Madame Serpent by Jean Plaidy

promise to p boy and had, to the horror of all Italy and the terror of Florence, made the monster ruler of that great city. Ippolito had been stunned when he had heard that Alessandro was to have what had been promised to him; he was still bewildered; he could not believe that the Holy Father could treat him so shabbily; he was angry for himself and afraid for Florence. It was Caterina’s chief concern to try to lift him from the frustration and melancholy which enveloped him.
    They were both lodged in one of the palaces of Vatican City, and life there, with the coming and going of ambassadors and the ceremony which surrounded the Papal Court, was varied and full of interest for the girl who had lived so long behind convent walls. But she must make Ippolito happy; she must prove to him that there was greater joy in life than ruling Florence. She saw that she delighted him with her quick retorts, her plump little body, her rich fair hair and those fine, flashing eyes of hers. He had been happier since her return.
    They rode together. Caterina was an excellent horsewoman. With a few
    attendants, they would spend the whole day on horseback whenever they could manage it.
    It was to Caterina that Ippolito unburdened himself of his unhappiness; he could speak of little else during their first weeks together, for not only had he been robbed of his inheritance, but he was being thwarted in his choice of a career.
    ‘Caterina, the Holy Father has sent for me. He dismissed Excellency and
    said he would speak with me privately. Then he told me of the future he has planned for me.’
    She saw her dream of happiness threatened. ‘Ippolito! You are not going
    away from here?’
    ‘It is not that. He wishes me to go into the Church.’
    ‘You― into the Church! But you are not a churchman!’
    ‘So I told him. I said, “Holiness, I consider myself unfit for the honour you would bestow upon me. I am not a man of God. I have been brought up to
    believe that Florence would be mine.” Then he grew angry. “Enough!” he cried.
    “Florence has been provided with a ruler.” He was angry; but I was angry too. I forgot I was in the presence of the Holy Father. “I marvel, Holiness,” I said,
    “that one of such uncertain parentage should be put above me.” He clenched his fist and all but shouted at me, “You are so certain of your parentage then?” I said proudly that my father was the honoured Duke of Nemours and my mother was a Florentine lady, whereas, though it was known who was Alessandro’s
    father, his mother was said to be a Barbary slave. Then was he truly angry. “It is no concern of yours,” he said. “I am determined you shall go into the Church.”’
    ‘Oh, Ippolito, can you not hold out against his wishes?’
    ‘Our lives are in his hands, Caterina. And there are times when I forget that he is our Pope. There are times when I hate him. He cares nothing for us; little for the Church. Power is his god. He has made Alessandro, his secret bastard, ruler of Florence; and Florence under Alessandro, Caterina, resembles Rome under Nero. No one is safe from his lust and his cruelty. People are flying from the city when they can. Do you remember the two Ruggieri brothers?’
    ‘Cosmo and Lorenzo!’ she cried.
    ‘They have escaped from Florence. They bring sad tales with them. You
    knew Alessandro as a vicious boy; he has become a monster. I hear His
    Holiness has arranged a marriage for his bastard with none other than the daughter of Emperor Charles.’
    ‘Poor Emperor’s daughter!’ said Caterina.
    Ippolito turned his eyes upon her. ‘Caterina, I thank the saints that His Holiness let the monster masquerade as your brother. If he had not, it might have been you who would have been married to Alessandro.’
    Caterina could not speak. There were no words to express the horror such an idea brought to them both.
    It was so great that it made Ippolito forget his troubles; Caterina, lifting her eyes to his, thought