Read Online The King's Secret Matter by Jean Plaidy - Free Book Online

she assured herself that this was one of them.
    The King’s face was flushed and he was smiling; there was rare tenderness about his mouth; he dearly loved children, and he would have been a contented man if, instead of one smallgirl in the nursery, there were half a dozen – and more than one lusty boy among them.
    But in this happy moment he was well pleased with his little daughter.
    How enchanting she is! thought Katharine. How dainty! How healthy with that flush in her cheeks and her long hair falling about her shoulders! Why am I ever sad while I have my Mary?
    â€˜Ha!’ boomed the King, ‘you are going to be a musician, my daughter. There is no doubt of that.’ He turned, smiling to Katharine. ‘Did you hear that? She shall have the best teacher in the land.’
    â€˜She already has that,’ said Katharine meaningfully, and she went to the pair and laid her hand lightly on the King’s shoulder. He patted that hand affectionately.
    Holy Mother of God, the Queen prayed silently, if we had only one son, all would be well between us. Who would believe, witnessing this scene of domestic felicity, that he continually betrays me and that . . .
    But she would not allow herself to say it even to herself. It was impossible. Only her enemies had whispered it because they hated her. They must have forgotten that she was of the House of Spain and that the Emperor was her own sister’s son.
    â€˜Henry,’ went on Katharine, ‘I want to discuss her general education with you. I wish her to receive tuition in languages, history and all subjects which will be of use to her in later life.’
    â€˜It shall be so,’ agreed Henry.
    â€˜I have been talking to Thomas More on this subject.’
    â€˜A good fellow, Thomas More,’ murmured the King, ‘and none could give you better advice.’
    â€˜His daughters, I have heard, are the best educated in England. He firmly believes that there should be no difference between the education of girls and boys.’
    The King’s look of contentment faded; his lower lip protruded in an expression of discontent.
    I should not have said that, thought Katharine. I have reminded him that while Thomas More has a son, he, the King, has none – at least not a legitimate son.
    These pitfalls appeared on every occasion. Was there no escaping them?
    The King was staring at Mary’s brown curls, and she knew that he was thinking to himself: Why was this girl not a boy?
    The little girl was extremely sensitive and this was not the first time that she had been aware of the discontent she aroused in her father. She lowered her eyes and stared at the lute in his hands. He frightened her, this big and glittering father, who would sometimes pick her up in his arms and expect her to shout with glee because he noticed her. She did shout, because Mary always tried to do what was expected of her, but the glee was assumed, and in her father’s presence the child was never completely free from apprehension.
    She longed to please him and applied an almost feverish concentration on her lessons, and in particular her music; and because she knew that he liked to boast of her abilities, she was terrified that she would fall short of his expectation.
    Those occasions when he smothered her with his exuberant affection were almost as alarming as when he showed his displeasure in her sex.
    She had begun to ask herself: ‘Where did I fail? What could I have done to have made myself be born a boy?’
    She took a swift glance at her mother. How glad she wasthat the Queen was present, for in the company of her mother she felt safer. If she could have had her wish they would have been together always; she would have liked to sleep in her mother’s chamber, and stay with her the whole day long. Whenever she was afraid, she thought of her mother; and when they were alone together she was completely happy.
    Now she raised her eyes and found