Page:The Great Roxhythe - Georgette Heyer.pdf/18

"My nephew."

For an instant Roxhythe was puzzled. Then his eyes narrowed.

"William of Orange."

Charles nodded.

"You see the possibilities of the idea?"

"I see a great many impossibilities, Sir."

"You are not over encouraging, Roxhythe. You have not heard what is in my mind as yet."

Roxhythe bowed.

"I am waiting for Your Majesty to expound."

"It is this. De Witt rules Holland, and he holds my nephew prisoner. Yet I have good reason to believe that his position is none too safe. Already there are murmurings among the people. Nassau is always Nassau—in Holland. If William were to rise up 'gainst Their High Mightinesses the mob would flock to his standard. The mob's memory is never of the longest. In the face of his present unpopularity, it would forget the good De Witt wrought in Holland, and stand again for the Orange. With an English army to back him Wiliam might very easily overthrow De Witt and take his rightful place as Stadtholder. He might even be made King."

"And the price, Sir?"

"Tribute paid to me, yearly."

"So you will hold the Provinces as a subsidiary state to England?"

"Ostensibly. Enough to satisfy Ashley."

"Ashley. So he is in the plot?"

Charles shrugged.

"To some extent. He does not know my whole mind. He sees advancement for himself in it. And the Country's good. A patriot, this Ashley."

"And who else knows of this thing, Sir?"

The King moved a little uneasily.

"Buckingham," he answered shortly.

"Your Majesty trusts that man too much."

The King's eyes flashed.

"My Majesty does not brook correction, Roxhythe."