monarch

Robert really stayed in Prince Sebastian's room all night as he said.The next morning, when a sharp knock on the door woke him up in a cramped armchair, he felt every joint and every muscle in his body protest violently to his brain.

He supported the armrest with his hands, let himself sit upright on the chair, stretched his limbs, and let his numb hands and feet return to normal.

"Come in, please," he said, rubbing his sore eyes.

The door opened, and a strange face walked into the room, somewhat similar to the temperament of the spy from yesterday.

"You have a visitor, sir." The new face bowed to Robert with some embarrassment.He's nervous, Robert thought.

"Who is it?" Robert asked.

"You'll know when you see her." The man seemed unwilling to discuss the matter further, "I have received an order to inform you of her visit."

So it was "she" and not "he," Robert thought to himself, a woman who did not want her whereabouts to be publicized, and there were quite a few such people.

Robert stood up and walked around the room, making sure all the windows were closed and latched.

He looked at Prince Sebastian on the crib again. The child had been tossing all night, and now he finally fell asleep peacefully. His little face was flushed, and it was obvious that the fever was still going on.

"Let's go." He nodded towards the man.

"Where was that gentleman yesterday?" asked Robert, casually, as they descended the long marble staircase.

"He's sick." The new spy looked uncomfortable. "He's got a cold."

"Ah." Robert made a surprised expression, "I hope he recovers soon."

The new agent did not reply to Robert's words, but quietly quickened his pace.

The man led Robert into the reception room on the first floor. He bowed to the person who was already waiting in the room, and then exited the door, as if he was afraid of staying in the room for too long.

Robert cautiously took a few steps in the direction of the woman. It was a short woman with a slightly plump body, wearing a black skirt decorated with pearls and blood-red lace, like blood and teardrops Same, he thought.The face of the mysterious guest was hidden in the shadow of the hood, except for the twinkling eyes, which turned as soon as Robert entered the door, and looked curiously at the British who entered the door. people.

The woman stood up from the sofa, she raised her head, and Robert saw her face clearly, with ordinary Italian features, the only impressive thing was a pair of protruding eyes and bright lipstick on the lips.

"Robert Dudley, Your Excellency the Marquess of Pembroke." The bright red lips parted, and the words spoken between them also had a strong Italian accent, "I have long admired your name."

Robert bowed briefly to his visitor, "But I don't know your name yet."

"It's my fault. The guest should introduce himself to the host first. I'm really rude." A smile slowly appeared on her lips. "I am Catarina de' Medici, Queen of France."

Robert looked at her eyes mixed with astonishment and confusion, and he bowed to Catarina de' Medici again, his bending slightly increased compared to before.

"I am on the land of France, and here I am the guest, and you are the host, so you have no impoliteness." He replied cautiously.

Katharina still had the smile she put on just now, and she gestured towards the sofa opposite her, motioning for Robert to sit down.

"I think, first of all, I want to apologize to you." When Robert sat down, Katharina said calmly, "The farce that happened last night will never happen again in the future. due punishment."

Robert recalled that the servants and guards he had seen in the corridor had all changed their faces. The French queen was moving so fast, he thought, looking...as if she was eager to cover up something.

Katerina's shrewd eyes did not let go of the slightest movement of the muscles on Robert's face, "You don't think I sent that ridiculous assassin?"

Robert was taken aback by her bluntness, he waved his hands in embarrassment, "I didn't mean..."

"We still don't need to say insincere words to each other, I can see what you think." Katharina flicked her nails lightly, "In the month after I was born, my parents all passed away, orphans are always good at seeing things, God took the love of parents from them, and made up for it with this ability; when I was eight years old, Florence was captured by rebels, and I hid in a convent , listening to those people talk about handing me over to the army to do whatever they want with me if the negotiations don't work out... it doesn't take much imagination to guess what those beasts would do to a little girl."

Her voice was so calm, it was as if she was recounting someone else's experience.

"After the siege of Florence, I was taken to the Vatican by my uncle, His Majesty the Pope, where I spent my teenage years. Those cardinals spoke the most holy words and wore the most loving smiles on their faces, but in their hearts But thinking about the most unbearable and nasty things, planning a conspiracy that Satan would be ashamed of...Compared with the conspiracy I saw there, everything that happened last night is as naive as a child's game."

"If something happens to Prince Sebastian in Paris, what good is it to France? Everyone will see us as murderers of babies." She shrugged. "I don't mind murdering if necessary." Baby, but I never do nonsense stupid things. Once everyone thinks we are murderers, there is no room for France to maneuver diplomatically."

"I don't doubt what you said." Robert looked slightly more relaxed than before.

He hesitated for a moment, but still said what he wanted to say, "Since the words have reached this point, maybe you can tell me the name of the man behind the scenes?"

"I heard you're a smart person." The smile on Katerina's face now looked a little more mocking, and Robert felt like she was a cat playing with its prey, "Didn't I just say, This farce is nothing more than childish behavior... A little girl who is just beginning to learn the art of intrigue fails to get the point, because her untrained brain tends to simplify everything because of her noble birth. She herself thought that clumsy move was quite brilliant, but to outsiders it was really ridiculous."

