by Maggi Petton
“Of course. He was given leave for his grandmother’s funeral, but disappeared after that. He never returned to the castle.”
“We finally found him…or rather, we discovered what happened to him. He was murdered…apparently on his way back here. Reports are that he was in a fight with patrons of a tavern.”
Catherine’s eyebrows knit together in concern. “Do you suspect foul play?”
“Well, it is a little too convenient. I am still looking into the matter. My understanding is that he was not the sort to go looking for trouble.” Robert pressed his fist to his chest, bowed and left.
That evening Catherine left the nursery after saying goodnight to James and Sofia. Ambrose was heading in that direction.
“Before you go in, may I have a word?” Catherine asked.
Ambrose nodded and fell in step beside her as she walked down the hallway. “I see no further need to share the marriage bed,” she said abruptly. She didn’t intend for her voice to sound as cold as it did, but she heard the coolness echo in her ears.
Ambrose stopped walking and turned toward her with a puzzled expression. “I have no difficulty understanding the importance of you producing an heir,” he retorted, “but I was under the impression the marriage bed was less a ‘need’ and more of an enjoyment.”
“Ambrose, it has come to my attention that you enjoy your sexual exploits outside our marriage.” Catherine resumed walking, avoiding looking directly at him. “I am inclined to allow you to continue your indulgences and only ask that you be discreet in your dalliances, at least more so than you have been thus far.”
He did not resume walking with her, and when he spoke Catherine was forced to stop, turn and look at him. He stood still, with his hands on his hips. “Perhaps,” he responded with as much haughtiness as he could muster, “I would be less inclined to dally if my wife were more inclined toward her wifely duties.”
Catherine glared at him and smiled a cold smile, but she did not feel cold, she felt her face flush with anger that boiled close to the surface. “My dear husband,” she began, “this was a marriage of convenience from the beginning. How could you not know that? We were not in love. I arranged this charade to form a political alliance and produce an heir.” Catherine wanted to stop talking, but her words seemed to have formed a life of their own. The venom continued to pour out of her mouth without caution. “You have a title and a respectable position. You have gained as much, if not more, from this marriage than you could ever have hoped to attain. Be satisfied with that. Your freedom to indulge your sexual appetite is given you. All I require is your discretion.”
“I suppose that you think you are being discreet with your lady in waiting?” he spat.
She felt exposed and scandalized by his remark, but she stared at him with narrowing eyes and without kindness, “You are fool, Ambrose. I would suggest that you be thankful for what you have been given in this arrangement. I know your father is much relieved to have you off of his hands.” After a pause she continued. “And should you ever refer to Lady Isabella in such a manner again…or ever bring up my ‘wifely duties’ in the future, I guarantee you will regret having a tongue.” She whirled away, glad her quarters were nearby.
Chapter Thirty
Catherine was pale and shaking when she closed the doors behind her.
“My God, what is it?” Bella rushed to her.
Catherine told her about the confrontation with Ambrose.
“Do you really think it was wise to anger him?” Bella asked fearfully.
“What does it matter?” Catherine tried to make light of the situation, although she felt sick to her stomach. She reached the chair near the fireplace and nearly fell into it. “I thought it better to deal with the matter forthrightly and be done with it,” she said as she collapsed.
“Don’t you think this will return to haunt you…us? What about the bishop?” Bella was pacing.
Catherine took a big breath and tried to sound unconcerned, although she was quite upset. “I am less concerned with the bishop these days. He seems to have toned down his rhetoric against us since my discussion with him. Would you like some wine?” She got up to pour herself a cup. Her hands trembled so much that she could not hold the cup still, but managed to pour some wine into her cup.
“You, of all people, need always to be wary of that man!” Bella said, her voice tight. “And even if it is true that he is less of a threat, you have a child to consider! And you cannot ignore the fact that Ambrose is Sofia’s father as much as you are her mother. Catherine, I truly believe that you must make some effort to placate the man. You have enough enemies without making one of your husband.”
