Chapter 106: Carr
VVD0D95
Banned
Chapter 106: Carr
February, 1613
Robert sat down and sighed. It had been another long and tiresome day. Arguing with Scotsmen and Irishmen about something or the other. Having to defend Suffolk when he made another faux pas. Robert was seriously considering asking the King for leave. Maybe he’d go and visit his estates in Scotland, the old lands that had once belonged to the former Earls of Strathearn, or maybe he’d just sleep. Either way, he needed a break. Otherwise, he feared he’d go mad.
“What’s bothering you?” Thomas Overbury asked. His friend had become slightly thinner over the interluding months and Robert was worried about him.
“Council hasn’t been going the way I thought it would.” Robert answered.
“Why?” Thomas asked.
“It seems that Suffolk isn’t as capable as I had thought. He keeps making mistakes.” Robert replied.
“Such as?” Thomas asked.
“Well, he very nearly implied that Lord Mountgarret was actually a Spanish spy earlier today, and almost revealed his own deep ties to Spain.” Robert said, it had taken Robert’s words to prevent Mountgarret from drawing his sword and killing Suffolk then and there.
Thomas raised an eyebrow. “How did he do that?”
“I don’t know. He said something and refused to back down and then Mountgarret took offence.” Robert said tiredly, what exactly had been said, Robert couldn’t remember, but he knew he was getting incredibly tired of having to sort out Suffolk’s mess.
“Does the King know about this?” Thomas asked.
“No, thankfully the King wasn’t in attendance.” Robert said, instead the King had been off cavorting with that Villiers boy.
“So, what are you going to do?” Thomas asked.
“What can I do?” Robert replied. “I have hitched my wagon to Suffolk now, if I abandon him, I will be ruined.” Largely because Suffolk held the cards for his marriage to Frances.
“Well, there is something that you could do.” Thomas suggested.
“And what is that?” Robert asked cautiously.
“You could ally with the Prince of Wales.” Thomas said.
Robert snorted. “How?” It was no secret that the Prince hated Robert, indeed, Robert was convinced that Villiers was the Prince’s doing.
“Well, you could offer him Suffolk on a plate.” Thomas said.
“And why would I do that?” Robert asked. “Suffolk has agreed to my marriage with Frances, I’m not going to jeopardise that.” Not for anything else in the world.
Thomas seemingly ignored the point about Frances when he replied. “Give him the information about Suffolk receiving bribes from Spain, or tell him that Suffolk is a danger to the Crown. The Prince hates Suffolk he will want him gone.”
“And what makes you think he won’t try and remove me at the same time?” Robert asked. The Prince was perfectly capable of doing something like that.
“Villiers.” Thomas said.
“What about Villiers?” Robert asked, wondering what that upstart had to do with anything.
“I have it on good authority that the Prince wants Villiers gone or balanced out.” Thomas said.
Robert got where Thomas was going with this and so asked. “You want me to position myself as the balance to Villiers?”
“Yes.” Thomas said.
Robert snorted, if this had been a few months before, perhaps it would have worked. But right now, the King spent more time listening to Villiers, more time with Villiers than he did with Robert. Robert was sure his time in the King’s orbit was coming to an end. “How?” He asked.
“Leave that to me.” Thomas said.
“Fine.” Robert said, though he maintained a level of scepticism about this.
“You can start winning the Prince over by giving up on your desire to get hold of Scottish affairs.” Thomas said then.
“What?” Robert replied. “Why?”
“You are only doing it out of hubris, Robert.” Thomas said. “We both know that you don’t know anything about Scottish affairs and care not a whit for Scotland other than to draw income from the lands you own there.”
“It is my right.” Robert said weakly.
“No, it is a distraction. You must focus on other matters. Like ensuring that the Prince of Wales doesn’t want you removed.” Thomas said.
Robert wanted to protest, but now that he actually thought about it, he didn’t really know why he’d been so insistent on getting the role of Secretary of Scotland. He knew nothing about the place, as Thomas said, and as Lord President he already had a pretty impressive role. Mar knew what he was doing in the role after all. “Fine.” He said then.
“You must apologise to Mar.” Thomas said.
“Fine.” Robert said, knowing that Mar would likely write about it to Prince Henry.
“And then once that is done, when the Prince returns you must beg his forgiveness.” Thomas said.
Robert raised an eyebrow. This sounded more like Robert humiliating himself for the benefit of the Prince, but if it meant he survived Suffolk’s fall, he would do it. “Fine.” He said. “But there is one thing I want from all of this.”
“Lady Howard?” Thomas asked.
“Yes, I want to marry her, and she wants to marry me. I want the Prince to guarantee that that will happen.” Robert said.
“I am sure that he will.” Thomas said.
Robert doubted it, but he still said. “Fine, then I agree to all of this. At the next council meeting I will apologise to Mar and give up pretentions to the office of Secretary of Scotland.” He just hoped that Mar would take it in good humour and not gloat. He couldn’t stand people who gloated.
Thomas nodded. “You will not regret doing so, my lord.”
“I had better not, Thomas.” Robert said fiercely.
Thomas nodded then asked. “Have you thought about visiting your estates in England, my lord. It might do you some good.”
“Perhaps I will.” Robert agreed. It would be better than remaining at court before the council meetings occurred.
“Do you want me to arrange it?” Thomas asked.
“Yes, do so.” Robert commanded.
“Very well, my lord.” Thomas replied, Robert nodded and dismissed the man, he had a lot of thinking to do.