"If I'm not mistaken, you are accusing your daughter-in-law, Mary Stuart." Robert said, without seeming too surprised.

"I heard that King Henry VIII originally planned to marry her for his son." Katharina sneered, "I have to say, your Majesty the King is really lucky." Her eyes turned Robert from head to toe Scanning her feet, "You are much better than her... If it was you, you would never do such a stupid thing."

Robert coughed a few times in embarrassment, "So she bought that Dr. Lavarière?"

"It wasn't Dr. Lavarière who came last night. Dr. Lavarière is now lying at the bottom of the Seine River. I'm afraid he will have to wait for the river to thaw before we can fish out his remains." Katerina's tone was full of emotion Disdainful, "She still has a bit of brains, and sent an assassin whose identity we can't find out; unfortunately, she is not that smart, and she doesn't know that it is an extremely stupid behavior to ask her maid to contact this assassin. "

"So the potion is indeed poison," said Robert.

"The maid has already confessed, it's ordinary cough medicine with arsenic added." Katharina rolled her eyes slightly, "Arsenic! What the hell! The Scots will never master toxicology, which is an art. Arsenic The bitter taste made the child struggle violently, and when he died, the doctor could scrape the remaining poison from the surface of his stomach with a spoon.

"In our Italy, there are countless ways to make the child go to heaven in his sleep." She crossed her chest, "Those sweet poisons, whose victims even after death have sweet smiles on their faces." Smiling, but she chose arsenic! It's like picking a butcher's knife from a roomful of fine weapons."

"Do you think poisoning and killing people is an art?" Robert was quite uncomfortable by Katharina's tone.

"Poison is just a tool." Katerina said indifferently, "Everyone will encounter some people who stand in the way in this life. It is a realistic need to remove such obstacles. It is commonly used in Italy. It is poison, and you northern peoples seem to prefer the direct method of knife and sword. You must admit that our method is not only more creative, but also much more respectable... Of course there are exceptions to everything, your father is better than his For my compatriots, it is much more refined...Strychnine, right? The toxin extracted from plants is much more advanced than arsenic as an introductory toy. Frankly speaking, when I heard the news, I It was a bit of a surprise."

Robert looked at Caterina de' Medici coldly, "Isn't that why you're here today to talk to me?"

"Of course not." Katharina said, "I told you just now, I'm here to apologize to you."

She sighed, "In the Louvre, we each do our own thing. My husband and his mistress do what they want; Mary Stuart and her uncles, the Guise family, just listen to Their own orders; as for me, I obey only my own reason."

Or his own ambition, thought Robert, watching Catarina de' Medici warily.

"You don't want Mary Stuart to get the crown of Britain, do you?" Robert said, "Your son François is in her hands, and the Guise family behind her is ambitious, If she becomes queen of Britain, it is hard to say how long the French throne will last in the hands of the Valois family."

"At that time, you will not be able to keep the power in your hand." Robert looked into Katarina's eyes, "I may not be as good at observing words and expressions as you, but I can see a person's passion for power... This is the kind of person to whom power is like air and water, and I can see that you are such a person."

"So you see, we don't like my lovely daughter-in-law. She is a nasty obstacle to me and to King Edward." Katharina blinked, "That means, we can do friend."

"If you really want our friendship, you might as well start with practical actions." Robert said, "For example, you can issue us a pass to Calais."

"I think the pass for you and Prince Sebastian will be ready soon. As for King Joao Manuel, things will be more complicated..."

"King João Manuel will go with us." Robert said firmly, "He is the father of the child, and the child will go with the father."

Katerina pursed her lips noncommittally, and she picked up a small golden bell that was placed on the small tea table beside her, and shook it gently.

A young man in his twenties walked into the room. He looked short and fat, with long black hair and a big beard, like an astrologer who hid on the top of a tower all day long. His demeanor became even more gloomy.

The one who came in with him was a beautiful little girl about four or five years old. She was like a beautiful doll, with shiny dark golden hair hanging down to her shoulders.When she entered the room, those beautiful eyes that would later be admired by countless poets and admirers looked curiously at Robert, the only stranger in the room.

"Please allow me to introduce my daughter, Princess Marguerite de Valois of France, we often call her Margot." Caterina stood up from the sofa, walked to the little girl, and held her one of her hands.

Robert saluted the princess. Although Margaret was only four or five years old, she had already learned to respond with a cold and noble attitude.

"And my pharmacist, Mr. René from my hometown Florence." Katerina pointed to the gloomy young man, who nodded expressionlessly at Robert.

"Now, with your permission, let's go see Prince Sebastian, shall we?" Katerina asked in a commanding tone.

Without waiting for a reply from Robert, she led her daughter out of the room first, with the apothecary following like her shadow.

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"Madame Viper" was the nickname given to Caterina de' Medici by the French at that time