Katherine of France looked very like her sister. The same dark eyes, the oval-shaped face, the masses of dark hair and the resolute set of the lips.
I'll have her, he thought. Before long she shall be my wife.
Rouen had fallen; the King was at Melun. Something had to be done.
A meeting was arranged between the Queen and her daughter with Henry. It was to take place at Pontoise.
On the banks of the river tents and pavilions had been set up. They were as elegant as the French could make them—in blue and green velvet ornamented with gold. It was a brilliant occasion and in the royal barge richly decorated with the
fleur de lys Katherine came with her mother and the Duke of Burgundy. Her father was unable to accompany them because of another spell of madness.
Katherine was led into the most richly decorated of the pavilions and very soon there were shouts to proclaim the arrival of the King of England.
Henry was accompanied by his two brothers, Clarence and Gloucester, and a thousand men at arms and as he stepped into the tent Katherine's eyes were fixed on him and her heart beat fast with excitement.
Henry came forward and first bowed to the Queen and then kissed her. Then he turned to Katherine. Her lips parted; and she was smiling; and he was smiling at her. He laid his hands on her shoulders and kissed her lips.
It was unceremonious but she was delighted; and so was he.
She wished that they were alone and she could talk to him.
But this was not the time.
She was seated between her mother and the Duke of Burgundy and Henry sat opposite with a brother on either side of him. She was gratified to notice that during the whole of the proceedings Henry did not take his eyes from her.
The conference was over all too soon for Katherine and when it had broken up no definite arrangements had been made.
There must be another conference, said her mother.
It is clear to me that the King has fallen in love with my daughter,' she added with pride.
But Henry's passion was not so great that he was going to give away any of his demands. They were excessive.
*We are not yet beaten,' said Burgundy.
There was another meeting at Pontoise. 'This time/ said the Queen, 'Katherine shall not go with us.'
Henry was clearly disappointed but as adamant as ever and the conference ended in deadlock.
Henry was sure that they must meet his demands. *We will wait a few days,' he said to his brother. 'They will give way.'
He was disconcerted when he saw the pavilions being removed which was a sign that the French had nothing more to say.
He sought one more interview with the Duke of Burgundy.
'I tell you this,' he cried, 'we will have the daughter of the King of France or we will drive the King out of his country
... and you too, my lord of Burgundy/
Tou may threaten to do so,' was the cool reply, 'but before you have succeeded in driving me out of my country you will be very exhausted.'
Katherine felt deflated. She was sure he had wanted her. And yet he had let her go.
Perhaps she would never see him again.
The war continued. Henry was almost at the gates of Paris. There was nothing for the French to do but sue for peace.
Messages from Burgundy and the Queen of France were delivered to Henry's camp. Would he agree to another meeting?^
His answer was: No. I trust none of you except the Princess Katherine. If I treat with any of you it would only be with her.
This was astounding. But then Henry had always been unconventional.
'There is nothing for us to do,' said the Queen. 'We have to give way to him. He must have Katherine.'
She sent for her daughter.
'The King of England is demanding your hand. You are smiling. It seems to please you.'
*1 liked him well,' said Katherine, 'and it is time I married.*
The Queen laughed. 'I think you may resemble me in more ways than one. Write a note to him. Tell him how you long to speak with him. Our position is desperate. He will be in Paris soon if we do not stop him. But he must not come in war.'
Katherine sat down as bidden and wrote a note to him. She had greatly regretted not seeing him for so long for their brief meeting in the pavilion at Pontoise had given her the desire to see him more than anything in the world.
It was a bold letter for a princess to write, but she was dealing with a bold man.
'He will want more than Katherine's hand,' said Burgundy.
The terms would be harsh but they must accept them. Katherine's dowry would be the crown of France after the death of her father. The King of England should on the marriage become Regent of France.
Henry was overjoyed. It seemed that his goal was reached.
When Katherine was brought to his tent he unceremoniously swept her into his arms.
'My lord, my lord,' she protested but she was smiling contentedly.
'At last,' he cried. 'I have dreamed of you, Katherine. A pox on these people who have kept us apart so long.'
She was no longer the young girl Isabella had been, but how she reminded him of her. Isabella had died at twenty-two years of age, poor sad Isabella; and after all the delays Katherine herself was nineteen years old.
'I swore rd have you the minute I first met you in the tent at Pontoise,' he told her.
'I know,* she said. 'I hoped it too.'
'Katherine ... Katherine ... what a lot of battles 1 had to fight to get you!'
'I trust you will consider the fight worth while, my lord.'
They were delighted with each other. He was thirty-three years old. Not a young man any more.
'By God's truth!' he cried. 'I have a lot to make up for.'
In the church of Notre Dame in the town of Troyes Henry with the Queen and Katherine were present at the signing of the treaty. Henry looked magnificent in burnished armour and Katherine was now deeply in love with him. The King of France was unable to be present, but that was so frequent an occurrence that his absence was scarcely noticed. There on the high altar France was surrendered to Henry of England.
Then the pair were betrothed and Henry solemnly placed a priceless ring on Katherine's finger. He insisted that she now be in his care, for he did not trust the French and in view of everything they had surrendered he felt that even if those who had made the bargain adhered to it there might well be some rebellious faction which would try to take his well earned spoils from him.
He insisted that the wedding should not be long delayed.
It was a glorious June day when in the church at Troyes he and Katherine were married. There was universal rejoicing because all saw in the marriage an end of the war which had tormented the people for so long.
It had ended as honourably for France as could be hoped for it did not seem quite so humiliating to surrender to the husband of their Princess as it would to a stranger.
Henry was determined to do honour to his bride. He had ordered that the most sumptuous preparations should be made.
The French watched in amazement. Their own preparations were grand but more restrained. More elegant was their verdict but at the same time they admired the ostentation of the English.
'It would seem that he is the King of the whole world,' was the comment.
So Katherine was his. They held hands and he smiled at her with a passionate intensity. She was delighted. She did not resemble Marie. She liked what she saw in her lover's eyes.
The Archbishop went through the ceremony of blessing the marriage bed; and there was the ceremonial putting to bed. There was a procession to the bedside and refreshment was brought to the happy pair. They drank the wine and soup according to the old French custom; and in due course they were alone.