The Queen and the Courtesan (32 page)

‘But the King loves me too, and I cannot bear to remain in that dull château a moment longer. I wish to return to the gaiety of the court.'

The Duchess considered her niece with sadness in her heart. ‘There is more to life than merrymaking and feasting. And far better to be a wife, than a mistress, even to a king.'

Henry arrived the very next day, exactly as she had predicted, ostensibly to offer comfort to the poor abused bride. ‘You have only to ask, dear angel, and I will do all in my power to help you free yourself from this vagabond.'

‘Oh, but . . .' Charlotte began, realizing she had perhaps implied things about her new husband which were not strictly true. The Prince had certainly been nothing but entirely kind and agreeable to her. But if that were true, why did she wish to leave him?

Queen Marie quickly stepped in to assure the confused young woman that her exile from court need only be temporary. ‘Your wifely duty demands that you leave with the Prince your husband, but I promise that when my
accouchement
is imminent, I will send for you, and summon you back to my side.' Marie had doubts on the wisdom of doing even this, but she could not bear to see the pretty child so miserable. ‘I am sure Henri de Condé will make you a good husband, given the chance.'

In the end it was the Constable who settled the matter, insisting that his daughter obey her husband, as she had vowed to do in the wedding service, and accept a sojourn at the summer palace, as he had earlier suggested.

Condé made every effort to please his bride, being most attentive and considerate. Although, to her intense disappointment the young couple were accompanied on their wedding journey by the Dowager Princess, Condé's mother. Even worse, the old lady seemed determined to keep a very close eye on her daughter-in-law indeed.

Back at court Henry raged back and forth, far from pleased to hear that the young
chevalier
had disobeyed him. Even Sully agreed that the young prince was audacious to have taken his bride even further away. ‘He is wracked with love for her, Sire, and jealous enough to spirit his new wife out of the country.'

‘I will not allow it,' Henry stormed, and ordered the young couple to return to court forthwith.

Condé dare not refuse the summons entirely, but he came alone to face his monarch, without the company of his wife who remained under the close guard of his mother. Henry was so incensed by this obstinate refusal to comply with his demands that he next turned to his old ruse of disguise. Donning a long false beard and rough clothing he set out to attend the hunt at Muret, pretending to be a servant in a bid to secretly meet with his heart's desire, as he had once done when courting Gabrielle.

The plan failed. Condé's chancellor, Rochefort, brought his master warning of the ploy, possibly by devious means from the Queen herself. The Prince made sure he was present at the hunt, and that his wife was nowhere to be seen. Furthermore, he warned his mother not to let Charlotte out of her sight, in case the King should present himself at the château.

‘He will not best me,' Henry cried, and invited all the ladies to a feast. Charlotte came, looking as beautiful and desirable as ever, but her mother-in-law came with her, and was in close attendance throughout. Henry found no opportunity to speak to the girl in private. ‘It was vastly frustrating,' he told Sully, who wisely made no comment whatsoever.

When the time came for the Queen's lying-in, Henry ordered her to summon Charlotte to court. Marie considered her husband with cold disdain but did as she was bid. Where was the point in arguing? She would succeed only in upsetting herself and the unborn babe. Fortunately, Condé had the temerity, or the courage, to visit the Queen and refuse.

‘Sadly, Your Majesty, I cannot allow my wife to accept your invitation.'

‘It was not an invitation but an order of the King. Besides, since the health of your mother the Dowager Princess precludes her from attending me, it is surely only fitting that your wife takes her place?' Even as Marie protested, she secretly admired the stance this young prince was taking.

‘I regret, Your Majesty, that will not be possible, for reasons I am sure you will understand.'

The Queen flushed with embarrassment, but did not ask for any further explanation. Nor did she want one. ‘Very well, I will inform the King of your decision.'

Condé bowed and took his leave, but spent the next few weeks constantly glancing over his shoulder, expecting at any moment to be arrested for defying the King. ‘I must get her away,' he told Rochefort. ‘I beg you to help me to protect my wife, and my marriage, from this fierce attachment the King has formed towards her. I intend to visit my sister Eleanor, the Princess of Orange, at Bréda, and beg for her protection.'

