“His highness charged me to commend him most tenderly to your Majesty,” replied Ugo. “Had he been his own master, he would have flown to you on the wings of swiftness, but he is compelled to be in attendance upon his majesty at Windsor.”
“That is a mere idle excuse,” rejoined Catherine, angrily. “The king would never detain him against his will. There must be some special attraction at Windsor at present. Ha! thou smil’st.”
“Nay, your Highness, I meant nothing if I did.”
“Is the Princess Elizabeth at Windsor? No equivocation, fellow. Answer me truly.”
“I would rather not answer the question,” he rejoined.
“She is, then!” exclaimed the queen, passionately. “This, then, is the reason why he will not come to me. Oh, Tyrwhyt!” she added, with an hysterical burst of affliction very painful to witness, “I am indeed most miserable.”
“A pest on thy tongue, thou false knave!” exclaimed Lady Tyrwhyt to the esquire. “Seest thou not what mischief thou hast done?”
“‘Twas wholly unintentional on my part,” said Ugo, with an appearance of great concern. “I knew not that her highness disliked the Princess Elizabeth.”
“Hold thy peace, fellow!” exclaimed the queen. “Mention not that detested name again.”
Upon which, her agitation became yet more violent. She uttered wild shrieks; and in this alarming state was borne to her chamber.
“If any calamity happens, as I fear it will,” observed one of the attendants to Ugo, “thou wilt be to blame for it.”
“I deplore my inadvertence,” replied Ugo. “But how was I to know that her majesty was so jealous?”
The queen’s condition was very serious, and for some hours she was in great danger. Her physician, Doctor Hewke, was never absent from her for a moment. That night she was prematurely delivered of a daughter. Her anxiety to see her husband increased, and the impossibility of gratifying her desires, or even soothing her, brought on fever, and rendered her condition very precarious. Her women, who were devoted to her, were in despair, and Lady Tyrwhyt was almost distracted.
Next day, Ugo was summoned to the chamber of the suffering queen. The cloth of gold curtains were drawn so closely round the bed that the esquire could see nothing of its occupant, but he heard her moans and feeble accents.
“Is he come?” she inquired.
“Ay, your Majesty,” replied Lady Tyrwhyt.
“It is well,” replied the queen. “Leave us alone for a moment.”
Upon this Lady Tyrwhyt, with Doctor Hewke and the rest of the attendants, withdrew.
“Ugo,” said the queen, “thou must go instantly to my lord and husband, and bid him come to me without delay if he would see me again alive. Take the best horse within the stable, and ride for thy life.”
“I will do it, madam,” replied the esquire.
“Fail not to bring my lord to me,” she continued, in an agonized voice. “Thou dost not doubt his coming?”
“I am sure he will come,” replied Ugo.
“Blessings on thee for thy comfortable words,” she exclaimed. “Tell him I have brought him a beautiful daughter. She hath his features, Ugo. If he cares not to behold me, he may wish to see her.”
“I pray your Majesty not to excite yourself,” said Ugo. “I will not fail in my commission.”
“There should be a ring with a great ruby in it on that table,” said the queen. “Dost perceive it?”
“I do,” he replied.
“Take it,” pursued Catherine, “and let it quicken thy zeal for me.”
“I need not such a gift to quicken it; nevertheless, I am greatly beholden to your Majesty.”
On a small table near the couch stood a silver flagon, evidently containing a potion intended for the queen. On this cup Ugo had for some time fixed his gaze. As he advanced to take the ring bestowed upon him by Catherine, he hastily drew from his doublet a small phial, and poured a few drops from it into the beverage.
“She is scarcely likely to live,” he thought; “but this will make all secure.”
“Begone, and summon my women,” cried the queen. “Why dost thou linger? Each moment is precious.”
As Ugo stepped towards the door, Lady Tyrwhyt and the others entered.