Page 60 of A Column of Fire
Véronique tagged on as Alison left Mary’s quarters and hurried through the gloomy rooms of the old palace of Tournelles towards Caterina’s apartment. ‘What do you think her majesty wants?’ Véronique asked.
‘I have no idea,’ Alison said. Véronique might be merely curious – or something more sinister, a spy reporting back to Mary’s powerful uncles.
‘Queen Caterina likes you,’ Véronique said.
‘She likes anyone who is kind to poor Francis.’ All the same, Alison felt apprehensive. Royal people were not obliged to be consistent, and a summons meant bad news as often as good.
They were stopped on their way by a young man Alison did not recognize. He made a deep bow and said to Véronique: ‘What a pleasure to see you, Mademoiselle de Guise. You are a ray of sunshine in this dismal castle.’
Alison had not met him before. She would have remembered him, for he was attractive-looking with waves of fair hair, and well dressed in a green-and-gold doublet. He was charming, too, though he was clearly more interested in Véronique than in Alison. He said: ‘Is there any way I can be of use to you, Mademoiselle Véronique?’
‘No, thank you,’ Véronique said with a touch of impatience.
He turned to Alison and bowed again, saying: ‘And I’m honoured to meet you, Miss McKay. I am Pierre Aumande. I have the honour to serve Mademoiselle de Guise’s Uncle Charles, the cardinal of Lorraine.’
‘Indeed?’ said Alison. ‘In what capacity?’
‘I help with his very extensive correspondence.’
It sounded as if Pierre was a mere clerk, in which case it was ambitious of him to set his cap at Véronique de Guise. However, sometimes fortune favoured the bold, and Monsieur Aumande certainly was bold.
Alison took the opportunity to shake off her shadow. ‘I mustn’t keep her majesty waiting,’ she said. ‘Goodbye, Véronique.’ She slipped away before Véronique could reply.
She found the queen reclining on a divan. Beside her were half a dozen kittens, rolling and tumbling and chasing the end of a pink ribbon that Caterina dangled in front of them. She looked up and gave Alison a friendly smile, and Alison breathed a silent sigh of relief: she was not in trouble, it seemed.
Queen Caterina had been plain when young and now, in her fortieth year, she was also fat. But she loved dressing up, and today she wore a black dress covered with enormous pearls, unflattering but extravagant. She patted the divan and Alison sat down, with the kittens between them. Alison was pleased by this sign of intimacy. She picked up a tiny black-and-white kitten. It licked the jewel on her ring finger, then bit her in an exploratory way. Its little teeth were sharp, but its jaw was too weak for the bite to hurt.
‘How is the bride-to-be?’ Caterina asked.
‘Surprisingly calm,’ Alison answered, stroking the kitten. ‘A little nervous, but looking forward to tomorrow.’
‘Does she know that she will have to lose her virginity in front of witnesses?’
‘She does. She’s embarrassed, but she will bear it.’ Immediately the thought came into Alison’s head:If Francis is capable.She suppressed it for fear of offending Caterina.
But Caterina voiced the concern herself. ‘We don’t know whether poor Francis can do it.’
Alison said nothing: this was dangerous territory.
Caterina leaned forward and spoke in a low, intense voice. ‘Listen to me. Whatever happens, Mary must pretend that the marriage has been consummated.’
Alison was deeply gratified to be having this intimate, confidential conversation with the queen of France; but she foresaw problems. ‘That may be difficult.’
‘The witnesses will not be able to see everything.’
‘Still . . .’ Alison saw that the kitten had fallen asleep in her lap.
‘Francis must get on top of Mary, and either fuck her or pretend to fuck her.’
Alison was startled by Caterina’s blunt words, but she realized that this subject was too important for inexact euphemisms. ‘Who will tell Francis what to do?’ she said in the same practical vein.
‘I will. But you must talk to Mary. She trusts you.’
It was true, and Alison was pleased that the queen had noticed it. She felt proud. ‘What am I to say to Mary?’
‘She must announce, loudly, that she has lost her virginity.’
‘What if they decide to have the doctors examine her?’
