The Tangled Skein
Page 37
CHAPTER XXXVI
AFTERWARDS
Escorted throughout the journey home by His Eminence, Ursula had notuttered one word. She sat in the barge, gazing out along the river, herveil closely drawn over her head, lest prying eyes noted the expressionon her face.
She was as one who had seen all that she held most dear dying before hereyes. She had made her sacrifice willingly, had offered up her fairname, her every feminine instinct of honour and modesty upon the altarof her love. She had by that sublime holocaust offered up to God athanksgiving for two brief hours of happiness which she had enjoyed.
How far, far away those transient moments seemed now to be. Thathalf-hour in the park of old Hampton Court, with the nightingale singingits sweet song as an accompaniment to the great hosanna which filled herheart. She closed her eyes, for her heart ached nigh to bursting whenshe remembered that first touch of his hand upon hers, the gay, merrywords which fell from his lips, the passionate ardour which gleamed inhis eyes.
Oh God! she had worshipped one of Thy creatures and found him less thanhuman after all. The murmur of the river as the boat glided alongrecalled to her those few moments among the rushes, when a goldenOctober sun was sinking slowly in the west, and the water-fowl werecalling to their mates, while she leant back in a boat, lulled by thepeace of that exquisite hour, rocked to blissful rest by the gentlemotion of the river, and dreaming of heaven, for he sat opposite to her,and every look of his told her that he thought her fair.
Oh God! she had worshipped one of Thy creatures! How great is Thyvengeance now!
He was false to love! false to her!
All jealousy had died from her heart. Her pain now was because he wasfalse. She had forgotten the other woman, she only remembered him--thathe did not love her, that he had accepted her sacrifice, and laughedbitterly, cruelly, when first she told her sublime lie for his sake.
At the Water Gate of the Palace the barge drew up and Ursula prepared toalight. She had spent the short moments of the transit betweenWestminster and Hampton Court in these heart-breaking daydreams. Shehardly realized where she was and what she was doing. Once only, whenfirst the cupolas of the Palace detached themselves from out the mist,she had felt such a desperate pain in her heart, that for a moment thewild hope came to her that God would be merciful and would allow her todie.
But when she alighted she suddenly became conscious that the Cardinal deMoreno was standing before her, his delicate white hand outstretched tohelp her to step ashore. She shrank away from him as from a viper whohad stung her and might sting her again. Not understanding his attitude,nor the motives which had led him to suggest to her the lie that hadsaved Wessex, she yet knew by instinct that this purple-clad, benevolentperson, this kindly and courteous diplomatist was a thing of evil whichhad first polluted and then killed her love.
His Eminence smiled--a kind, indulgent smile--when he saw the quicklook of horror in the young girl's face, and he said very gently--
"Will you not allow me, my daughter, to accompany you to yourapartments? The Queen, remember, hath confided you to my charge; I wouldwish to see you safely in Her Grace of Lincoln's care."
"Your Eminence does me too much honour," she said coldly. "I can find myway alone through the Water Gallery."
"Yet Her Majesty, meseems, will not allow her maids-of-honour to walkunattended in this part of the grounds," he added, with a slight touchof benevolent sarcasm.
"My comings and goings have ceased to interest Her Majesty," rejoinedUrsula quietly, "and I am no longer of sufficient importance to requirewatching or to demand an escort."
"Well, as you will, my daughter. It is not for me to force my presenceupon you, though, believe me, I would have wished to serve you."
He was about to beckon to his retinue, who had stood respectfully asideduring this brief colloquy, when with a quick, wholly unexpectedmovement, the young girl placed her hand upon his arm and forced himonce more to turn and face her.
"Your Eminence would wish to serve me?" she said, speaking rapidly andwith a strange, peremptory ring in her voice.
"Can you doubt it, my child?" he replied urbanely.
"No," she said firmly, "for there is that between Your Eminence and mewhich, if known to the Queen of England, would for ever ruin yourposition in any court of Europe."
"You would find it difficult . . ." he began, whilst a slight look--oh,a mere shade!--of fear seemed to creep into his eyes.
