Free Jean Plaidy by To Hold the Crown: The Story of King Henry VII, Elizabeth of York Page B

by those Tudors. It was right, of course, that a woman should cling to her husband, but when that husband showed himself the enemy of the mother who had cared for her through all the difficult years … it was cruel and unnatural.
    Dear Cecilia had more spirit than Elizabeth. She fancied that Cecilia was very interested in Lord John Weils. She had intercepted glances between them. It had made her a little uneasy at the time for although John Wells was a worthy man, and quite a favorite of the King, he was not a suitable husband for Cecilia. He was twice her age to begin with.
    Nothing would come of that. She could dismiss it from her mind. But she did remember a certain defiance in Cecilia, which had been lacking in her elder sister.
    She often wondered why Henry had not found a husband for Cecilia. At one time she suspected he had planned to test out Elizabeth and if she did not produce the heir … or died … he would try for Cecilia. She suspected Henry of all sorts of devious scheming. One could be sure there would be some motive behind everything that he did.
    One of her servants came to tell her that a nobleman saying he came from the King wished to see her.
    Ah, she thought, he has come to tell me that I shall be released for the coronation. He will realize that the people will notice my absence. It is only right and fitting that the mother of the Queen should be present on such an occasion.
    The nobleman was brought in. He bowed with all due deference.
    “Pray be seated,” she said. “You come from the King?”
    “I do, my lady. He wishes to have your views on a matter of some importance.”
    “I am honored that the King should seek my opinion,” she replied with a hint of sarcasm.
    “My lady, it concerns you deeply and it is for this reason. The King of Scotland has been recently bereaved. He is of a mind to remarry. The King thought that if you were of like mind, negotiations could begin to bring about a union.”
    “Between myself and the King of Scotland? Why he is half my age!”
    “It is always said that you have the looks of a lady half your age.”
    She was pleased. She could not help it. She had not thought of marriage for herself. She had never wanted much from men except power. That was why she had made a success of her marriage with Edward. She had never shown any jealousy of his countless mistresses; she had never sought to restrain his activities with them; it was for that reason that he had loved and admired her and she had been able to keep her hold on him. But the King of Scotland! Well, to be a queen again … a reigning queen, that was a great consideration. And to exchange this … well, retreat one might say … for palaces and castles. It was rather a pleasant idea.
    “I can see that the idea is not repulsive to you, my lady.”
    “These proposed marriages often come to nothing,” she said. “My daughter was to have married into Scotland. How strange that the offer should now be made to me.”
    “The King feels sure that James of Scotland will be overjoyed at the prospect.”
    “We shall see,” said the Queen, and graciously inclined her head to indicate that the interview was at an end.
    She wanted to be alone to consider the suggestion. She had not really committed herself. She could always abandon the project if she had a mind to. At the moment it added a certain spice to life. Queen of Scotland! She was amused to contemplate the trouble she could bring to the King of England if she were ever in that position.

     
    Elizabeth the Queen came riding into London with her sisters Cecilia and Anne. They were all excited because Elizabeth was about to be crowned.
    “A queen is not a real queen until she is crowned,” said Anne. “You will be a real queen now, Elizabeth.”
    “I wonder why it has been delayed so long,” added Cecilia.
    “The King has his reasons,” replied the Queen serenely.
    That is the answer her mother-in-law has taught her, thought Cecilia, and it applies