Chapter 22 – The weight of the crown
Jason entered the crown prince’s studio on the following day. Ruan was painting as usual. His eyes lit up as he noticed Jason standing in the room.
‘What brings a prince of the realm to these humble quarters?’
‘Bad news I fear.’ Jason updated Ruan on the developments which had led to the Cardinal refusing to consent to Ruan’s accession to the throne. As he spoke Ruan’s face turned pale and he turned to sit facing the wrong way round on a nearby chair.
‘This is a nightmare,’ Ruan eventually mumbled. ‘Despite the precautions we took, the Cardinal now knows about what occurred between the Earl and I.’ He leaned against the backrest of the chair using the top of his head. After a while he lifted his head as other thoughts occurred to him. ‘Almost as damaging is that the Cardinal has discovered that the royal family permitted the Earl to be sacrificed, some might say murdered, for my benefit. If your sailors find out that you sanctioned the execution of an English Earl to protect me and to retain the favour of senior French speaking officers of the Montugan Royal Guard, you may have a mutiny or mass desertion on your hands. Your credibility in this kingdom could be irreparably damaged. It could hardly get any worse.’
‘I never considered the possibility of the sailors learning the truth about the Earl,’ Jason confessed.
‘If it comes to it, we will have to say that you were misled about the facts certain people you trusted,’ Ruan offered.
Jason ignored the suggestion. He proceeded to explain his plan to save the monarchy to Ruan. Ruan stared at Jason blankly after he had finished.
‘Well then,’ Jason said eventually. ‘Have you nothing to say? Surely you have some thoughts on this matter?’ He paused. ‘Perhaps you desire the throne more than you let on? It is your birth right after all.’
‘My desires, such as they may be, are irrelevant now. We cannot fight the church and the French revolution.’
‘I agree. We cannot,’ Jason responded. ‘And yet, what am I to make of the sadness of your countenance?’
Ruan stared out of the window for a while. Eventually his gaze returned to Jason.
‘I suppose I fear the weight of the crown. It has a tendency to crush its wearer. You’re essentially a good person. And like some others before you, you will ascend the throne believing that you now have the power to do that which is right. In time you will discover that that which is right is all too often at odds with that which is right for the monarchy.’
‘You forget that I have you to thank for that lesson!’ Jason scowled at Ruan as he spoke.
‘I know what I have done,’ Ruan conceded ruefully. ‘Like you, I did what I had to. But I wonder whether you appreciate that a choice like that to save the monarchy seldom occurs in isolation.’
‘What on earth are you talking about?’
‘Have you stopped to consider what you intend to do about the Captain?’
‘The Captain?’
‘The one who broke his oath of silence,’ Ruan glanced at Jason expectantly as he waited for Jason to comprehend.
‘Oh Lord,’ Jason muttered dejectedly. ‘It never ends does it?’
‘You asked me for my crown. It is as well that you should realise what the crown will ask of you.’
‘If I have to be king to protect this family, then that is what I will do. My loyalty lies with this family and the kingdom.’
‘That much is clear. What I cannot decide is whether that pleases or saddens me,’ Ruan replied.
Later that morning Jason visited the king’s bedchamber. The king was feeling a little better. He was propped up against several pillows. Jason was nominated to be the one to explain the new succession arrangement to him. He did not relish telling the king that the plan involved someone other than his flesh and blood ascending the throne. Although the king was tired, he listened carefully as Jason explained the proposal.
‘Jason, I want you to know that much as you are a husband to my daughter and a friend to my son, you are like a son to me. You have already repeatedly proved yourself. I have no doubt that if you are made king by joint edict, none of the royal houses of Europe will challenge you. Bear in mind that monarchies across Europe are under the threat posed by republicanism. I doubt that any of royal houses will consider the present to be a suitable time to start infighting about the rules of succession.’
‘Yes, your majesty.’ Jason wiped tears from his eye as he realised that a man who had become a father to him was nearing the end of his life.
‘There will be time for that after I am gone,’ the king pointed out as he noticed the tears. ‘I have been told about the accusations against Ruan. I do not know what to believe. He has always been different and we have seldom seen eye to eye.’ The king paused to cough again.
‘I know you care deeply for my son, that you love him like a brother and protect him like a son. But he is not unskilled at playing the fly to divert attention from the spider. Renate loves you and Ruan. I know you love Renate deeply. It is important that she is never in doubt that you love her most of all. I have seen her observing the way Ruan looks at you. She must wonder, as I have done, about what goes on inside his head. I know I am not expressing myself well. But, you must forgive an old man in my position. Sometimes there is much to say and these days I live in constant fear that soon that which is left unsaid will forevermore remain so.’ The king coughed once again.
Jason could see he was tiring.
