Chapter 76

When Albert woke up, it was already late at night.

No candles were lit in the room. A crescent moon hung high in the sky, and the cool moonlight streamed in through the window, falling on the queen sitting on the chair by the bed, making her features appear hazy.

His wound was very painful, and he was dizzy and disoriented, unable to concentrate at all. It took him a while to realize who was sitting next to him.

“…Your Majesty?” Albert said softly.

The figure on the chair stirred, as if startled awake.

"You're awake. How are you feeling? Would you like some water? I'll go and call the servants in."

Mary said she wanted to ring the bell.

Albert quickly stopped Her Majesty's actions, paused for a moment, and said somewhat flatteredly, "No need for you to trouble yourself, Your Majesty, I... I feel fine."

Even though the blond youth said that, the Queen of England still had someone pour him some rice porridge, watched him drink it, and then sat back down in her chair.

"How long was I unconscious?" Albert asked.

"About two days and a little over..."

The Queen of England's voice carried a hint of weariness, as if she hadn't had a good rest, but she still calmly and carefully told the blond young man all the information he wanted to know, including the ins and outs of what happened that day and the punishment of the prisoners.

“The Earl of Leicester, who was the mastermind, had already passed away by then, so I cannot try him. I can only announce his crimes to the remaining prisoners, and I will sentence them to death according to the law,” Mary concluded.

“That’s good,” Albert said.

The Queen of England handled the situation perfectly; those who had nearly caused his death, and all the criminals who should have been arrested and tried, were arrested without implicating anyone in a large way.

Then no one spoke in the room, and a quiet atmosphere flowed by. Just as Albert was about to doze off, Mary spoke.

“Would you like to hear a boring story? About a stupid woman and her three marriages,” Mary said.

“Please speak,” Albert said.

"This woman was born into a somewhat chaotic and dangerous, but still powerful, family. Because of the extinction of the family bloodline, she became a sought-after heir at a very young age."

"To protect him, her mother married him off to a nobleman from her own clan. That boy was her first husband."

"The first marriage was short but happy. They were childhood sweethearts, growing up together, trusting and loving each other, and promising and envisioning countless moments for the future. Unfortunately, the good times didn't last long. The nobleman's health was poor, and God called away the woman's husband, making her a widow."

“In an instant, this woman fell from heaven to hell. She lost all her support and had to face all the storms of the world alone…” At this point, Mary suddenly shook her head and said calmly, “…No, she never had any support. She was just blinded by the illusion of happiness before.”

At the age of fifteen, before her marriage to French Crown Prince François, Henry II and the Duke of Guise, one with gentle words and the other with sharp words, forced her to sign a document.

The document stipulates that upon her death, even without children, the Scottish throne should be bequeathed to the French royal family as an inheritance.

"And so, the woman, now grown up, had to return to her long-lost hometown alone."

“After returning home, even surrounded by many companions, it was as if they were separated from her by a thin film. No one truly cared about her, no one truly loved her. She indulged herself in idle pleasure every day, but she also knew in her heart that everyone was after her money and status. If she lost these, she would have nothing.”

"So, this woman thought she should find herself another husband, one who would care for and love her, just like that noble young man."

"This time, she chose a handsome man who could speak sweet words and was a distant relative of hers. It didn't matter if the man was a poor man; as long as she loved him and he loved her, that was enough. In any case, this woman's ancestors had left her a considerable fortune."

“A man like that is probably unreliable,” Albert commented.

"Yes, her second husband was a weak and incompetent man."

"But at that time, she was completely blinded by so-called love and almost impatiently and foolishly entered into a second marriage."

"Not long after the marriage, the husband, who no longer needed to pretend, revealed his true nature. He began to drink heavily, gamble, verbally abuse the woman, and even conspire with her enemies to oppose her."

"The beautiful dream has ended."

"The woman looked at her husband with almost horror. He was weak, incompetent, and wavered like a reed in the wind. When faced with danger, he would only stutter and his legs would go weak with fear. How could she have married such a person?"

Mary smiled meaningfully.

"What's even more terrifying is that marriage is a lifelong commitment, unless the second husband dies or the woman can never get rid of him."

"And then? How did the second marriage end?" Albert asked, frowning involuntarily as he listened.

He had a bad feeling about how the story was going to go.

Sure enough, the Queen of England then said: "The end of the second marriage and the beginning of the third began with a murder."

"Before her second marriage ended, this woman fell in love with a new man."