"Nay! I was not thinking of betraying Your Eminence, nor the trap whichyou set for me, into which I was full willing to fall. I merelymentioned the existence of this secret for the awakening of your ownconscience and because I have need of a service from you."
"I will endeavour to fulfil your behests, my child."
"I desire three words with His Grace of Wessex this afternoon."
"My child . . . !" he ejaculated, with still a tone of nervousnessperceptible in his voice, and a trace of that newly awakened fearlurking in the anxious look which he cast upon her.
But she seemed quite self-possessed, and almost commanding as one whohad the right to demand obedience. The Cardinal did not quite know howto read her character at this moment. There was no doubt that if shechose to betray the part which he had played in her voluntaryself-immolation, there would be plenty of people at the English Courtonly too ready to believe her, or at any rate to seem to do so. TheQueen of England herself would lend a willing ear to any tale whichwould release her from her promise, with a semblance of honour toherself. His Grace of Wessex stood fully exonerated now, and in the faceof so much humiliation the Cardinal would find it impossible to demand afresh trial, whilst Mary Tudor had probably already repented of herpledge to marry King Philip of Spain.
On the other hand, was it not dangerous to allow an interview to takeplace between Wessex and Ursula? In a flash the Cardinal reviewed thesituation, and weighed all the consequences of the two courses thusopened before him--acquiescence and negation, and with his usualquickness of intellect he decided that acquiescence would be leastdangerous. All he wanted was the time in which he could obtain theQueen's actual signature to her pledge. Once that was done, Mary Tudorwould never go back on her royal sign-manual. In any case not much harmcould be done in a brief interview. Both Wessex and Ursula were so farfrom guessing the truth, so ignorant of the tangled meshes of theintrigue in which they were still being held, that it would undoubtedlyrequire the testimony of a third person at least, to bring daylight intothe black shadows of the mystery.
Therefore His Eminence, after these few seconds of serious thought,resumed his kind, suave manner and, dismissing all fears from his mind,placed his services with alacrity at Lady Ursula's disposal.
"But I fear me," he added reflectively, "that you place too muchreliance upon my humble powers. His Grace of Wessex is not like tolisten to me, and meseems that you could more easily obtain an interviewwith him through your own influence, which just now should be boundless,if the Duke has any gratitude in his heart."
"Your Eminence seems to be the prime mover in this drama of puppets,"rejoined Ursula drily, "and the Queen will put every obstacle in my wayunless Your Eminence interferes."
"Your confidence honours me, my daughter; I will do my humble bestbeside Her Majesty, and you can do the rest. But this, on onecondition."
"Name it."
"That you will have patience until to-morrow. His Grace arrives at thePalace to-night, Her Majesty will no doubt honour him specially; theremay be festivities to-morrow afternoon. I think I can so contrive itthat you have ten minutes alone then with His Grace."
She bent her head in acquiescence, and then stepped back so as tointimate to him that this interview was at an end.
"Be prudent, my daughter," he added, as he finally turned to go, "andremember that a sin is best atoned for by humility and silence."
"At what hour can I rely on Your Eminence's promise to-morrow?" sherejoined, calmly ignoring his urbane speech.
"In the early part of the afternoon, if
God will grant me power."
"Your Eminence had best pray for that power then," she added finally.
The Cardinal took leave of her with his usual dignified benevolence. Itdid not suit him at present to appear to be taking notice of her thinlyveiled threats. He did not think that she would actually betray him,even if she did talk to His Grace for a few moments, for to betray thelie would mean also to acknowledge her love and her jealousy, and proudUrsula Glynde would never suffer that humiliation.
The situation was delicate and difficult, more so perhaps than it hadever been, but the next few hours should see the Queen of England'ssignature at the bottom of a bond.
Thoughtfully His Eminence began walking along the Water Gallery, whilstUrsula quietly watched his purple robes gliding along the flaggedcorridor.
She too had gained her wish--to see and speak to Wessex. What would shesay? and how would he reply? Vaguely she wondered if she would have thestrength to show him the contempt which she felt for his cowardice, andinwardly prayed for the strength not to let him see how much she lovedhim still.