Hello, readers! I hope you all had a very nice Christmas. My apologies for being late, but I now wish you a wonderful year 2012. As a belated present, here is a new chapter.
Good reading to you all.
XX. The Queen's foxtrap
20th of September, Chelsea
"Thomas?"
His wife's voice rang from the entrance of the garden.
"- There is a Mister Chapuys who wishes to see you."
"- I am coming."
As he slowly walked back towards the house, Thomas More remembered the little conversation he had had with Lord Cromwell when they had left the Tower.
# #
First, there had been a moment of disbelief when he had learnt of his release, and the presence of a royal minister had added to that impression. Why would the king's... no, the regent's very powerful right-hand man have come? Once they had boarded the boat that would take them to Chelsea, Cromwell had explained everything in very clear terms.
"- Please consider, Sir Thomas, that the Queen Regent is not acting out of charity. She is only doing fine politics."
"- Did you lend her your Machiavelli books?"
"- I did not need to. She has quickly learnt to handle the public opinion carefully, something none of the great lords of the Court will think about. It is the same train of thought as allowing Lady Mary to come to the king's funeral."
More had winced when he had thought about Henry's death.
"- Do not be too affected and do not mourn him", his interlocutor had said rather rudely. "If he was still alive you could be dead."
"- I mourn for the boy he was, not the man he became", the former chancellor had confessed. "Have you ever felt like you were an architect that finished a beautiful house, the pride of his life, only to discover he has built on the most slippery ground?"
"- I know this feeling indeed."
Silence had settled for a while.
"- What are the conditions for my release?" More had then asked.
"- You are under house arrest in Chelsea, and your visitors will be watched. Furthermore, mail is allowed without restrictions, but be warned that it may arrive to you slightly... crumpled."
"- I understand. It seems rather light. It must hide something else."
"- You will receive visits from people who do not wish any good to the queen regent and her children. I want to know what those persons are hatching. In detail. Am I perfectly clear? I will know if you had visitors, and if I do not have news on that topic..."
Cromwell's expression had been almost fierce when he had hammered those words, and More had sworn he had perfectly understood the message. His safety against some kind of betrayal.
"Tell me, Lord Cromwell", he had resumed after a while, "who do you serve exactly?"
The minister had relaxed for the first time since the beginning of their travel and the smile on his face had confirmed to More that they had now an understanding.
"- Why... the realm, Sir Thomas, the realm and nothing else. Did you doubt it?"
"- Of course not."
"- And the realm needs peace."
"- On that we agree."
Silence had come back until they had reached Chelsea. It was a good thing they had discussed during the trip, since Alice More's happy cries and passionate hugs left no time for any serious conversation.
# #
Before meeting with the imperial ambassador, More had a quick word with his wife.
"- Are you busy?"
"- I am peeling fruits for preserves, why?"
"- I think a second pair of ears will be useful to listen to this conversation. Remain out of sight, but listen to everything."
Alice nodded before hiding in her kitchen.
Chapuys was waiting, nonchalantly leaning against the mantelpiece. He behaved a bit better when his host was chancellor, how amusing... The Savoyard seemed in good health, still exuberant when he left his contemplation of the landscape to turn toward More, smiling broadly.
"My dear Thomas, it is such a blessing to see you again! And to see you free!"
If his sincerity was proportional to the strength of his handshake, everything would be fine.
Both men sat near a window and immediately, Chapuys started on his favourite topic, i.e. to restore Mary Tudor in the line of succession. As long as the king had been alive, Chapuys had firmly believed that he would be able to manage such a feat, but Henry's death had changed his line of thinking. It was obvious that the 'concubine' would never leave willingly, and that Emperor Charles would thus have to act more directly in order to protect his beloved cousin's rights.
"- Do you think you master could plan a military action?" More asked, already wary.
"- But of course", Chapuys answered. "It is even the best thing to do. To sweep off the clique of wicked men and heretics who oppress this poor kingdom and restore the true queen and the true faith."
More felt something tense violently in his chest. No, now was not the time to have one of those fits that left him breathless and unable to rise from his seat for hours. Most importantly, he should not let the ambassador see the dread his words had generated.
"- Mister Chapuys", he started prudently, "is it not conflicting with Queen Katherine's wishes? I seem to remember that she was firmly opposed to the use of violence."
"- While the king was alive, it may have been possible, but now that the Boleyn woman holds the throne, only my master's army will allow the return of the legitimate queen."
"- Who will rule without any other interference, I assume?"
"- But of course. Princess Mary is of age and completely able to rule. She will be queen on her own."
More politely raised an eyebrow. Either Chapuys was mistaking him for a fool, or he was a fool himself to tell such things. It was widely known that Emperor Charles had slowly but surely driven his mother, Queen Juana, towards madness and life-long committal in order to wear the crown of Castile a bit sooner. Nothing would prevent him from using Mary as a nice screen for a board of governors which would administrate England for their master's greatest benefit. And this was only the first of the numerous stumbling blocks he could see in this project.
"Tell me, Chapuys", he went on, "how do you think English people will react when they see the imperial army on their lands?"
The ambassador blinked, clearly surprised.
"- I can imagine they will gladly welcome the end of the Boleyns' corrupted rule, he said, though his voice lacked some conviction, and the return of their legitimate queen."
"- I am going to tell you something that may surprise you, but that will be certainly very useful to you", More retorted. "People do not care about who sits on the throne of England. People want good harvests, healthy children and peace. If they are not pleased with their monarch, they will take care of him by themselves. It does not matter what people may think of the Queen Regent; as soon as they see an foreign army landing on their lands with the whole trail of misery it usually involves, they will forget everything they felt against Queen Anne to remember that she is as English as themselves, that the emperor was the most fickle ally, and that Katherine was Spanish before everything else, always favoured the interests of Spain and could never manage to speak their language properly. If you choose this solution, you will face a slaughter of unseen proportions."