"This man is different from all those other husbands who were like noblemen. He has no background and is a knight in that woman's family. He looks like a Viking pirate. He is very strong and somewhat rude and barbaric. In addition, he has already been married."

"Hmm... if that's the case, why would this woman fall in love with this person?" Albert asked, puzzled.

"It's probably for a sense of security... Everyone around her is eyeing her with ill intentions, even her blood-related brother. That woman desperately needs someone who won't betray her and can protect her," Mary said indifferently.

"In short, she fell madly in love with her third husband and wanted to marry him almost without any rationality."

"And it was this last marriage that completely dragged that woman into the abyss of hell."

"Because this woman conspired with her third husband to murder her second husband."

"Besides, she gave up almost everything to marry her third husband: her clean reputation, a lot of wealth and land, everyone's dissatisfaction, and the accusations of her relatives... But in any case, she finally succeeded in marrying her third husband in a church one night."

"How long did this woman spend regretting it this time?" Albert asked.

Mary tilted her head and thought for a moment.

"It lasted about two months... The unhappiness in their marriage led everyone to secretly oppose them, so the couple started blaming each other, much like their previous marriage. After the marriage, the third husband no longer needed to pretend, and even went to secretly meet with his ex-wife. In his attitude and life, he did not treat this woman as his wife, but as one of his mistresses."

"But it doesn't matter, because this woman will spend the rest of her life paying the price for her third marriage."

“She was caught murdering her second husband, tried and imprisoned, where she lived alone for eighteen years before being beheaded,” Mary said.

The story is over, not sentimental at all, and the ending is so rushed it's almost laughable.

Albert waited a moment, then asked, "Is there anything else?"

“No, three marriages were enough. She never made another foolish mistake in love in her life… I’m telling you this story just to hear your opinion,” Mary said.

"What's your opinion?" Albert asked.

“Any opinion is welcome. I’d like to hear your assessment of this woman,” Mary said.

This is not an ordinary story. Perhaps even Her Majesty Mary herself did not notice that she now looks calm, but her eyes are filled with sadness as if she is about to cry.

After a moment of silence, Albert asked thoughtfully, "Is this woman referring to Her Majesty the Queen?"

The description of the first marriage was strikingly similar to that of the Queen of Scots, but the second and third marriages left him puzzled as to what they implied.

Of the four Marys, three married well. Albert tried desperately to recall, but he couldn't remember any of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting who had such an unfortunate marriage.

“Of course not…” Mary said calmly but wearily, “...that’s someone else’s life. Don’t compare me to that woman. She’s just a stupid woman who deserved her miserable end.”

"I will never suffer such a tragic end again," Mary thought to herself.

In the quiet of the night, the blond young man lying on the hospital bed frowned slightly, puzzled. After thinking for a long time, he honestly gave his assessment.

“That woman was pretty stupid, but also really pitiful, especially her last two unhappy marriages, which ruined her,” Albert said.

"Perhaps, but that woman also has her own reasons. She's not capable enough, so she's destined to be a supporting character for others her whole life," Mary said indifferently.

So many years have passed, and now she can look back on the past in such a calm tone and face her own foolishness.

“No, no, no, I mean they ruined her, not physically or materially, but emotionally…” Albert propped himself up with a pillow under his neck, gesturing in the air as if trying to explain something, “…Your Majesty, if you try to put these experiences into your own mind, you will understand. Those two husbands destroyed her trust. The pursuit of precious and beautiful feelings is human nature, but I guess the heroine in this story can no longer love or be loved.”

Mary's eyes widened in shock for a moment, and she could almost feel her whole body trembling uncontrollably. A tear quickly slid down her cheek.

"...Your Majesty, you're crying?" Albert asked in shock.

In such a dark room, he wasn't sure if he was seeing things or if Her Majesty the Queen had really shed a tear.

Mary didn't answer; as if fleeing, she stood up and strode out of the room.

...

Why go to Albert and say those stupid things?

What is she still foolishly hoping for?

In a hurry, Mary arrived at the garden outside Whitehall Palace. She sat on a chair under the grape trellis, looked up at the starry sky, and began to ask herself questions.

Eighteen years of utterly lonely imprisonment had completely changed her. The current Mary Stuart had caution and ambition etched into her very bones, making her unable to trust anyone. If someone were to woo her and want to become her husband, she would only treat that person as an enemy vying for power.

She is no longer a young woman with normal emotions; she can be a good king, but she can no longer fulfill the role of a wife or mother.

Mary knows herself too well.