‘Will the King give you permission, think you?'

‘I shall not ask for it. I cannot see how even the King could object to my introducing my new wife to my only sister.'

‘Then take care not to alert him to the plan, or he may well attempt to stop you leaving the realm.'

Fearing yet another summons, or worse, Condé visited the Duchesse d'Angoulême, and confessed that he may have offended the Queen. ‘May I beg you, Madame, to offer Her Majesty my sincere apologies for my discourtesy in opposing her commands. Please assure her that I will personally escort my wife, the Princess, to the Louvre in but a few days' time.'

The Duchess regarded him with a steady and shrewd gaze, not at all taken in by this sudden change of heart. ‘I shall be glad to do so, and wish you well.'

Condé quietly took his leave and recklessly called upon Sully that same afternoon to issue the same message. The minister was at once suspicious.

‘Be warned that His Majesty knows full well how to quell rebellion. You would not be the first royal prince to suffer wholesome restraint.'

Condé was privately shocked by this implied threat, yet even more determined to carry through with his plan, and at once set about secretly borrowing the necessary funds from close friends and family to implement it. He openly declared his intention of visiting Muret for a few days, after which he would return to court with his wife in time for the Queen's
accouchement
. The young couple set out at dawn the very next day, but within hours of their arrival news was brought to them that the Queen had been delivered of a girl child, Henrietta Maria. There was no more time to be lost as Her Majesty, no doubt under orders from the King, would be sure to summon them back to court.

‘Dearest, I have decided to hold a hunt, and it would please me greatly if this time you were to attend.'

Charlotte considered this request with a puzzled frown. ‘I doubt I'd be much good at chasing the boar, husband.'

Condé smiled and kissed her brow, teasing her delightful blonde curls with gentle fingers. ‘Sweet one, I should never ask such a thing of you. But there will be feasting afterwards. You would enjoy that, would you not?'

‘Oh yes,' Charlotte cried, clapping her hands with childish delight. ‘I should indeed. I shall wear my new green gown, the one with the russet embroidery around the hem.'

Condé smiled indulgently at his bride's excitement, which was good to see. He had been up half the night finalizing his plans with Rochefort, and it was hard to hide his nervousness. Were the King to get wind of his intentions to escape the realm he might well send his guards to apprehend him.

The next morning, thrilled to be included, Charlotte and two of her ladies climbed into a coach drawn by eight horses, having first attended matins in the castle chapel. With them was packed several hampers of food, which they happily picked at as they drove along. Condé rode on horseback alongside, together with Rochefort, Virrey and other gentlemen of his party. The November day was damp and drizzling with rain but spirits were high. The weather didn't trouble Charlotte in the slightest. She was only too delighted to escape the boredom of the castle, the endless embroidery to which she'd been subjected day after day, as well as the company of old women, in particular her mother-in-law. It felt good to be out in the open air, and to have gentlemen around admiring her with their eyes and making flattering remarks.

The jolting of the coach lulled her to sleep for a time, but then she woke with a jerk to stare out of the window where there was no sign of any forest, not even a single tree. A long empty road stretched before them. ‘Where are we? It is taking a great many hours to reach our destination. How far distant is the
rendezvous de chasse
?'

‘Not much further, dearest,' her husband lied, not slackening his pace.

Less than an hour later it finally dawned on Charlotte that she had been tricked. She began to weep. ‘Where are you taking me? Have you abducted me? I can see we are travelling away from the forest in an entirely different direction.'

Seeing her distress, Condé reigned in his horse and came to sit beside her in the coach, holding her hands warmly between his own. ‘My love, I am taking you to my sister, where you will be safe and your honour properly protected.'

Charlotte stared at him, round-eyed. ‘Your sister?'

He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. ‘Our destination is the palace of the Prince of Orange at Bréda.'

‘We are to leave France?' She stared at him, wide-eyed with dismay.

‘That is my plan, sweet one. You will like Eleanor, who is looking forward to meeting her new sister-in-law. Once you are safely ensconced in the Low Countries far from the unwelcome attentions of the King, we can perhaps begin to properly enjoy our marriage.'

