Chapter 35: A Mother’s Heart
September, 1692
“I still don’t understand why you read these letters but don’t visit your son.” Francesco, Duke of Modena said to his sister Mary.
Mary had had this conversation with herself many times, and still the answer remained the same. “I do not want to make things more difficult for my son than they already are.” That was the truth, she knew how it would look if she as a Catholic ventured to England right now.
“What?” Francesco asked sounding confused. “You are the boy’s mother, his sister has herself invited you numerous times to come and see your son. She writes monthly reports on how he is getting on for you. You read them, and I know they are the best part of your month. So, why aren’t you going to see him? It makes no sense.”
“I’ve already told you, Francesco.” Mary replied, her patience wearing thin.
“Well, I don’t believe you.” Francesco said.
Mary looked at her brother and asked. “Why? What reason would I have to lie?” She knew what reason there was, but she didn’t want to admit it to herself.
“You are scared. When Princess Anne offered you the chance to stay in England and be there for your son, you left. You took the easy way out, and now you’re scared that if you go back you won’t be able to leave. You don’t want to see your son because you know that if you do that you won’t want to leave. You can say that your presence would put him in danger, but I think you know that’s a lie. It wouldn’t put him in danger, but it would ruin this image you’ve constructed for yourself.” Francesco ranted.
“And what image is that?” Mary asked.
“The image that you can be okay having given birth to the boy, having promised his father that you would ensure he was raised properly, that you can be okay with having him raised by his half-sister, and by a court that is using him. That you can be okay with knowing that the boy refers to his sister as his mother. I know what that did to you. I saw it on your face.” Francesco said. “SO, again I ask, why?”
Mary looked at her brother, she knew that look on his face, she knew that if she gave the same answer as before, she would not hear the end of this. And she truly did want to hear the end of this and move on. So, reluctantly she said. “You are right.” Her brother harrumphed and Mary pressed on. “I know that if I go back to London, I will not want to leave, nor will I be able to. I cannot bear the thought of my son knowing someone else as his mother, but it must be that way. If that makes me selfish then so be it.” her brother was about to speak, so Mary raised a hand silencing him. “I also know that if I go to London now then things will get even more complicated for Princess Anne. After all the opposition is trying to turn the proceedings against them into one against her. They are accusing her of crimes that she says she has not committed. My presence there during such a period could be used against her in ways I cannot imagine. I do not want to do that to her.”
Her brother looked as if he were about to protest, but instead he simply nodded and instead asked. “Do you think she did what they are accusing her of?”
“No. Anne is not so foolish as that. I do however, have no doubt that the people she is accusing of treason committed it.” Mary said.
“Why?” Francesco asked.
Mary thought back to her own impressions of the men who were now standing accused and said. “Devonshire has hungered for power since the moment he knew what it was. Shrewsbury is devious. He left court very quickly during the Seven Bishops issue. As for the others they are all people who follow on from where the other two lead.”
“So, what do you think will happen now?” Francesco asked.
“Let us just say it is a good thing you married Charlotte and not a French princess.” Mary said referring to her sister by marriage Charlotte of Brunswick Lunenburg who her brother had married earlier in the year and who was now heavy with child.
Francesco laughed. “So, I was right to go against you?”
Mary said nothing for a moment and then sighed. “I suppose you were, yes.”