Secrets & Mysteries of the Sephardim - страница 11

“Oh, Momma,” the infanta said, “it is so unexpected to hear your flattering opinion of me. Of course, I love everyone in our family very much. And I would never advise anything that would bring harm to our family.

“But I must ask, Momma. You said someone could harm our family? I am confused. I have always believed our high position protected us. No one would dare try to harm us.”

“I, too, thought that was the truth when I was young,” the duchess said. “Unfortunately, the higher your status, the more instability there is and the more envious your enemies are. And the higher your status, the more you get injured when you fall. Therefore, we must always be vigilant.”

“I now understand, Momma, what you have said,” the infanta responded, “and I am grateful you would like me to be involved in family affairs. Tell me, Momma, what dangers do we need to be aware of, and what should we do to prevent them?”

The duchess smiled. “I don’t want to burden you with all the problems our family faces or may face right now, and I don’t want to tell you who our enemies are. However, I want to tell you who our most important enemy is and the trouble this person can cause if we do not take appropriate measures.”

“I’m ready to listen, Momma.”

“Everyone knows the most dangerous enemies are not strangers but relatives. One of these people is Afonso’s mother. You have probably already heard about how she tried to make changes in our country after the death of her husband, King Edward.”

“I thought it was just gossip, Momma.”

“Oh, how I wish it were, my precious. Unfortunately, it is all true.”

“Why would she want to harm us, Momma?”

“She wanted Portugal to be ruled by Aragon. That’s where she comes from. She wanted to do this while serving as regent for Prince Afonso. Thank God we did not allow this to happen.”

“Now I understand, Momma. But how can she harm us? After all, my father is the regent of her sons.”

“That’s just the point. What will happen to our family after Afonso’s coronation?”

“Momma, Afonso will not allow anyone to harm our family,” the infanta said. “After all, you and my father have done and are doing so much for him and Fernando. And you have a genuine love for them. Because of this, Afonso will never allow anyone to harm us after he becomes king.”

“You do not know his mother,” the duchess said. “She is a villainous and vindictive woman who has no trouble misleading her victims. We have evidence she is continuing her despicable schemes.”

“Like what, Momma?”

“I cannot tell you,” Isabella said.

The infanta protested. “You said I will now be part of solving our family’s problems. So tell me all the secrets.”

Isabella smiled at her daughter. “OK. You must never tell anyone what I am about to tell you, especially Afonso. He will consider you an enemy if he learns about it from you.”

“I swear, Momma.”

Isabella explained the situation to her daughter.

“Government officials intercepted letters sent by Eleanor to Afonso. In them, she attempts to turn him against your father. She slanders him, our family, and even some officials. Afonso is very naïve, and if the letters got to him, he would not be a loving cousin for much longer.

“If that's so, Momma, it's only a matter of time. She can do whatever she wants after Afonso's coronation.”

“You are right in your thinking, my little sunshine. I'm very glad you came to that conclusion yourself. But a close-knit family is unbeatable. If everyone in our family, regardless of his or her whims and ego, tries to do his or her best, no evil force can defeat us. That is why our family must take steps to prevent it from happening.”