Daughters of Spain - Plaidy Jean - Страница 21

‘Ah, have no fear for Juana. Rumour often lies.’

The Queen knew that he could not think of their daughter, Juana, without remembering all the advantages her marriage had brought to Spain. It was no use expecting him to see the personal view. He was quite incapable of that. He had hardened with the years. Have I softened? Isabella asked herself. No, it is merely that having so many loved ones I have become more vulnerable.

Ferdinand said abruptly: ‘Why should there be this delay with our daughter Isabella? Emanuel grows impatient.’

‘Should she not wait until her brother’s wedding celebrations are over?’

‘But we planned that these ceremonies should continue for a long time. The people expect it. Soon however I want Juan and Margaret to go on a long pilgrimage through the country, showing themselves in the various towns. There will be feasting and celebrations wherever they halt. There is nothing like a progress for winning the devotion of the people. And when you have a pair like Juan and Margaret … young, handsome and in love … the people will be their devoted slaves for ever.’ Ferdinand’s eyes blazed. ‘When I think of all that young man of ours is heir to, I could sing for joy.’

‘Perhaps Isabella could accompany them on their pilgrimage.’

‘And thus delay her departure for Portugal?’

‘It would remind the people of all that we are doing for them with these alliances.’

‘Quite unnecessary. Isabella must prepare to leave Spain for Portugal at once.’

The Queen was about to protest, but Ferdinand’s mouth was stubborn.

These are my children as well as yours, he was reminding her. You may be Queen of Castile, but I remain the head of the family.

It was useless to protest, the Queen decided. And a short postponement would make little difference to Isabella in the long run. She was sure that when her daughter was in Portugal she would be as happy with Emanuel as Margaret was with Juan.

The coming of Margaret to Spain had brought an immense relief to Catalina. It seemed to her that here she saw, played out before her eyes, that drama which had begun to dominate her life. The transference of a foreign Princess to the home of her bridegroom could be a happy event.

It was exhilarating therefore to watch the happiness of Margaret and Juan.

Margaret was very friendly with her husband’s sisters. She was amusing and clever, and her manner of never hesitating to say what she meant was extraordinary.

Catalina knew that the Princess Isabella was a little shocked by her sister-in-law. But Isabella could not share in the general rejoicing, because her own departure was imminent.

‘How cruel of us,’ said Catalina to Maria, ‘to be happy when soon Isabella is going to leave us.’

Maria looked astonished. Like her father she could not understand why Isabella should be so distressed. She was going to have a wedding, as Juan had; she was going to be the centre of attraction. That seemed a very fine thing to Maria.

Catalina often left the company, which Margaret was enlivening with some story of the manners of the Flemish, that she might sit with her sister, Isabella.

Isabella had changed in the last weeks. She had become resigned. She seemed a little thinner than usual but there was a hectic flush on her cheeks which made her look very pretty. Her cough worried her still but she continually sought to control it.

One day Catalina crept to her sister’s apartments and found her at the window, looking out wistfully on the scene below.

‘May I come in, Isabella?’

‘But of course.’

Isabella held out her hand and Catalina took it.

‘Why do you come to me?’ Isabella asked. ‘Is it not more fun to be with the others?’

Catalina was thoughtful. Yes, it was more fun. Margaret was amusing and it was pleasant to watch her and remind oneself that this was what it was like going to a strange country to be married; but Catalina could not enjoy the stories of Margaret while she must be thinking of Isabella.

‘I wished to be with you,’ she explained.

‘There will not be many more days when we can be together, for I shall soon be setting out for Portugal. Juan and Margaret will be starting on their journey, so you will miss them also. But of course they will be coming back.’

‘You will come back too.’

‘Yes. Our mother has promised that I shall return to see you all or she will come to me. If she does, I hope she will bring you with her, Catalina.’

‘I will implore her to.’

They were silent for a while and then Isabella said: ‘Catalina, you are the youngest, yet I think you are the wisest. You understand my feelings more than any of the others.’

‘It is because one day I too shall have to go away.’

‘Why yes, Catalina. How selfish I am, to think of myself all the time. But it will be different for you. Catalina, how I wish that I had gone before.’

‘Then you would not have been here now.’

‘You are too young to remember what happened in this country; and because of me it will happen in Portugal. Emanuel has agreed that it shall.’

‘They will drive out the Jews, Isabella; but is that not a good thing? Then Portugal will be an all-Christian country, even as Spain is.’

‘I think of those men, women and children driven from their homes.’

‘But they are Jews, Isabella. I have heard the servants talking about them. They poison wells. They destroy the crops with their incantations and, do you know, Isabella, they do something far worse. They kidnap Christian boys and crucify them as Christ was crucified.’

‘I have heard these stories too, but I wonder if they are true.’

‘Why should you wonder?’

‘Because when people do great injustice they always seek to convince themselves that what they have done is just.’

‘But it is surely just to bring all people to the Christian Faith. It is for their good.’

‘I believe that, but I am haunted by them, Catalina. I see them in my dreams. Terrible things happen to them. When they reached barbarous foreign countries they were robbed and murdered. Little girls like you were violated before the very eyes of their parents. And when they had raped them they slit open their bodies because it was rumoured that they had swallowed their jewels that they might take them away with them. You see, they were not allowed to take what belonged to them.’

‘Isabella, you must pray. You must be serene, as Margaret is. You must not think of these things.’

‘It is easy for her. She does not come to her husband with this guilt upon her.’

‘Nor should you, Isabella.’

‘But I do, Catalina. I hear their voices in my dreams. I see them … rows and rows of angry, frightened faces. I see terrible things in my dreams, and I feel that a curse is upon me.’

There was little that Catalina could do to comfort Isabella.

TRAGEDY AT SALAMANCA

Juan and Margaret had started on their triumphal journey, and the time had come for the Princess Isabella to set out for the meeting with Emanuel.

She was glad that her mother was travelling with her. Ferdinand also accompanied them, but the Princess had little to say to her father; she was aware of his impatience for the marriage to take place.

The Queen understood her daughter’s reluctance to return as a bride to the country of the man she had loved so tenderly; but she had no idea of the horrors which filled her daughter’s mind. It was inconceivable to the Queen that young Isabella could be so concerned about the fate of a section of the community who refused the benefits of Christianity.