“In one respect . . . yes . . . where you are concerned.”
“Afraid of me! Oh no that is not possible.”
“Katharine, you must know my feeling for you. Ever since I set eyes on you I have thought of little else.”
“You should be thinking of regaining your crown.”
“I could regain it I know . . . if I could but have this dearest wish of all granted me.”
“And you ask me to grant it?”
“You are the only one who can. I know I have to regain my crown. I know my future is insecure. . . .Perhaps I should not have asked you until I have that in my grasp. . . .”
“You do me an injustice,” she said, “if you think that I would say no if there was no crown and say yes if there was one.”
“Then you know of what I speak.”
“My lord, you are taking such a long time to say it that I must say it for you since you are meandering back and forth from the point in such a manner that you leave me no alternative but to guess.”
“Katharine . . .”
“Duke Richard, ask me . . . if that is what you want.”
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she said.
“I cannot believe it.”
“Of course you know full well . . .”
“I know now that I am the happiest man on earth.”
“You will have to get the King’s permission.”
“And that of your father.”
“The one would follow the other.”
“I feel James will be sympathetic toward lovers.”
“I feel that too.”
“Oh Katharine, I would we were alone that I might kiss your lips.”
“You will speak to the King?”
“At the first opportunity, which I shall now seek. Katharine, you will be the Queen of England.”
“I hope there will not be a lot of fighting. I would rather stay here . . . at James’s Court all our days. Perhaps we could escape often to the country . . . and be by ourselves.”
“I cannot wait to speak to him.”
“He is in a good mood now. He is pleased with Marion but I believe he is glancing far too frequently at Janet Kennedy, but speak to him soon . . . speak to him tonight.”
“I will.”
He did. The opportunity occurred that very night.
The company was dancing, and James who had drunk a great deal of wine seemed drowsy. Perkin went to him and asked permission to sit beside him, which was readily given.
“Sire,” he said, “I want to speak to you of a matter which is very important to me. May I do so?”
James smiled and nodded. “Though I’ll take a guess first. It concerns a lady.”
“You are so shrewd, Sire.”
“Where ladies are concerned, yes. And the Lady Katharine is a beauty. I grant you that.”
“We love each other, Sire.”
“Love indeed! A beautiful emotion. Nothing like it. What do you wish, my lord Duke? You can’t make a mistress of a girl like Katharine. Huntly has her at Court to find a husband for her.”
“That is what I want to be, my lord.”
“Ah, marriage to Huntly’s daughter. Well if you are going to be King of England that will be an honor which even Huntly can’t refuse.”
“It is your consent I am asking for.”
“You have it, my lord Duke. I will speak to her father. I will point out to him the advantages of such a match for his daughter.”
“You have earned my endless gratitude. But you had that already. I cannot tell you what your kind acceptance of me at your Court has meant to me. And now . . . and now . . .”
“There, my lord Duke. That is enough. I wish to help you. I see no reason at all why the fair Katharine should not be yours and I shall see that Huntly feels the same. What of the lady herself?”
“She loves me . . . even as I love her.”
