Read Online Ariosto by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro - Free Book Online
Authors: Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
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unfortunate, should any of our conversation…” Though he did not look at Lodovico, it was clear that the poet’s presence distressed him.
“Don’t worry yourself about Ariosto, Damiano said rather brusquely. “He’s overheard more state secrets than any of the spies at this court. I’ve never had cause to regret that.”
Idly, Lodovico wondered if he should, for Sir Thomas’ sake, find an excuse to leave, but he could not bring himself to do it. He admitted to himself that he was eager to know Sir Thomas’ secret. He settled back in his chair and studied the embers of the dying fire.
“Very well.” Sir Thomas rubbed at his stubbled cheeks. “You know, of course, of my King’s dispute with His Holiness.” This was a statement of fact. All Europe knew of it. “I am supposed to press Henry’s interests with you, as you know. But I’m afraid that I am prey to grave doubts about His Majesty’s conduct. I have not been able to accept the new conditions of worship we’ve been given. I cannot accept his divorce. I cannot tolerate his break
“Are you saying that there is rebellion brewing in England?” Damiano asked with a deceptive lightness.
“No, not precisely. That is, there may be, but I know nothing of it, if there is. No. That was not my purpose in speaking. You see, Primàrio, I find that I cannot remain in England. If I do, I must surely defy the King, and he will destroy me. I could reconcile myself to that fate, I think, if I didn’t have a wife and family. In conscience, I could not ask them to live in the shadow of my ruin.” He spoke quite calmly, as though he had long since made up his mind.
“I myself am not on the best of terms with His Holiness,” Damiano said coolly. “I doubt if I could convince him of anything at the moment.”
“I would not ask that,” Sir Thomas responded quickly. “I was not aware that there were such difficulties and I confess I had hoped that there might be a way…But no matter. What I am asking you, Primàrio, Damian, is the right to remain here in Italy. Catastrophe awaits me at home. Here, I may live and continue to work. Perhaps I can help Henry to be reconciled with Rome.”
Damiano made a noncommittal sound, then asked, “And your family?”
“They are at the moment in the Netherlands, visiting friends.”
“How providential,” Damiano said, laughing softly. “You are a very subtle man, Sir Thomas.”
“My wife agreed that it was a fortuitous time, since I was going to be gone so many months in any case. It would not take them long to come to me here, if I were to send them word they were wanted.” He smoothed the fur edging on his long gown and at last looked toward Damiano.
“I see.” Damiano fingered his neat, short beard. “You realize that, given my difficulties with the Pope, your presence could be something of an embarrassment to me?”
Sir Thomas stared at his hands in his lap. “Until this evening, I was not aware that your relations were so strained. I felt, since you’re blood relatives, there would be a closeness…” He could not go on.
“You say this, coming from England where Plantagenet cousins killed each other for more than eighty years?” Damiano clearly did not expect Sir Thomas to have an answer to this challenge. “It was clever of Richard to make Henry Tudor his heir. It prevented more bloodshed.”
Sir Thomas started to rise. “I see. I am sorry that I importuned you in this way, Primàrio. I beg you will forget…”
“Sit down, Sir Thomas,” Damiano interrupted him sharply. “I haven’t refused your request.” He waited while the older man sank back into his chair. “You are certain you stand in danger from your King?”
“As certain as I may be outside of a cell.” There was a fatalistic expression in Sir Thomas’ face, and his words were flat and toneless.
“You are a valuable man to Henry. Do you think he would overlook your worth for nothing more than pique?”
“I am positive he
“Don’t worry yourself about Ariosto, Damiano said rather brusquely. “He’s overheard more state secrets than any of the spies at this court. I’ve never had cause to regret that.”
Idly, Lodovico wondered if he should, for Sir Thomas’ sake, find an excuse to leave, but he could not bring himself to do it. He admitted to himself that he was eager to know Sir Thomas’ secret. He settled back in his chair and studied the embers of the dying fire.
“Very well.” Sir Thomas rubbed at his stubbled cheeks. “You know, of course, of my King’s dispute with His Holiness.” This was a statement of fact. All Europe knew of it. “I am supposed to press Henry’s interests with you, as you know. But I’m afraid that I am prey to grave doubts about His Majesty’s conduct. I have not been able to accept the new conditions of worship we’ve been given. I cannot accept his divorce. I cannot tolerate his break
“Are you saying that there is rebellion brewing in England?” Damiano asked with a deceptive lightness.
“No, not precisely. That is, there may be, but I know nothing of it, if there is. No. That was not my purpose in speaking. You see, Primàrio, I find that I cannot remain in England. If I do, I must surely defy the King, and he will destroy me. I could reconcile myself to that fate, I think, if I didn’t have a wife and family. In conscience, I could not ask them to live in the shadow of my ruin.” He spoke quite calmly, as though he had long since made up his mind.
“I myself am not on the best of terms with His Holiness,” Damiano said coolly. “I doubt if I could convince him of anything at the moment.”
“I would not ask that,” Sir Thomas responded quickly. “I was not aware that there were such difficulties and I confess I had hoped that there might be a way…But no matter. What I am asking you, Primàrio, Damian, is the right to remain here in Italy. Catastrophe awaits me at home. Here, I may live and continue to work. Perhaps I can help Henry to be reconciled with Rome.”
Damiano made a noncommittal sound, then asked, “And your family?”
“They are at the moment in the Netherlands, visiting friends.”
“How providential,” Damiano said, laughing softly. “You are a very subtle man, Sir Thomas.”
“My wife agreed that it was a fortuitous time, since I was going to be gone so many months in any case. It would not take them long to come to me here, if I were to send them word they were wanted.” He smoothed the fur edging on his long gown and at last looked toward Damiano.
“I see.” Damiano fingered his neat, short beard. “You realize that, given my difficulties with the Pope, your presence could be something of an embarrassment to me?”
Sir Thomas stared at his hands in his lap. “Until this evening, I was not aware that your relations were so strained. I felt, since you’re blood relatives, there would be a closeness…” He could not go on.
“You say this, coming from England where Plantagenet cousins killed each other for more than eighty years?” Damiano clearly did not expect Sir Thomas to have an answer to this challenge. “It was clever of Richard to make Henry Tudor his heir. It prevented more bloodshed.”
Sir Thomas started to rise. “I see. I am sorry that I importuned you in this way, Primàrio. I beg you will forget…”
“Sit down, Sir Thomas,” Damiano interrupted him sharply. “I haven’t refused your request.” He waited while the older man sank back into his chair. “You are certain you stand in danger from your King?”
“As certain as I may be outside of a cell.” There was a fatalistic expression in Sir Thomas’ face, and his words were flat and toneless.
“You are a valuable man to Henry. Do you think he would overlook your worth for nothing more than pique?”
“I am positive he
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