affronted. “My father lost his life to the present queen for his faith—why should I trust what her daughter’s servants say?”
Matthew said sharply, “The Duke of Norfolk lost his life for attempting to kill Queen Elizabeth and put Mary Stuart on her throne. With himself as her husband.”
“None of that is relevant,” Pippa interposed, since Arundel looked ready to stalk out in offended pride. “Her Highness is entirely serious about this, Lord Arundel. She will be in York this spring for the Council of the North. From amongst those Catholic lords who attend her at that time, she will name two to her council.”
“Why?”
“Because you need representation. If you do not have it, England will continue to split along religious lines. The Princess of Wales does not intend to come to her throne many years from now to rule only part of this people.”
Arundel’s expression remained wary. “The queen will never allow it.”
“The queen is not here.”
“Does Her Highness have men in mind?”
“Why do you think we are meeting with you?”
There was a long, considering silence before Arundel shook his head. “I am afraid I must refuse. I do not intend to be in the North this spring.”
And now came their trump card. Very gently, Pippa said, “Because you intend to sail from England in April.”
A slight flicker of the eyes, but the answer came pat. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You need to take better care with your servants, Lord Arundel. One of them is not as loyal as you think. We are aware that you plan to flee to the Continent in the spring and leave England behind for good.”
Arundel admitted to nothing. “Would not the queen be glad to see the Catholics gone?”
“Others may be able to flee unnoticed, but not Philip Howard. The queen will stop you; you must know that. If you try to leave England, you will be arrested and taken to the Tower. Would you not rather have the chance to counsel Her Highness on the condition of Catholics in the realm?”
“You must consider it, man,” Scrope intervened. “This offer will never come from London. But Princess Anne is the daughter of His Most Catholic Majesty, King Philip. One of her chief ladies is a Spanish Catholic. The princess is the best chance we have of bringing a peaceful end to this religious conflict.”
“Does Princess Anne intend to turn Catholic?”
“Princess Anne intends to heal the divide amongst her subjects.”
“That is sophistry.”
Pippa leaned forward and replied with all the intensity of which she was capable. It was a great deal. “Then I shall speak plainly. England will never return to Rome. It is far too late. Even were a Catholic monarch able to obtain England’s throne, they would not be able to hold it. The sentiments of the people are too strongly opposed. That does not mean there cannot be a great deal done to ease the suffering of English Catholics.”
“How?”
“That is what the princess’s privy council is meant to decide.”
At long last Arundel gave a begrudging smile. “You present an interesting proposition, Lady Philippa. You will not object to my taking time to consider it?”
She was swept by relief, for she had been afraid of outright rejection. “If you must. We look forward to hearing from you shortly.”
And that was that. They said their muted farewells and Baron Scrope led them back to the courtyard. “You will not stay and let us entertain you further?”
“Her Highness will be anxious to hear our report. And also,” Philippa studied the iron sky, “it looks as though it’s going to snow again. Thank you, Lord Scrope.”
As Philippa prepared to mount, Matthew neatly cut off the groom waiting to help her. He offered his linked hands and said softly, “Well done, my lady.”
She paused. “I wish you wouldn’t call me that.”
“What should I call you?”
“There was a time when you called me Philippa.”
He drew up to his full height, so that she had to
Matthew said sharply, “The Duke of Norfolk lost his life for attempting to kill Queen Elizabeth and put Mary Stuart on her throne. With himself as her husband.”
“None of that is relevant,” Pippa interposed, since Arundel looked ready to stalk out in offended pride. “Her Highness is entirely serious about this, Lord Arundel. She will be in York this spring for the Council of the North. From amongst those Catholic lords who attend her at that time, she will name two to her council.”
“Why?”
“Because you need representation. If you do not have it, England will continue to split along religious lines. The Princess of Wales does not intend to come to her throne many years from now to rule only part of this people.”
Arundel’s expression remained wary. “The queen will never allow it.”
“The queen is not here.”
“Does Her Highness have men in mind?”
“Why do you think we are meeting with you?”
There was a long, considering silence before Arundel shook his head. “I am afraid I must refuse. I do not intend to be in the North this spring.”
And now came their trump card. Very gently, Pippa said, “Because you intend to sail from England in April.”
A slight flicker of the eyes, but the answer came pat. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You need to take better care with your servants, Lord Arundel. One of them is not as loyal as you think. We are aware that you plan to flee to the Continent in the spring and leave England behind for good.”
Arundel admitted to nothing. “Would not the queen be glad to see the Catholics gone?”
“Others may be able to flee unnoticed, but not Philip Howard. The queen will stop you; you must know that. If you try to leave England, you will be arrested and taken to the Tower. Would you not rather have the chance to counsel Her Highness on the condition of Catholics in the realm?”
“You must consider it, man,” Scrope intervened. “This offer will never come from London. But Princess Anne is the daughter of His Most Catholic Majesty, King Philip. One of her chief ladies is a Spanish Catholic. The princess is the best chance we have of bringing a peaceful end to this religious conflict.”
“Does Princess Anne intend to turn Catholic?”
“Princess Anne intends to heal the divide amongst her subjects.”
“That is sophistry.”
Pippa leaned forward and replied with all the intensity of which she was capable. It was a great deal. “Then I shall speak plainly. England will never return to Rome. It is far too late. Even were a Catholic monarch able to obtain England’s throne, they would not be able to hold it. The sentiments of the people are too strongly opposed. That does not mean there cannot be a great deal done to ease the suffering of English Catholics.”
“How?”
“That is what the princess’s privy council is meant to decide.”
At long last Arundel gave a begrudging smile. “You present an interesting proposition, Lady Philippa. You will not object to my taking time to consider it?”
She was swept by relief, for she had been afraid of outright rejection. “If you must. We look forward to hearing from you shortly.”
And that was that. They said their muted farewells and Baron Scrope led them back to the courtyard. “You will not stay and let us entertain you further?”
“Her Highness will be anxious to hear our report. And also,” Philippa studied the iron sky, “it looks as though it’s going to snow again. Thank you, Lord Scrope.”
As Philippa prepared to mount, Matthew neatly cut off the groom waiting to help her. He offered his linked hands and said softly, “Well done, my lady.”
She paused. “I wish you wouldn’t call me that.”
“What should I call you?”
“There was a time when you called me Philippa.”
He drew up to his full height, so that she had to
Similar Books