‘Promise me that Renate will always know that you love her most of all. As for the kingdom, I swore never to leave Montuga. And so it will be. But you have a different duty. Yes, I want you to do whatever you can to save the kingdom. But if the worst should happen, promise me you will save the family. Promise to save the family so it can return to claim its rightful place in Montuga when the winds of change cease blowing. Promise me you will save the family so it can return to rebuild the palace one day if it should fall.’
‘I promise.’
The king smiled and drifted off to sleep, never to speak again. He died shortly after midnight on 12 May 1794 with Jason, Renate and Ruan in attendance. More significantly, he died without signing the proposed joint edict sanctioning Jason as his successor. The royal physician was summoned. The predicament the royal family found themselves in was explained to him. The doctor expressed his loyalty to the royal family and he indicated that he would help in any way possible.
‘It is essential that we create the impression that the king is still alive for a short time. It will afford us the time needed to put certain arrangements in place. But we also require the services of a trusted embalmer who will be able to ensure that we can present the body to the church in an acceptable state when we are ready to do so.’
‘We shall move the body to one of the small rooms on the top floor,’ the doctor suggested. I understand that it is only the prince who uses a few of the studios on that floor.’ Ruan confirmed that the palace staff was not permitted on the top floor.
‘I will tell everyone that the king has asked me to create a special sanctuary for him on the top floor. It must be made known that the king has decreed that only I, the princes and princess, the duke and two of my trusted nurses are permitted to see the king.’
‘Can your nurses be trusted?’ Jason enquired.
‘Yes. Both are daughters of mine. They have assisted me as nurses before from time to time.’
‘You will all be remunerated for your professional services, and for your continued loyalty to our family,’ Renate smiled reassuringly at the doctor.
‘Indeed, your highness. My daughters will know what to do. I swear to you, your highness that we will ensure that the late king keeps the royal household busy indeed.’
The king’s body was moved to an empty, locked room on the top floor of the palace whilst another room was converted into the supposed hospice. The duke was summoned during the night. He was briefed on the situation and, unsurprisingly, he indica
ted his support for the course of conduct the royal family had agreed on. The duke was afforded an opportunity to be alone with the king’s body to pay his final respects to a monarch he had served for twenty-three years.
Afterwards, he joined Jason, Renate and Ruan in the king’s lounge. It occurred to Jason that the frenetic activity following the king’s death had prevented any of them from mourning the king’s passing in the typical manner. Jason did not know whether this was a good thing or not. The survival of the kingdom dictated, however, that the charade they were staging should assume greater importance than the mourning process.
By the next morning, all of the palace staff was made aware of the king’s command that he be relocated to the top floor of the palace and that new arrangements and restrictions relating to the king’s access were specified. Two royal guards constantly guarded the stairs leading to the top floor. No-one, not even the Cardinal or the Pope himself, would be permitted to see the king without a prior appointment and royal consent.
The royal family, the duke and the doctor took breakfast in the Chamber of Knights where they discussed the outstanding requirements to complete the charade. They required an embalmer and a cleric they could trust.
‘We need a bishop whose loyalty to the palace is greater than his loyalty to the Cardinal,’ Jason declared. ‘Surely the bishops are not all united behind the Cardinal?’
‘If there is disunity among the Church in Montuga I am not aware of it,’ the Duke replied. ‘It bears mentioning that asking a bishop to deceive a Cardinal is a tall order indeed.’
As they all considered the dilemma, the usher informed Jason that two bishops from the High Cathedral had arrived at the palace and that they were requesting an audience. Jason of course feared that the bishops had come to pay the king a visit. Someone at the palace could possibly have smelt a rat if so, may have alerted the church. He was reluctant to grant the two clerics an audience. On the other hand, he realised that the palace could not possibly succeed with its deception unless everything was seen to be running normally. There could be no suggestion that the palace had anything to hide.
Jason received the Bishops in the Chamber of Knights.
‘What can I do for you, your reverences?’
‘I am Bishop Sebastian and this is Bishop Livanos, your highness. I shall come straight to the point. We have come into possession of a letter, the contents of which has severe implications for the kingdom. It is from Cardinal Duvall. It is in reply to a letter from the Cardinal in Paris and its contents reveal that Cardinal Duvall and four Bishops of the High Cathedral in Montuga have placed their services at the disposal of the Cardinal of France and the new French government. The letter goes on to advise the French Cardinal of a dilemma with the succession which they allege presently confronts the Garibaldis. There are also other allegations that your highness apparently permitted the execution of an innocent man in order to cover up the alleged indiscretions of the Crown prince of Montuga.’
‘How did your reverences come into possession of this letter?’ Jason enquired cautiously. He ignored the rage which the Cardinal’s betrayal aroused in him. Instead he fixated on the two bishops in order to determine their agenda.