Catherine took several large swallows of wine, hoping for the sweet liquid to calm her nerves. Suddenly terrified, she sat back down, dropped her head and sighed. “I know you’re right. I have known it since the words left my mouth, but I didn’t know how to make things right once they were said.”
Bella stopped pacing and knelt down in front of Catherine. She took the cup from Catherine’s still shaking hands and placed it on the table next to them.
“Alright, alright.” She put her hands on Catherine’s lap and was quiet for a moment, then asked, “What does Ambrose do now that he has the title of king? What is his role in the court?”
“Nothing really. There have been no expectations placed upon him. On occasion the Council has engaged in discussion as to how to best utilize his skills. Apparently,” she said with considerable sarcasm, “they are having difficulty finding a suitable position for a royal stud.”
“Catherine!” Bella exclaimed. But they both started laughing and could not stop.
“Antonio,” Catherine said to her secretary before she entered her office, “please call for my husband.”
“Yes, Majesty.”
When Ambrose entered her office he gave Catherine a curt nod and said, “Majesty.”
“Please come in and sit down, Ambrose.” She gestured to a comfortable chair across from her desk. He sat. Then she rose and went around her desk to sit next to him.
“Ambrose, I wish to apologize for the other day. My words were spoken without thought for your feelings. It wasn’t my intention to injure you in such a cruel and thoughtless way. Can you forgive me?”
“I am not certain that I care to forgive you,” he said, almost petulantly. He would not meet her eyes.
“I understand. But I ask you to consider that we are both the parents of a beautiful child, who will depend on us to love her together, whether or not we share a bed. Perhaps, for her, we can find a way to be friends.”
“I will consider it.” His right knee bounced up and down as he picked at a cuticle on his finger.
Neither of them spoke for a bit.
Finally, Catherine broke the silence. She stood and walked back around to the other side of her desk. “You are aware that the Privy Council is considering how best to utilize your role as king?”
“I am aware, yes.”
“I wonder if you have given thought to what you might like to do as king.”
Ambrose looked at her with a quizzical expression. “I was under the impression that my opinion was not of any great importance in the matter,” he said, unable to disguise his resentment.
“I would like your thoughts…it is your future, after all,” Catherine said as softly and kindly as possible.
“Since I had thought I would not be consulted in the matter I gave no consideration to how I might be of service. I simply thought to await my instructions,” he said without emotion, almost as if he were unconnected to his life.
In a flash of insight, Catherine realized that he had never really been part of any decision-making regarding his life. When she first wrote to King Christopher about the marriage possibility, his response was that the family would be greatly honored by the joining of their two kingdoms…and he accepted on behalf of Ambrose. Catherine met privately with King Christopher in the weeks leading to the marriage. Even then Ambrose was not i
ncluded in most of the discussions regarding his own wedding. It was during those discussions that Catherine became aware of what an embarrassment Ambrose was to his family. They were anxious to be rid of him. That the queen had proposed this union was a windfall for King Christopher’s family. Now, as she heard Ambrose respond to her questions with such detachment, she understood that he had given up on ever having a say on his own behalf.
“Ambrose,” she offered quietly, “I have given thought to your role. Understand that this is not a directive, nor is it at the advice of the Privy Council, and I am truly inviting you to think about my proposal before you make any decision.” She waited before continuing. “Once Sofia is a bit older and can travel, perhaps in about a years’ time, I am compelled to travel the kingdom. My father did so periodically and always returned with a more realistic perspective of what was truly happening with his subjects. I wonder if you would be willing to sit on the Privy Council in my absence?”
“In what capacity?” he asked suspiciously.
