Chapter 332: Good News First

The council chamber awaited. So did Geoffrey Langford. The Lord Chancellor stood near the long table with several documents arranged before him. He bowed when Henry entered.

"Your Majesty."

"Geoffrey." Henry moved to his place. "What have we today?"

"Good news first, Your Majesty."

"I like it," Henry said. "It is a wonderful day, is it not?"

"There shall be no war, Your Majesty."

"Excuse me?"

"I have received a response from France. They admit Princess Madeleine’s actions were despicable. They offer their formal apologies and deny any broader sanction from the French Crown."

"But?"

Geoffrey sighed. "Their trade routes will remain closed to us for now."

"I was not expecting that," Henry said slowly. "I mean peace, not the closed trade routes. France apologising without drawing a sword is what astonishes me."

"As it should."

Henry took the document from Geoffrey’s hand. His eyes moved quickly over the lines. He lowered the parchment and looked at Geoffrey. "Are you sure this is not some kind of trickery?"

"I shall investigate further," Geoffrey said.

"See that you do," Henry replied. "France apologising without sharpening a sword makes me nervous."

"As it should, Your Majesty."

Geoffrey drew another folded paper from beneath the first. "But there is another matter."

Henry sighed. "Please."

"England shall be receiving the King of Italy in two days."

Henry’s brows rose. "Already?"

"Yes, sire. Scouts at the borders brought his envoy’s message to me at first light. They request permission for the royal party to enter and be received formally."

Henry set the French letter down very slowly. "Livia just left for the cathedral...The whole point of this was for me to find out who sent an assassin after her. And then the man whose court may have sent the blade is now arriving on English soil days before I marry the woman he may have tried to kill."

"If Your Majesty wishes, we can delay their formal reception until after the wedding."

"I do not want him in my realm for too long without knowing which hand he has been using."

"A reasonable concern."

"Send word to Lionel," Henry said. "Lady Livia must remain under constant guard."

"I shall do so at once."

"The entire cathedral is to be secured. Every entrance watched. Every cleric accounted for. Anyone attending Mass must be identified before he or she is admitted."

Geoffrey nodded. "Very well."

Henry’s eyes hardened. "And if the King of Italy did send an assassin after the king’s intended, after the future Queen of England, then he is not leaving London without consequence. Consequence sharp enough to be understood in every court that hears of it."

Geoffrey bowed his head slightly. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Call in the rest of the council members," Henry said. "Let us get this over with."

*****

"My lady?" Tabitha called from the doorway.

Livia looked up from the prayer books spread across the table before her. The Archbishop had sent them, along with several little notes marking passages he wished her to study before the wedding. Instructions on humility, and the dangers of vanity. "Yes?" she asked.

Tabitha stepped into the chamber. "Lord Ashcroft wishes to speak with you...A man is not permitted to enter your chambers while you are lodged here, so you must come out to him."

Livia closed the book. "Of course." She rose, picked up her veil, and draped it properly over her head. Tabitha crossed the room to adjust it, smoothing the edge . "Did he say why?" she asked.

"No."

Livia stepped out from the row of rooms assigned to her within the Archbishop’s lodging. At the outer passage, Lionel waited near a stone arch. "Lord Ashcroft?"

He bowed. "My lady."

"What is it?"

"I wanted to notify you that I have an urgent matter to attend to. It may take an hour or two. I have assigned a trusted guard to escort you anywhere within the Abbey precincts should you need to leave your chamber. His Majesty has requested extra security. Those arrangements are already in place."

"Extra security?"

"Yes, my lady."

Livia folded her hands before her. "Is something wrong?"

"I was not given much detail. His Majesty’s message came through the Lord Chancellor."

"Then where are you going that is so urgent you would leave now?"

"I need to take care of a matter."

There were many things she had learned about Lionel Ashcroft which included he would not leave her under any one else’s protection unless the matter was dangerous, or directly tied to her survival.

"Lionel," she said quietly, "I know you. You would not leave unless the matter concerned my welfare."

"I do not want to lie to you, my lady."

"Then do not."

"I am going to the Tower," Lionel said. "To see Her Grace."

"Why?"

"The witchcraft rumour has Stephen unsettled. He thinks Her Grace needs to be spoken to," Lionel said.

"You want to go ask Her Grace, Theodora, politely to hide her knives?"

"Not exactly politely," Lionel said.

"You mean to threaten her?" Livia asked.

"Yes."

"With what?" Livia demanded.

Lionel sighed.

"Lionel..."

"Stephen found a letter years ago," Lionel said quietly.

"Stop talking."

The command left Livia immediately. She looked around sharply.

"My lady," Lionel said.

"Not here." She reached for his sleeve and pulled him towards a shadowed corner beneath the curve of the stone arch. Lionel allowed it, though the sight of the king’s intended dragging a royal guard into a corner would no doubt have provided some bored novice with gossip. She lowered her voice. "Please tell me it is the letter I think you are speaking of."

"You know of a letter?"

"Yes." Her heart beat faster. "One that implicates Theodora."

"And the king," Lionel said.

"No," she said. "Not if we use it wisely."

"My lady—"

"Who has it?"

"Stephen."

A smile crossed Livia’s face. Of course. Of course it had been Stephen.

"Do not do anything about Theodora," Livia said.

"Go to the king instead. Tell him what you know."

His face changed. "You want His Majesty to know Stephen has it?"

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