The Three Crowns: The Story of William a - By Jean Plaidy Page 0,25
not look startled. I myself am in like case.”
James’s eyes shone with hope. “Then I am right pleased,” he said.
“You should more reasonably be disturbed. What think you the people of this realm will say to Catholic monarchs?”
“This is the true faith. We must stand by what is right.”
Charles raised his black eyebrows and smiled sardonically at his brother. “Nay, James,” he said. “This is a matter we take with caution. You should tread more warily. I am warning you. The Duchess goes her way; but is it for you, the heir presumptive to the Crown, lightly to follow?”
“It is not a matter of following,” cried James hotly. “It is a matter of seeing the truth.”
“The truth, brother, could be that, when your turn came, the people would have none of you.”
“Then … for the sake of what I believe to be the truth …”
“You would cast aside the Crown? It is not always so easy, brother. Men and women do not take this matter of worship lightly. They do not say I will do it this way and you that. No, they say my way must be your way.”
“The Catholic faith I am convinced is the true way.”
“Others have been convinced before you, James. And where has it led? Look back over the past. Weigh the blood which has been shed in the name of religion. You could not. It is too vast, brother, and there are no measures great enough. I should not care to see bloodshed in this country, and two brothers sent on their travels again.”
“What then, Charles?”
“I am warning you. Do what you must do in secret, ’tis better so … as yet. And warn the Duchess.”
“She is ill, Charles; to her the most important thing in this life is her leaving of it.”
“Brother, it may well be that before long I shall confess myself to be of our mother’s faith. It may be that under my rule England will return to Rome.”
James’s eyes were shining. “A glorious day for England!”
“So say you? And who else James, who else? How many of my now loyal subjects would, on that day, rise up against me. The English are a lazy people, James. They shrug aside what would make a civil war elsewhere; but when their rights are touched on, when they make up their minds to take a stand, they stand firmly … more firmly than any other people in the world. That is what we have to remember—unless we are prepared to gamble.”
“You were always a gambler.”
“But like all good gamblers I don’t take a risk until I see the chances of a win to be in my favor.”
“And so …”
“This is a secret, James. Our sister will shortly be coming to England. My sweet Minette, how I long to see her! It is so long since I have done so. She will be Louis’s ambassadress. Even my closest ministers will not know what the treaty contains.”
“And you will sign this treaty?”
“I shall think on it, James.”
“You need to turn to the truth, Charles … you need this fervently.”
“I need money even more,” answered Charles lightly.
Charles and James were more friendly than they had been for a long time. The plans which the King was considering and which were known to his brother brought them close together; but the fact of their sympathies in religion was an even closer bond.
James was reconciled to his brother’s flippancy, Charles to James’s sentimentality. They were bound together in a common endeavor: to bring Catholicism back to England and—though James did not feel as strongly about this as Charles—never to go wandering again.
They were together on a hunting expedition in the New Forest when a messenger from France presented himself to Charles.
It was clear from his attitude that he brought bad news; and when they heard it it stunned them.
Their mother, Henrietta-Maria, was dead.
They thought of her—the dynamic little woman, whom many people said had in a large measure helped Charles I to his end. James remembered her raging against his marriage, refusing to receive Anne, doing everything she could to make their lives wretched. Yet, she had been his mother and she had suffered deeply.
Charles thought of her as she had been in the days of his childhood. “Mam,” who had imperiously guided her children, and sought to rule their lives. He had never been her favorite, and on his restoration she had wanted to rule England through him. They had had their differences; but she was his