Free Katharine of Aragon by Jean Plaidy Page B

hundred thousand of which had been paid on the wedding day. Fifty thousand more were due in six months' time and another fifty thousand within the year. The plate and jewels, which Katharine had brought with her from Spain and which were to form part of the payment, were valued at thirty-five thousand crowns. This was important to Henry because the plate and jewels were actually in England. For the remainder of the dowry he hadonly the word of Isabella and Ferdinand to rely on. Why should not Henry take the plate and jewels
now
? They were in England, so protests from Spain would be fruitless. Henry had already shown when he had seen the Infanta before her wedding that in England he was determined to have his way.
    So Puebla was of the opinion that the consummation of the marriage was of far less importance than the Infanta's dowry.
    “It is always the King of England who will decide,” he said.
    “Then I think we should let it be known that the Sovereigns of Spain
expect
consummation without delay.”
    Puebla lifted his shoulders and Geraldini could see that, like Ayala, he was indifferent.
    But the fact that Geraldini had approached both ambassadors in the matter was brought to the notice of Doña Elvira, and she immediately realized that the officiousness of the priest was directed against her own authority.
    Doña Elvira was never a woman to consider whether or not she offended others.
    She asked Geraldini to come to her apartments and, when he arrived, she went straight into the attack.
    “It appears, Father Geraldini, that you choose to forget that
I
am in charge of the Infanta's household!”
    “I did not forget.”
    “Did you not? Then it seems strange that you should go about explaining that it is the wish of their Catholic Highnesses that the marriage should be consummated.”
    “Strange, Doña Elvira? It is common sense.”
    “You are in the Sovereigns' confidence?”
    “I…I am the Infanta's confessor, and as such…”
    Doña Elvira's eyes narrowed. And as such, she thought, you enjoy too much of her confidence. I shall remedy that.
    She interrupted coldly: “Queen Isabella put me in charge of her daughter's household, and until she removes me from that position, there I shall remain. It is for the good of all that as yet the marriage shall remain unconsummated. Our Infanta is as yet too young and her husband even younger. I will thank you, Father, not to meddle in affairs which are no concern of yours.”
    Geraldini bowed to hide the hatred in his eyes, but Doña Elvira made no attempt to hide that in hers.
    There was war between them, and Doña Elvira would not be satisfied until she had arranged for the insolent priest's recall to Spain.
    HENRY CAME RUNNING into his brother's apartments, his eyes blazing with excitement.
    Arthur was stretched out on a couch looking very pale.
    “Are you sick, Arthur?” asked Henry, but he did not wait for an answer. “I have just seen a strange thing, brother. Our father has done to death his best falcon, and for no other reason than that it was not afraid to match itself with an eagle.”
    “Is that so?” said Arthur wearily.
    “Indeed it is so. Our father ordered the falconers to pluck off its head, and this was done.”
    “I understand why,” said Arthur, “because I remember how he hanged the mastiffs.”
    “Yes,” said Henry. “I remembered too. Our father said: ‘It is not meet for any subject to attack his superior.’”
    “Ah,” mused Arthur, “our father is fond of these little parables, is he not?”
    “But his best falcon! And all because the bird was game enough to show no fear of the mighty eagle. I should have treasured that falcon. I should have been proud of him. I should have used him continually.
I
should not have plucked off his head for bravery.”
    “You are not King.”
    “No—that is not for me.” Arthur noticed the sullen lines about the little mouth.
    “It is unfortunate. You would have made a much better King than I,