The Three Crowns: The Story of William a - By Jean Plaidy Page 0,131
what had happened.
But Mary had planned well; Elizabeth had left the Palace in the company of Mary’s servants—who were for that occasion Elizabeth’s guards. Who would have believed it possible that while Mary was playing the docile wife she was making a careful plan to send Elizabeth out of Holland?
The thought which was never far from his mind came back to torment him. When Mary was Queen of England, with powerful ministers to back her—Englishmen who would work for her—what would her attitude be toward her husband? What would she make him: King or consort?
It was the burning question which was always between them; it was one he dared not ask her because he was afraid of the answer. He had tried to make her completely subservient to his will and he so frequently believed he had succeeded; then—usually choosing one of his absences—she would show that she could have her own way.
Their relationship would never be a comfortable one until this question was answered. He could never show her that he was an affectionate husband until she said to him: “When and if the crown of Britain comes to me, you shall still be my master.” That was what he wanted from her; if she would give it, he would be prepared to treat her with respect and affection (although he would never give up Elizabeth). Until then, he would be cold to her, because he was uncertain of her.
He was miserable. Mary baffled him; and Elizabeth, the balm of whose company he needed, was gone.
But he told no one this; he asked no questions of anyone concerning her.
Nor did he mention to Mary that her action had angered him.
It is true, she thought. Elizabeth Villiers was not important to him.
Once she was safely on the boat which was to carry her to Harwich, Elizabeth’s captors relaxed their vigil, while she sat huddled against the wind and cursed her bad luck. What was she, who had made herself so comfortable in Holland, doing on a boat which was carrying her to England?
What would William say when he returned and found her gone? She knew William well. He would deplore her loss but he would do nothing about it. What could he do? He was not a man to rant and rave about something that could not be altered.
Who would have believed Mary capable of such a plan! But Mary was often deceptive. She had been in the old nursery days. But for the fact that she was so sentimental and, strangely enough, over-modest, she would have got far more of her own way. Mary was a dreamer who wanted others to dream with her.
But why waste time thinking of Mary now! Her plan had succeeded, Elizabeth had left Holland, and that was an end of that. What Elizabeth had to think of now was how to get back to Holland.
She touched the letter which was in her pocket. A letter to the King. She could imagine what was in it. “Keep this woman in England and do not let her return to Holland.” That was almost certain to be the gist.
And was she going to be so foolish as to present that letter to the King and meekly accept a lodging, possibly in the Tower?
When they reached England her captors were at her side.
She said: “I have to await an answer from my request to the King. I propose to have a message sent to him telling him I come from the Princess. In the meantime I shall lodge at my father’s house.”
This seemed reasonable and her guards accompanied her to the house of her father, Colonel Villiers, in Richmond. There her father welcomed her warmly for he knew of her position at The Hague and that of all his children she was, through her connection with William, the most influential.
As soon as she was alone with him she told him what had happened.
He listened gravely and said: “If James reads that letter you will never return to Holland.”
“So I believe.”
“You know what is happening here? There is trouble … Each week there are further complaints of the King’s rule. What the people dread is that James will have a son who will be brought up as a Catholic and thus we should have Catholicism back in England. They will never endure it. If the Queen has a son there will be big trouble.”
“You think that they will ask James to abdicate and set Mary in his place.”