But at this moment the king arose, and, with an imperious gesture, held back the queen’s hand.
“Allow me, my lady,” said he, in a voice quivering with rage—“allow me first to examine this rosette, and convince myself that it is worth enough to be presented to the noble earl as his sole reward. Let me see this rosette.”
Catharine looked with astonishment into that face convulsed with passion and fury, but without hesitation she handed him the rosette.
“We are lost!” murmured Earl Surrey, while Earl Douglas and Gardiner exchanged with each other looks of triumph; and Jane Douglas murmured in her trembling heart prayers of anxiety and dread, scarcely hearing the malicious and exultant words which the Duchess of Richmond was whispering in her ear.
The king held the rosette in his hand and examined it. But his hands trembled so much that he was unable to unfasten the clasp which held it together.
He, therefore, handed it to John Heywood. “These diamonds are poor,” said he, in a curt, dry tone. “Unfasten the clasp, fool; we will replace it with this pin here. Then will the present gain for the earl a double value; for it will come at the same time from me and from the queen.”
“How gracious you are to-day!” said John Heywood, smiling—“as gracious as the cat, that plays a little longer with the mouse before she devours it.”
“Unfasten the clasp!” exclaimed the king, in a thundering voice, no longer able to conceal his rage. Slowly John Heywood unfastened the clasp from the ribbon. He did it with intentional slowness and deliberation; he let the king see all his movements, every turn of his fingers; and it delighted him to hold those who had woven this plot in dreadful suspense and expectation.
Whilst he appeared perfectly innocent and unembarrassed, his keen, piercing glance ran over the whole assembly, and he noticed well the trembling impatience of Gardiner and Earl Douglas; and it did not escape him how pale Lady Jane was, and how full of expectation were the intent features of the Duchess of Richmond.
“They are the ones with whom this conspiracy originated,” said John Heywood to himself. “But I will keep silence till I can one day convict them.”