If she were to have another husband, she would not be able to resist being suspicious and oppressive of that so-called "husband" until he no longer posed any threat.

—But she can’t treat Albert like that.

He should enjoy the title and wealth he earned with his blood and achievements, and live a happy life.

...

Once the Earl of Hertford had recovered to a considerable extent, to express her gratitude for his saving her life, the Queen of England hosted several grand balls at court, inviting many eligible young men from noble families to attend.

According to a hint leaked by the Queen's lady-in-waiting, Her Majesty intends to arrange a good marriage for the Earl of Hertford.

Firstly, the Earl of Hertford was, after all, an Italian, and his wife came from a traditional British aristocratic family, which helped him gain a foothold in England.

Secondly, this is also to dispel some unnecessary rumors and gossip.

On the day of the Earl of Leicester's assassination attempt, the Earl of Hertford was willing to risk his life to protect the Queen, and the Queen's reaction to seeing the Earl injured was so anxious, and she often personally cared for him during his coma... Even though Her Majesty later claimed that she was only doing it out of gratitude for saving his life, in the eyes of those in the court who had ulterior motives, it was still inevitable to suspect that there was some kind of affair between the Queen and the Earl, just like Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Leicester before.

After the news spread, some traditional aristocratic families hesitated, but most eligible young ladies were very excited.

The Earl of Hertford was young, handsome, and wealthy, and was undoubtedly the most handsome man in the court. In addition, he was clearly trusted by the Queen and held a high position in the army. So what if he was Italian?

So from the beginning to the end of the ball, the Earl of Hertford was surrounded by many young noblewomen of marriageable age, each with graceful dance moves. When they talked about history, art, or the fashion trends of various courts, their voices were light and lively, like a lark, making the listeners feel relaxed and happy.

The most prominent lady among them was Miss Katherine Howard of the Duke of Norfolk.

She was the sister of the Duke of Norfolk, the richest man among all the British nobility. He doted on his beautiful and elegant sister and generously agreed to give her a dowry of £20,000.

Her ancient family background and abundant wealth made her a sought-after figure among many nobles in past social occasions.

The Earl of Hertford received such a warm welcome that he obviously attracted envious glances from many men. Perhaps he couldn't stand the lively occasion, or perhaps his injury hadn't healed yet, after dancing two simple dances and then two more, he left the dance floor early and left the stage.

Aside from a brief dance with the Minister of State Cecil at the beginning, the Queen of England did not dance again. Instead, she sat in a secluded corner to rest, and the others tactfully refrained from disturbing Her Majesty.

Besides helping the Earl of Hertford find a suitable marriage partner, Mary has also invited two other important figures to today's ball.

—John Hawkins and Francis Drake.

These two men will be renowned pirates in future history, but they will also be key figures in defeating the Spanish Armada.

Just as the Queen of England was about to have her servants call the two of them over for a chat, Seton quietly approached and whispered, "Your Majesty, the Earl of Hertford is waiting for you in the back."

Mary glanced at the clock and, finding it was still early, went to the back to meet Albert.

Albert was not only waiting for the Queen, but he was also furious. The forced smile he had put on at the ball fell away like a mask, revealing his tightly furrowed brows.

As soon as the Queen of England entered, Albert stood up and asked, "Why did you do this?!"

This was probably the first time he had ever lost his temper with the queen in front of him.

“I don’t understand what’s so upsetting about this, Albert. You’re twenty-seven years old. You should have been thinking about marriage long ago. As a monarch, I should show concern for my subjects,” Mary said calmly.

Albert took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his surging emotions, and then said, "Your Majesty, you clearly, clearly know..."

I like you.

She knew that, but that was the biggest problem.

She couldn't pretend to wait for him to give up on her own while watching him make desperate sacrifices as if it were a given; that would be shameless exploitation.

Albert did this hoping that one day he would be able to win her over.

But Mary herself knew that she had long forgotten how to love and could not give him the corresponding emotional return.

"God knows, your persistent nagging has already caused me a lot of trouble..." The Queen of Scots turned her gaze away in annoyance and said, "...How about Miss Catherine Howard? She is a clever lady who would be a good wife for you in courtly social situations and would also help you establish yourself in the British court."

"If you have any other needs, as long as it doesn't affect the future heir, she won't care how many mistresses you keep in the future."

"If you don't like her, then someone else will do. Just get married quickly and don't ruin my reputation."

Albert stared at the Queen of England in astonishment, unable to believe that she had said such a thing.

Perhaps all these years, what he fell in love with was truly just a bubble-like illusion.