He went out and she knew that the interview was a failure. This time, was it that she had not said enough? The head of Catherine de’ Medici was strong, but weak it became when her heart was involved.
A few days later Diane sent a message to the King telling him that she was ready to return to court; and he himself rode to Anet that he accompany her.
The story of the Scotswoman was common knowledge now. While Diane was away, the King must play, it was whispered. But was it not rather foolish to have chosen such a silly woman for his indiscretion? Now it would be seen what Madame Diane had to say about the matter. Was it the end of the King’s devotion to his aging Duchess? Hardly! Since he rode to Anet to bring her back to court! But it must be remembered that the ravages of sickness could ruin an ageing woman’s charms. What an interesting situation: Diane returning with her royal lover, while the Scottish governess grew in importance― in her own eyes at least― as she grew in size.
The King returned to Paris with Diane. Though she was paler, and thinner, there were many who agreed she was as charming as ever; and moreover, the King’s devotion was obvious Wretchedly, Catherine, watching him more closely than any, detected in his demeanour a remorse― a secret remorse― and she knew that his infidelity worried him greatly and that he had not yet confessed it to Diane.
But what did that matter? Catherine had at last understood. She and Montmorency had wasted their time. Nothing could come between the King and the Duchess. No brief love-affair with a red-headed governess, no scheming of a clever woman could break up this surely most enduring love affair in the history of France.
Still, Diane would have some discomfiture to bear; and Catherine, since she could not break the King’s devotion, must content herself with this.
Diane had lost none of her subtlety. It was to Catherine she came when she heard the news.
‘I hear that the Lady Fleming is to become a mother,’ said Diane.
‘I have heard it also, Madame,’ said Catherine mildly.
‘The woman is a fool,’ said Diane. ‘She talks too much. Did Your Majesty know that the child is the King’s?’
‘I had heard that also. I fear it is a matter to grieve us both.’
‘When a stupid woman’s tongue begins to clack, it is a matter to grieve all concerned. I think you should insist on her banishment from court.’
‘I see,’ said Catherine. ‘Have you spoken of this to the King?’
Diane shrugged her shoulders as though to say she did not consider the matter worth the King’s attention. How clever she was! So she was going to let Henry see that she did not consider this infidelity― occurring while she herself was unavoidably kept from him― of the slightest importance. It was the same attitude that she had adopted over the Piedmont incident. How easy it was to manage a lover when you did not love with a fierce desire, a burning passion that robbed you, calm as you habitually were, of all good sense.
Catherine said slyly: ‘The King loved this woman. Doubtless, that was why she gave herself airs.’
‘Madame, the brief attention of the King is no indiscretion.’
Oh, she was clever! She gave herself airs; but she had never been indiscreet.
‘The King may not give his consent to her banishment,’ said Catherine maliciously. ‘It may be that he wishes to keep her at court.’
‘He longer wishes to keep her at court.’
The two women surveyed each other. Do as you are told! the uncrowned Queen of France was saying . The King amused himself because I was not here. Remember that. You could not prevent his straying. That is understandable. But now I have returned, and the governess who diverted him for a little while may be sent away. Catherine used her lids as hoods to hide her glittering eyes; she feared they might betray her hatred of this woman.
‘I doubt not, Madame,’ she could not prevent herself saying, ‘that you know the desires of the King’s mind as well as you know those of his body.’
How foolish that was, she realized at once. But I am the Queen, she thought weakly. Let her remember that.
Diane turned a shade paler, but gave no other sign of her anger.
She said calmly: ‘As Your Gracious Majesty knows, it has it has been my constant care to devote myself to the King, yourself, and your children. That is why we are such excellent friends.’
That was like a queen talking to her woman. And yet, what could Catherine do? She must remember that every smile she received from her husband came by way of this woman; and now she believed herself to be once more with child, and this she owed to Diane. Her comparatively strong position at court had been given to her by Diane. However provoked, she must not forget that.
She lifted her eyes to Diane’s face. ‘Madame, as usual you are right. The woman’s mistake was to talk too much. I will see that she leaves the court immediately.’
‘That will be well,’ smiled Diane. ‘We must see that she lacks nothing, for we must not forget whose child it is she carries. Her indiscretion, though, makes her immediate banishment necessary.’
The interview was over. The little plot had failed. There might never have been a cleverly devised masque, a passionate Andromeda in pursuit of Perseus.
Henry was reassured that his mistress understood and forgave his brief lapse. She was even glad that he had found a temporary solace. Their love was not to be considered as merely on a physical plane. Did they not both know this?
Henry enchanted by this explanation of his folly; he seemed more devoted, more in love with Diane than ever.
But Diane was not so forgiving to others as she was to her royal lover. The walk together of the Queen and the Constable in the gardens had not gone unnoticed by Diane’s spies; and out of that walk had grown the masque; and was it not at the masque that Henry had been given as partner the Scots governess? Diane felt she knew how to deal with the Queen; she knew equally well how to deal with the Constable.
To show how lightly she regarded this affair of the King’s, she deliberately reminded the court of that other lapse of his by bringing into the royal nursery Henry’s daughter by the Piedmont girl. She was a beautiful child, this daughter of Henry’s, and more like her father than any of Catherine’s children. Now fourteen, she was sweet-natured and charming. She was called Diane of France and was an example of what a girl could be when her education was supervised by the Duchess of Valentinois.
It was useless, Catherine realized, to fight for the King against such a one.
And there began again, when they were at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the misery of watching the King and his through the spy-hole in the floor.
In September of the following year a significant event took place. This was the birth of another boy to Catherine. There was nothing very special, one might have thought, in the birth of another child; Catherine had had six already, and five were left to her. This was a boy, it was true― but she had two boys already.
Yet, there was something about this child which moved her deeply. Was it a likeness to his father? For one thing, he was a bigger, healthier baby than Francis, Charles, and dead Louis had been. Catherine knew, with that curious prevision of hers that this child was going to mean more to her than any of the others.