‘We intercepted the letter in the mail room of the High Cathedral. I am in charge of the mail,’ explained Bishop Livanos.
Jason felt a sense of relief as it became clear that the damaging letter had been fortuitously intercepted. ‘A week ago we noticed a letter from Paris addressed to the Cardinal personally. We considered it unusual since we were unaware of any contact between the French and Montugan Church since the revolution. We opened it and realised that exploratory talks had occurred between the two Cardinals. The letter requested a list of trusted names and any information which would be useful to France. We then resealed the letter with a forged seal, and I forwarded it to the Cardinal. We have reason to suspect that there were a series of secret meetings held by the Cardinal and the French speaking Bishops. We were obviously excluded because of our Italian origin, since most Italian speaking Montugans oppose republicanism or a return to French rule. We concluded that it would only be a matter of time before a sealed reply made its way to the sorting room for despatch to Paris. We waited for it and intercepted it when it arrived. We felt it was our duty to open it. And this is it.’ Bishop Livanos approached Jason and handed the letter to him.
As Jason read the letter it was clear that it was genuine. The letter made explicit reference to the threats Jason had made to the Cardinal and it warned that if the Cardinal were suddenly to vanish, the monarchy would be responsible.
‘Your reverences, I assume the fact that you are here signifies that you are loyal to the royal family and to Montuga and not to France?’
‘Yes indeed, your royal highness. We view the conduct of the Cardinal and the others as treason,’ Livanos said. ‘However there are allegations against the crown Prince and against your highness which are of a serious nature. We presume that these are untrue…that they are allegations spread by those who would commit treason.’ Both clerics studied the prince carefully.
‘The insight with which your reverences have analysed the situation is clearly god sent. As indeed is your timely presence here today,’ Jason responded without hesitation. He struggled to contain his delight. Not only had the two bishops saved the royal family from the Cardinal’s betrayal, but their arrival at the palace could not have come at a better time.
‘May we then accept, your highness, that the Cardinal’s allegations regarding the crown prince are untrue?’ Livanos paused. ‘Despite our loyalty to Montuga, your highness will understand that the church could not possibly support the Crown prince if the allegations were true.’
‘Yes indeed,’ Jason responded. ‘The untruths contained in the correspondence of the traitors are intended to undermine the treaty of Montuga in order to bring an end to the treaty, not to mention an end to the kingdom itself.’ Jason paused. ‘However, your reverences, despite the wonderful work you have done to intercept the Cardinal’s letter to Paris, the Cardinal’s lies may nonetheless have found the ears other enemies of the kingdom of Montuga. For this reason there is a need for additional subterfuge.’ Jason directed a knowing glance at both bishops.
‘We are at your service, your highness,’ Livanos replied.
‘I believe that I will be recommending both of your names to his holiness when the matter of the appointment of the next Cardinal of Montuga arises,’ Jason responded. He explained then that he required their assistance in keeping the king’s death a secret. It was clear that the Palace could afford to lose no time in dealing with the Cardinal and his four errant bishops. In addition the two bishops were required to assist in arranging for the urgent embalming of the king. They would also be required to assist in the creation of a manuscript, a joint edict bearing the forged signatures of the former king and the Cardinal. The authenticity of these signatures would have to be witnessed by the Bishops.
‘I assume we cannot use a local embalmer,’ Bishop Sebastian said.
‘If an embalmer known to the people was seen within one hundred feet of this palace, the rumours of the king’s death would start spreading like wildfire.
‘I know someone in Genoa. I also know of a few procedures which one can use to prepare the body and to maintain its condition,’ Bishop Livanos announced.
The Trade Centre contained a communications hub which temporarily housed homing pigeons from various Mediterranean ports in addition to homing pigeons based at Montuga. A note was sent to the Trade Centre’s Genoa office by pigeon. With luck, the embalmer would be on the midday shuttle from Genoa to Monte Vista. Jason expected to be notified of the embalmer’s response by a return pigeon before the shuttle was expected in Monte Vista.
Next, Jason and the Bishops penned a letter to replace the one they had intercepted. Jason used a post restante address at the trade centre. The replacement letter to the French Cardinal explained the need for a postal
address which would permit the two Cardinals to correspond without arousing any suspicion. Jason looked forward to receiving intelligence from the Cardinal in Paris whilst he would ensure that nothing but disinformation would be sent to Paris. Once they were satisfied that the replacement letter looked sufficiently convincing, they attended to the task of preparing the joint edict.
‘We shall require the Cardinal’s seal for that,’ remarked Bishop Livanos.
‘We will obtain it tonight. You need to tell me where it is kept,’ Jason declared.