Tears filled the bride's eyes, sliding down her cheeks so that Condé's heart almost broke to see them fall. ‘I want to go home,' she sobbed. ‘I wish to return to court at once.'

By way of reply her husband kissed her softly on her pouting mouth, then left the coach and spurred his horse, and the party, to an even greater speed.

Charlotte flung herself into the arms of her companion, a Mademoiselle de Certeau, weeping extravagantly for some time. At length, that good lady patted her mistress gently on the shoulder. ‘See, dawn is breaking; would you not care for some breakfast, Madame?'

Youthful appetite stirred and Charlotte dried her eyes, looking out of the window in wonder at the sun sliding higher in the sky. She couldn't help noticing what a fine figure of a man her husband looked on his mount, and suddenly laughed out loud. She called to the gentlemen galloping alongside. ‘We ladies are hungry; could we not stop and partake of breakfast?'

As the party sat in the early morning sunshine Charlotte meekly submitted to her husband's decision. ‘Perhaps you are right to take me from the King,' she told him, letting him slip his arm about her waist, even though close to he smelt of horse and a not altogether unpleasing male sweat. ‘It is good of you to care for my reputation, and I assure you, husband, that I will be a good wife to you.'

Condé smiled into her eyes as he kissed her, hoping against hope that she meant what she said.

The King was in his closet playing cards with Soissons, Bassompierre and Cramail when news reached him that Condé had stolen his wife away with the intent of leaving the realm. Henry's response was instant fury. ‘The blackguard has lured his wife away, I know not whether with the design to kill her in the forest, or to compel her to quit France. I shall seek to learn the truth of this calumny.' Whereupon, he marched into the Queen's bedchamber, demanding to know if Her Majesty had heard anything more.

Startled from her sleep by this sudden invasion in the early hours of the morning, as well as by the import of the question, Marie blinked at her husband and confessed she knew nothing of the matter. ‘But if Monsieur le Condé is seeking to protect his wife, then I would not blame him.'

‘Protecting her from whom?' roared the King. ‘No, do not answer. I must think on this.'

‘Indeed,' Marie said. ‘Think hard.'

Sully was summoned from his bed and came reluctantly to the Queen's closet, to also advise caution.

‘I do not require your comments on what has occurred,' the King snapped at his minister. ‘The remedy, I seek the remedy. The Prince is gone, and has carried off his wife!'

‘I doubt you can arrest a man for taking his own wife to visit his sister,' Sully drily remarked, a comment which was not well received.

‘I command and direct you to arrest the fugitives, to employ all available force at hand. I shall write and dispatch letters this very day to all government officers, commanding them to keep the Prince a close prisoner in the strongest fortress they possess.'

Marie listened with increasing horror to the plans being made. Much as she detested her husband's obsession with
affaires
, she'd rather liked the girl, and could feel only pity for the silly creature who'd become a victim of her own conceit. No doubt the new little princess had protested pitifully over being taken away from the indulgences of a king and the merry delights of court life. Now she was no doubt being kept hidden in some damp and dark forest in order to evade capture by royal forces. What a foolish child to have unleashed not only the passion and fury of an aged monarch, but endangered the life of her young husband. Marie felt deep sympathy for the Prince, and could only applaud his actions.

At the start of the New Year Donna Leonora came to the Queen with news that La Marquise had grown bored with life alone at Verneuil and moved to Marcoussis to be with her mother. Marie's elation lasted no more than a few moments as her
dame d'atours
continued, ‘But word is being bruited abroad that she is planning to take revenge on the King for his rejection of her.'

Marie was shocked. ‘What kind of revenge? Is she again conspiring with Spain?'

Donna Leonora leaned closer so as not to be overheard by the other maids of honour busily packing gowns into coffers for the court's move to Fontainebleau. ‘She is demanding permission to marry Guise, to be granted a pension and permission to remain in France, otherwise she will seek the backing of Spain and swears that should any catastrophe befall the King, she will challenge the Dauphin's right to wear the crown.'