Either she
was trifling with him, or else she was behaving in a manner
utterly unbecoming the future wife of the Archduke. In either
case some explanation was necessary. De Quadra must know where he
stood. Having failed to obtain an audience before the court left
London, he had followed it to Windsor, cursing all women and
contemplating the advantages of the Salic law.
He found at Windsor an atmosphere of constraint, and it was not
until the morrow that he obtained an audience with the Queen.
Even then this was due to chance rather than to design on the
part of Elizabeth. For they met on the terrace as she was
returning from hunting. She dismissed those about her, including
the stalwart Robert Dudley, and, alone with de Quadra, invited
him to speak.
"Madame," he said, "I am writing to my master, and I desire to
know whether your Majesty would wish me to add anything to what
you have announced already as your intention regarding the
Archduke."
She knit her brows. The wily Spaniard fenced so closely that
there was no alternative but to come to grips.
"Why, sir," she answered dryly, "you may tell his Majesty that I
have come to an absolute decision, which is that I will not marry
the Archduke.
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