There were times when he wondered whether that was really what he wanted. He tried to see himself as a king and could not quite manage it, for he knew there was more to governing a kingdom than riding through the streets in purple and gold and smiling at the people while one acknowledged their cheers. He had managed the speech and the manner very well, but he was not quite sure how he would emerge from the other. In the meantime this dalliance was very pleasant particularly now he had met Katharine.
He turned to her and said: “You must forgive me for staring at you.”
“Were you?” she asked.
He smiled. “Ah, you are so accustomed to people’s gazing that you do not notice. In truth they cannot keep their eyes from you, for they all admire you as I do.”
“Thank you,” she murmured. “You are kind to say so.”
“I say only what I feel. If you but knew what I feel for you . . . well, I hardly know what you would say.”
“If I knew, you might have an opportunity of finding out.”
She was smiling at him, encouragingly surely, but if he asked her to marry him and she refused . . . that would be the end. He wanted to go to James and say, “The Lady Katharine Gordon and I love each other, I beg you to give your consent to our marriage for that reason.” But what if she didn’t? He realized that he was afraid. That was why he did not want events to go further. He wanted to stay just as he was . . . pretender to the throne . . . accepted by important people talking constantly of the day he would be a king. He did not want to think beyond that. The future yawned before him like a dark pit and he was afraid to step into it lest he should fall into darkness. At the moment he was happy in the sunshine. He wanted to remain there.
He prevaricated as he did so often.
“You look so serenely beautiful; you are so young and when the sun shines on your hair it is like gold. I never thought to see such a perfect being.”
“I fear you do not see very clearly if you consider me perfect. I am far from that.”
“You have everything. Your family is a great one, you are rich, you are beautiful, above all you are good. I have been your slave . . . from the moment I saw you.”
“Have you?” she replied smiling. “I did not know.”
“You mock me.”
“In truth no,” she said. “How could I mock one who pays me the sort of compliments which anyone would want to hear?”
“I would speak seriously to you,” he said, “if I dared.”
“I did not expect you to be a fearful man, my lord Duke.”
“In one respect . . . yes . . . where you are concerned.”
“Afraid of me! Oh no that is not possible.”
“Katharine, you must know my feeling for you. Ever since I set eyes on you I have thought of little else.”
“You should be thinking of regaining your crown.”
“I could regain it I know . . . if I could but have this dearest wish of all granted me.”
“And you ask me to grant it?”
“You are the only one who can. I know I have to regain my crown. I know my future is insecure. . . .Perhaps I should not have asked you until I have that in my grasp. . . .”
“You do me an injustice,” she said, “if you think that I would say no if there was no crown and say yes if there was one.”
“Then you know of what I speak.”
“My lord, you are taking such a long time to say it that I must say it for you since you are meandering back and forth from the point in such a manner that you leave me no alternative but to guess.”
“Katharine . . .”
“Duke Richard, ask me . . . if that is what you want.”
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she said.
“I cannot believe it.”
“Of course you know full well . . .”
“I know now that I am the happiest man on earth.”
“You will have to get the King’s permission.”
“And that of your father.”
“The one would follow the other.”
“I feel James will be sympathetic toward lovers.”
“I feel that too.”
“Oh Katharine, I would we were alone that I might kiss your lips.”
“You will speak to the King?”
“At the first opportunity, which I shall now seek. Katharine, you will be the Queen of England.”
“I hope there will not be a lot of fighting. I would rather stay here . . . at James’s Court all our days. Perhaps we could escape often to the country . . . and be by ourselves.”
“I cannot wait to speak to him.”
“He is in a good mood now. He is pleased with Marion but I believe he is glancing far too frequently at Janet Kennedy, but speak to him soon . . . speak to him tonight.”
“I will.”
He did. The opportunity occurred that very night.
The company was dancing, and James who had drunk a great deal of wine seemed drowsy. Perkin went to him and asked permission to sit beside him, which was readily given.
“Sire,” he said, “I want to speak to you of a matter which is very important to me. May I do so?”
James smiled and nodded. “Though I’ll take a guess first. It concerns a lady.”
“You are so shrewd, Sire.”
“Where ladies are concerned, yes. And the Lady Katharine is a beauty. I grant you that.”
“We love each other, Sire.”
“Love indeed! A beautiful emotion. Nothing like it. What do you wish, my lord Duke? You can’t make a mistress of a girl like Katharine. Huntly has her at Court to find a husband for her.”
“That is what I want to be, my lord.”
“Ah, marriage to Huntly’s daughter. Well if you are going to be King of England that will be an honor which even Huntly can’t refuse.”
“It is your consent I am asking for.”
“You have it, my lord Duke. I will speak to her father. I will point out to him the advantages of such a match for his daughter.”
“You have earned my endless gratitude. But you had that already. I cannot tell you what your kind acceptance of me at your Court has meant to me. And now . . . and now . . .”
“There, my lord Duke. That is enough. I wish to help you. I see no reason at all why the fair Katharine should not be yours and I shall see that Huntly feels the same. What of the lady herself?”
“She loves me . . . even as I love her.”
“That is charming. That is delightful. I like to see people around me happy. Now, my lord Duke, you have deserted her too long. Let me see you lead her into the dance.”
When he and Marion were alone that night in the royal bedchamber James was overcome by mirth.
“This is a fine state of affairs,” he said. “This is going to set the Tudor ranting . . . if he ever rants. I doubt he does. He is a very self-contained man who never shows his anger. But just think what he will say when he hears that Perkin Warbeck is marrying Lady Katharine Gordon . . . my cousin . . . I can tell you this is going to madden him.”
“It pleases you,” said Marion.
“My dear, have you only just learned that what infuriates Henry Tudor is most certain to give me the utmost pleasure?”
“I hope it works out well . . . for the Lady Katharine,” said Marion.
So they were married and because of the rank of the bride and the expectations of Perkin they were given a royal wedding. James took a gleeful delight in behaving as though Katharine Gordon was marrying into the royal family. She was royal herself. “A fitting bride,” said James, “for the future King of England.” He was maliciously wondering what was happening below the Border.
The bride and the groom gave little thought to anything but each other, and as the weeks sped by their happiness grew for they were more in love every day. Katharine was all that he had believed her to be—gentle yet strong; modest yet proud of her family and of him; pliant and yet firm; fun loving and yet she could be serious. These were the happiest days of Perkin’s life and he wanted them to go on for ever. The thought of leaving Katharine to go and fight for his throne horrified him. In his heart he did not really want the throne. He wanted to live in peace with Katharine for the rest of his life.