“As a regular member of the Council you will participate in the general running of the kingdom. Perhaps you might like oversight of the paper production. I noticed that it was something you seemed interested in when we toured the mill.” She paused to see if he might have any reaction. He remained quiet, but appeared thoughtful. She continued. “The Council, like most, has the ability to issue decrees and create laws. Ultimately, as queen, I have final say, but as much as possible, I allow the Council the freedom to manage the kingdom.” Catherine knew that a position for Ambrose on the Council might prove dangerous for her, especially if she were unable to make any kind of amends with him, but she could think of no other way to determine his true abilities…and alliances, than to put him in a position where he would be required to participate, but not lead. A year should give her the time necessary to assess where his loyalties lie. By then she should be able to tell if it would be wise to give him authority to lead the Council in her absence.
“I don’t think I am interested,” was all Ambrose said.
“Ambrose,” she said gently, “I really do not know all that much about you. I don’t know where your skills or your interests lie. I want to know. Whether or not either of us is happy about how things have turned out, we are husband and wife for the rest of our lives.” Catherine got up and walked back around to the other side of her desk, sitting next to him again as she talked. “Will you at least sit in on Council meetings for a while to see what goes on? You may find that you are interested in some aspect of what the Council does.”
“I will consider it,” was all Ambrose said.
Much could happen in a year.
Catherine was not inclined to take the evening meal in the great hall. Although customary for the court to dine together, since Bella’s arrival Catherine preferred the evening meal in her quarters. At Bella’s insistence, they began to join the castle residents. There, the king and queen sat at the head table, with Bella seated next to the queen on her left side. As Bella predicted, the simple change seemed to have the effect of softening Ambrose’s anger at Catherine. One evening Ambrose addressed Catherine’s proposal.
“I have been giving thought the Privy Council.”
“Ah,” said Catherine, actually delighted. “And what do you think?”
“I believe that I might enjoy such a position.”
Catherine smile. “I am glad, Ambrose. I will notify the Privy Council that they need not trouble themselves with finding a role for you.”
“Thank you.”
“If it suits you,” she added, “I should like to present this as your request, to which I give my wholehearted approval.”
Even with his previous lack of involvement in any political arena, Catherine hoped that Ambrose recognized what she was offering. If the request came from him, as opposed to being at the direction of the queen, he would be seen as less a puppet and more master of his own life. He turned to her and gave her a grateful smile, as warm as she had seen in some time. “Thank you.”
Bella slipped her hand under the tablecloth and gave Catherine’s hand a squeeze.
Chapter Thirty One
The children were growing. James was almost three and Sofia was one. Ambrose had served on the Privy Council for almost a year, and Catherine noted that he seemed to come alive when dealing with issues of architecture; he also seemed to greatly enjoy his role overseeing the production of paper. He was a neutral addition to the Council, but it was difficult to ascertain whether this was genuine neutrality or if Ambrose just kept his true thoughts to himself.
Things in Rome had changed much in the past year since Pope Paul IV came to power following the quick and untimely death of Pope Marcellus II. Catherine’s heart sank when she heard of the election of Marcellus’s’ successor. He was a man so vile that all thoughts of going back to Rome to plead for help vanished.
Prior to becoming Pope, Cardinal Giovanni Pietro Carafa played powerful roles in Rome and throughout Europe. At sixty eight years of age he became Cardinal and convinced Pope Paul III to stamp out heresy. He offered a “New Inquisition” that was designed to eliminate heretics not only in Spain and France, but throughout Italy and all of Rome.
Carafa, as Cardinal, assumed leadership of the Inquisition. He personally oversaw the building of prisons and torture chambers for heretics, ensuring that the cells and implements of torture met his standards for breaking those accused of heresy. At one time he proudly stated, “Even if my own father were a heretic, I would gather the wood to burn him.”
As Pope Paul IV, Carafa was determined to show no leniency, no mercy to heretics. His primary targets were Protestant reformers, those guilty of sexual misconduct, and Jews. Although twenty three previous Popes had guaranteed the protection of Jews, Pope Paul IV abolished those protections and created ghettoes into which he banished them.