"- I see", Chapuys said slowly. "I must confess I was expecting something else, coming from you."
"- You asked for my opinion, not my blessings", More retorted, annoyed. "This is what may happen to your master if he insists."
"- Of course. I do not think going on with this discussion is really useful. Please allow me to leave."
The ambassador gathered the folds of his cloak and his damaged dignity, and took leave after a very brief salute.
Lady Alice emerged from the kitchen, a doubtful expression on her face.
"- My God, is he truly willing to go that far?"
"- I would like not to believe it, but with the emperor – as with the king of France – one can never be sure of anything, unfortunately."
"- Well, he did not like the way you described the situation", she noticed, shaking her head.
"- And yet I spared him the probable reactions from the French and the others if Emperor Charles carried out his project. Now... Do you remember what was said?"
"- Indeed."
"- Then you will help summarize it, and I will send it to whoever it may concern."
Alice forgot her fruits and preserves to sit besides her husband, adding a word here, changing another there until their report seemed nearly perfectly truthful.
# #
The boy More had sent with his message found – for once – the numerous Cromwell family reunited in Austin Friars. Gregory was not in session at Parliament – that he had joined during the previous autumn - for some days, and the minister's nieces, nephews, apprentices and associates had invaded the house. It was Gregory who fetched the letter and brought it to his father with a disappointed face.
"- Were you waiting for some mail?"
"- Hmm... Not really", the young man groaned. "Well, maybe..."
"- Greg has a new lady", his cousin Johanne sang while running through the office.
"- Just go and take care of your flowers! And do not eavesdrop!" the young man shouted, furious. "I was not waiting for a letter from 'a lady friend', specially when I want to get married", he added for his father when Johanne had left. "I was hoping one of my former inmates from the university would tell me some interesting rumours."
Because he did not possess a mind as sharp as his father's (to be honest, not many people did), it was often believed that Gregory Cromwell was a bit slow to understand the world and not very smart. It was a mistake. He had two very enviable gifts: he made friends easily, and had a good memory. It allowed him to receive confidences he should have never heard, and to repeat them, if he thought they could be useful to his father. He also had a lot of success amongst ladies, but remained stubbornly faithful to Elizabeth Seymour, waiting for the queen regent to call the girl back from her exile in the North.
"- I suppose I am asking to share a secret of state if I want to know the content of these papers", he said, pointing to the letter.
"- Not at all. Sit here, we will study this together."
"- Thank you, Father."
Both men read the papers in silence. It did not need comments. After a moment, Gregory could not refrain from asking some questions, though.
"- I am surprised that while he considers you and the queen as downright evil, More takes such lengths to inform you. Why?"
"- It is the price of his freedom, and he knows it. Luckily enough, he shares his friend Erasmus' opinion on war. It is amusing only for those who have no experience of it."
"- But the duke of Norfolk is experienced in this field", the young man pointed out. "And Suffolk, too. And even Emperor Charles."
His father sighed.
"They are nobles. Those people do not think the same way as we common folk, you have to understand that."
Gregory let out a little laugh.
"- They never have to suffer from the consequences of the conflicts they generate. They only see glory and prestige. Walking for miles and miles on an empty stomach, without a single penny in your pocket, they do not know what it is like any more than seeing their homes and lands completely devastated. You must be a commoner to understand it. Furthermore, the emperor would make a poor bet trying to attack England. The French would not ignore such an opportunity. Queen Anne is an ally. François will defend her. The German princes will be tempted to enter the conflict to repel the imperial troops far from their borders, and I do not see why the Dutch would not attack the Spanish fleet when it comes close to their coasts."
"- So it will be an European war if Chapuys sends such a report to his master."
"- Even a civil war, again, if Mary's supporters hatch a revolt in England. And if the oh so Catholic emperor wins here, it will be the end of our Reformation. It is all the more necessary that the Boleyns bring us back a proper treaty with France, no matter what I think about it. I will go and see the queen immediately."
# #
The minister's report led the queen regent to take some preventive actions. Knowing that Lady Mary had gone to pray in one of the very few convents still existing near London, Anne went to fetch the girl herself.
The former princess of Wales was not feeling at ease when her stepmother urged her to climb into her coach. What did Lady Anne want of her? She gasped when she found herself facing the chancellor and Minister Cromwell.
"- What happened?" Mary asked, worried.
"- Lady Mary, for safety reasons, neither you nor your sisters will go back to Hatfield", Audley explained in a reassuring voice. "You will all remain at Court."
"- Why?"
"- It is quite certain that Emperor Charles is planning an attack against England, and to that effect, he may try to take the princess and queen captive. Or take you out of the kingdom", the chancellor went on.
So, this is certainly what Chapuys wanted to discuss with me, Mary thought. But I will not flee, even to wear the imperial crown. I am a princess of England, not an Spanish infanta.
"- You will remain in Hampton Court", Cromwell added.
"- Will I be allowed to go out?" Mary inquired, fearing she would remain a prisoner.
"- Naturally", the regent assured, "but not without an escort. One way or the other, London is not a safe city for a young woman alone."
Mary huddled up in a corner, her stomach one giant knot. He cousin would not start a war, it was not possible. As much as she wanted to recover her rights as Crown Princess, she refused the price of so many battles.
The coach stopped in the main courtyard of Whitehall, just enough for the queen and her councillors to get out, then two ladies-in-waiting climbed in with Mary, and the coachman spurred his horses back to a trot.
Anne watched them leave from the front steps.
Once this worry was lifted from her shoulders, she went back to her office and wrote a letter to Elizabeth Seymour, ordering her to leave York to come back in London as soon as possible.
Never an order was obeyed as swiftly.