished although, as Cecilia said, if his permission were asked it would very likely not be given and then marriage would be quite out of the question.
So Cecilia and he were married secretly and gave themselves up to the joy of being together; but of course the marriage could not remain a secret and Cecilia decided that she would tell her sister and ask her to pass on the news to the King.
Elizabeth was in a very happy mood. The coronation had been a great success; she found the King less formidable than he had seemed at first. He appeared to be growing fond of her. She adored her little Arthur though she saw very little of him; she was less worried about her mother now that a match was proposed for her, and there was an atmosphere of peace and serenity all about her.
Cecilia came to see her. There was a change in her. She seemed as though she were very happy about something, and yet at the same time a little apprehensive.
“I wanted to talk to you . . . as a sister,” she said.
“My dear Cecilia,” replied the Queen, “am I not always your good sister?”
“You look very happy today.”
“I am. Henry was so pleased with the coronation . . . apart from those people who got crushed to death.”
“Imagine risking your life for a piece of cloth!”
“I suppose it meant something more than that to them. Cecilia, Henry has been so generous to me. He has given me a grant of seven lordships and manors.”
“Seven. Why it was seven he took from our mother.”
“Our mother forfeited the right. . . .”
“I know. I know.”
Cecilia looked at her sister intently. “He has given you Waltham . . . has he?”
Elizabeth nodded.
“Waltham, Magna, Badewe, Mashbury. Dunmow, Lighe and Farnham.”
Cecilia began to laugh. “He has given you those which he took from our mother.”
“Why should he not? They were available.”
“No reason at all. But it is all so neat. And it keeps them in the family.”
“I think it is very good of the King.”
“To take them from our mother?”
“Our mother was fortunate. She could have been accused of treason. I consider he has been most generous . . . to us both.”
Cecilia thought: Be careful. Don’t alienate her. You need her help.
“Elizabeth,” she said. “I have something to tell you. I want you to do something for me.”
Elizabeth smiled. She really is a sweet-natured and generous creature, thought Cecilia. I should remember that when I criticize her.
“If it is possible . . .”began Cecilia.
“Tell me.”
“I . . . want you to speak to the King on my behalf.”
Little lights of alarm were in the lovely eyes; they were no longer quite so serene.
“Oh sister, what have you done?”
“I have married.”
“Cecilia!”
“Yes, you may well look shocked. I was determined to marry where I wanted to and I have done it.”
“But . . .”
“I know as the Queen’s sister . . . sister-in-law to the King . . . I should have had his consent. Well, I did not, Elizabeth.”
“But why . . . ?”
“You may well ask. For the simple reason that I feared that consent might not have been given if we asked for it.”
“Who is it?”
“Lord Wells.”
Elizabeth looked faintly relieved. “The King has a good opinion of him.”
“And should have. His family have firmly supported Lancaster for years. Elizabeth, will you please speak to the King for me? Will you plead for us? Tell him that we love each other, that no other will do for us, and that he must approve of what we have done.”
Elizabeth was uneasy. The King was not going to like this, and she was to be the one to tell him. How could Cecilia? Why did she not wait? She had always been so firm in her opinions; it had never been possible to shift her from them—for Elizabeth at least.