No one was safe from the threat of interrogation, imprisonment, torture, or death.
The worst of it for Catherine and the kingdom of Montalcino was that Pope Paul IV was cousin to her own detestable council member, Carfaggi.
Father Tim shared more and more stories of torture and execution. His brother, Thomas, travelled widely and kept Tim apprised of the Inquisition “progress” in other countries. Montalcino was not the only Kingdom under pressure to rid itself of heretics; many countries and kingdoms lived in terror under this Pope.
Catherine knew of a particular case in Venice. A young university student who accepted the teachings of Martin Luther was imprisoned for over a year. He didn’t oppose the Catholic Church, only favored the teachings of Luther. For this, the young man sat in prison. Under a different pope, the young man might have eventually been freed. But upon becoming Pope, Carafa instituted a new form of execution, boiling alive in a vat of oil, tar and turpentine. The young student was made an example and became the first to experience this form of punishment.
Catherine was so enraged by the crimes of the Church that there were times she thought about pushing more openly against the Inquisition. At one point, when torturing women to get them to confess to being witches was banned, Catherine hoped that all torture might fall by the wayside. Now, with Carafa in power, torture was more common place, and it was encouraged in the most sadistic of ways.
During Sofia’s first year, Sunday Mass with Father Tim in the village of Castiglione d’ Orcia continued. Catherine, Robert, Bella and Father Tim continued to strategize ways to help the innocent victims. But, Catherine remained frustrated by her inability to accomplish more. Since Pope Paul, their ability to help the accused became less and less effective. Inquisitors became more ruthless in their attempts to convict heretics. In their fear, people were less able to defend themselves and the number of executions in Montalcino rose.
Under Carafa, the types of attacks that Bella’s family had experienced were spreading like wildfire. Bishop Capshaw remained complacent and did nothing to discourage the illegal activity. Even if he wanted to investigate and stop the rogue attac
ks, he became far too overwhelmed with the increasing number of interrogations. Between the interrogations, his participation on the Privy Council, and his ecclesiastical duties, he could not be bothered with hunting the fanatics. And Carfaggi continued to breathe down his neck to interrogate more accused heretics.
“Majesty,” he replied when she asked him about his delegate at a recent Privy Council meeting, “I have dismissed him. I have much more need of an assistant to aid me in the interrogation process than in trying to hunt this group that is so elusive.”
Since Carafa’s rise to Pope, the bishop was now interrogating nearly one person every day. His passion, if he ever really had any for this aspect of his role, began to diminish. His questions took on more of a rote, list-like, presentation. Although his questions were pointed and intimidating, he lacked interest in the outcome. Even if the evidence presented was questionable, he sentenced based on the evidence alone. He no longer cared about whether or not he felt any conviction about the crime or the person he sentenced, or whether he was sentencing to imprisonment or death. There were exceptions, however.
The bishop became particularly harsh with crimes of a sexual nature. He doubled his efforts and intensity with regard to sexual aberrations following a recent visit from a Vatican emissary. Catherine knew about the visit because the bishop was absent from a Council meeting. Lord Carfaggi was absent that day, as well. Robert discovered the visitor from Rome was under direct orders from Pope Paul, Carfaggi’s cousin, to meet with Bishop Capshaw. Although details of the meeting were unknown, Catherine detected a change in the bishop after the emissary left Montalcino. She sensed fear, and that surprised her.
She was unaware of how much the change in Rome, from Pope Julius, then Pope Marcellus to Pope Paul IV, terrified Bishop Capshaw. His reasons, known only to him, and Carfaggi, in the Kingdom of Montalcino, were known by many in Rome.
When Thomas Capshaw had learned of Carafa’s election, he became violently ill. He knew he needed to convince the watching eyes of the papacy that he was a changed man, no longer engaged in his sinful ways. Still, he worried that Carafa would come after him. Since becoming Pope Paul IV, Carafa was even imprisoning Cardinals.
