Secrets & Mysteries of the Sephardim - страница 16

Unrolling the parchment, he began to read:

My dear brother, Pedro,

Forgive me for taking so long to send word. I did not want to disturb you until the ice between Afonso and Isabella broke.

As you asked me to, I created the most favorable conditions for my dear nephew and niece. They traveled together to the most romantic parts of Burgundy, riding through our forests and taking part in forest hunts. One day, at my instruction, the guards on the hunt fell behind the prince and infanta by staging a wild boar chase. This took place by the lake, where a chic, well-protected hut had been set up beforehand. As planned, the prince and infanta had to spend the night there. In the morning, my servants found them in the hut asleep in each other's arms. From that day on, it was obvious that an affair had begun between them.

And today, Isabella and Afonso confessed at our family breakfast that Afonso had given his heart to Isabella and proposed to her. Isabella accepted his proposal. I immediately hastened to inform you of this joyful news. So, my dear brother, your joke about handing me Cupid's arrow was not groundless. Strange as it may seem, the arrows of Cupid have not rusted in the hands of your half-century-old sister.

In a week, we will be celebrating my son Charles’ anniversary. And the day after the celebration, I will send Afonso and Isabella home. Charles has become very close to his cousins and has asked them to send him an invitation to their engagement.

A big kiss to all my sweet nephews and my admiration to your wonderful wife, Isabella, for giving her boundless affection and love to her children and the children of my late brother, Edward.

Your faithful and loving sister,

Isabella of Burgundy

“How kind of your sister to say thank you,” said the duchess, wiping tears from her eyes with a silk handkerchief. “I am so touched by her kindness and grateful for what she has done for us. We will surely have to invite your sister's entire family to Isabella and Afonso's engagement celebration.”

“That's right,” answered Pedro. “I intended to send our reply tomorrow. Along with deep gratitude to my sister, we should also invite my sister and her husband, Duke Philip the Good,34, and their entire family to the engagement ceremony. We need to have the ceremony immediately before Eleanor finds other ways to contact her sons.

“Tomorrow, I will call a royal council,” he continued. “After Afonso and Isabella return, we will decide which day will be appropriate to notify everyone of the engagement and have the Duke and Duchess of Burgundy and other distinguished guests arrive so we can have the ceremony as soon as possible.”

The news of the imminent engagement of Prince Afonso and infanta Isabella quickly spread throughout the palace. The court became unusually animated. All the courtiers were instructed to prepare for the celebration. Isabel Zarco also received an assignment directly from the duchess. She was to speed up Fernando's training so he, as Afonso's brother, would not fail at the ball, which was to be scheduled immediately after the betrothal ceremony.

The dance schedule was, therefore, changed, and Fernando was now required to attend daily classes in the morning and evening. This news made Fernando extremely happy. For now, he could be near Isabel daily. During the last few months, his inspiration had not ceased. Every evening, he wrote love poems. And, every week, he delivered his poetic creations the way he had the first time.