"So mighty it must bully a peaceful neighbor?" Francesca asked him sweetly.

"Your wife shows intelligence and spirit, my lord," the comte said to the duke. "What a pity you do not have an heir yet."

"We Cesares are slow to produce, but when we do our sons are strong," Rafaello answered. He did not miss the suggestion that if the young duke had chosen Aceline du Barry instead of Francesca he would now have a son. "As you may or may not be aware, my wife's mother birthed seven healthy children for her husband." Then, seeing his guest's plate empty, he continued. "You will want to be on your way now, for the day is new and you have several days' travel ahead of you. You will, of course, give King Louis my respectful felicitations."

The Comte du Barry had no choice, having been so firmly dismissed. He arose from his place at the high board, bowing to the duke and Francesca. He signaled his men, and Rafaello couldn't help but notice that the comte traveled with more men-at-arms than had escorted his own daughter last year. The duke gestured silently to Matteo, and the serving man hurried to his master's side.

"Make certain that the Comte du Barry departs the castle quickly," he said. "And send Captain Arnaldo to me."

"Very good, my lord." Matteo hurried off.

"Why do you want the captain?" Francesca asked her husband.

"I want the comte shadowed for a few days. I would make certain he leaves my lands with all possible speed," Rafaello answered her. "I do not trust him."

"Should you perhaps send a missive to King Louis, asking if the Comte du Barry is actually acting in his name?" Francesca asked him. "Perhaps this attempt to usurp your authority was not King Louis's idea. Perhaps Terreno Boscoso was brought to the French's attention by the Comte du Barry. As a distant cousin of Queen Charlotte he has access to the court. He may have suggested the king acquire your lands, as he is acquiring so many others right now. To destroy your family and our duchy's sovereignty is in his mind a supreme act of revenge for his daughter's shame. Du Barry would, of course, say nothing to you in that regard. Such an act is unworthy of a man of honor."

"If he has indeed done as you suggest, then he has no honor," Rafaello replied. "To attempt to steal another's man's birthright lacks integrity. He is unworthy of our sympathy and our scorn."

"I cannot disagree, but it does not change the fact that Terreno Boscoso is threatened by outside forces," Francesca responded. "You need to learn if it is the French king behind this maneuver or the Comte du Barry."

"If I send to King Louis with this tale and it is untrue, I risk attracting the attention of an acquisitive man," Rafaello told her. "Du Barry is correct in one thing: France has become a power with which to be reckoned."

"What will you do, then?" Francesca asked him.

"We will wait to see what will transpire. If it is indeed the French king behind this matter I do not see how I can fight such a takeover," the duke told his wife. "But if this has all been Raoul du Barry's doing, then we will hear no more of it."

Captain Arnaldo arrived, and the d.u.c.h.essa left her husband to speak with him.

Rafaello explained what the Comte du Barry had wanted of him, and his refusal to yield to such a demand.

The captain listened intently as his master gave him his instructions.

"I will want the comte and his men shadowed right to the border, so I may be certain he is gone. Send only one man, for I do not want him seen."

"I have just the man for such a task," Captain Arnaldo said.

"When he is certain that the comte is gone he is to return to us with all possible speed to make his report," the duke instructed his captain.

"Very good, my lord," was his reply, and with a smart bow the man-at-arms hurried from his master's presence.

At that moment Matteo returned to report. "The comte and his men have gone, my lord. I followed them through the town and saw them gain the High Road."

"Excellent!" the duke said.

A number of days later Captain Arnaldo's man returned to tell the duke that the Comte du Barry had gone over the border without incident. The duke now waited to see what would happen. If the French king was indeed attempting to take Terreno Boscoso from its rightful rulers it would be weeks before they would learn anything. A watch was set up at the border between the two countries so that the duke could be warned in advance of any aggressive action towards his duchy. They could do nothing now but wait.

Chapter 14.

The duke called a rare meeting of his advisory council. They had not met since the late Duke t.i.tus had brought them together to announce that as soon as Rafaello married he meant to abdicate in his son's favor. The council was made up of the town's three most important merchants, the heads of the three families who descended from the three tribunes who had come to what was now Terreno Boscoso with t.i.tus Flavius Caesar, and Terreno Boscoso's bishop. He told them of the visit he had had from the Comte du Barry, and his claim that King Louis wanted the duke's fealty and to quarter troops in the duchy.

"I have refused both requests, my lords, madam, and good sirs. However, if King Louis does indeed request these things of me it is possible my rejection of his demands may cause him to act in a hostile manner towards the duchy. He could send his troops to force his will upon us." Rafaello looked down the council table at the six men and one woman who were gathered. "I realize that I have put us all in possible danger, but I could not yield to such a request. If Milan learned that the French had put troops in our duchy we would make an enemy of a friend and a trading partner. I regret that I must bring you this news."

The council murmured among themselves. And then the bishop said, "The sovereignty of this duchy must be preserved at all costs, my lord." His companions nodded in agreement.

"Is it possible, my lord, that the French may attempt to force their will upon us?" The question came from the only woman on the council, a merchant who exported beautiful gold and silver jewelry to the Italian states. Her wares were in great demand. "Soldiers have a habit of stealing from the local population when they occupy a country. And as you are aware the artisans in my employ are all women. I would not put them in danger, my lord. Certainly you can understand."

"I do," the duke answered her, "but I have no certain answers to give you. I can tell you that it will take weeks before we know what is to happen. The Comte du Barry must report to his king, and King Louis must then decide if Terreno Boscoso is worth the trouble he must go to in order to force us to his will. Whatever I learn I will communicate with you as soon as I know it. I ask you to have faith in me, and not to gossip and frighten the townspeople."

"We can ask no more of you, my lord," the bishop said. "I shall pray for us all."

The council was dismissed.

Rafaello sought out his wife and told her what had transpired.

Francesca was concerned. "You cannot expect the council to keep silent about this," she told him. "They will seek to move their families out of harm's way, and you cannot blame them. I have written to my parents, asking them to tell the di Medicis what is happening here. I do not know if Florence can help us."

"It is not likely," Rafaello answered her, "and I dare not seek aid from Milan. If they should learn of our difficulties it is entirely possible that their duke's uncle would seek to take my duchy for himself. He would excuse himself by saying he could not have French troops on his nephew's borders. We had best pray King Louis decides we are not worth the time or trouble."

"And if he does?" Francesca asked. "What will we do then? We have no army to defend us, my lord, nor influence with our more powerful neighbors. What will we do if the French march into Terreno Boscoso?"

"I do not know," he admitted.

"And yet you refused King Louis's request," she said.

"I had no choice," he told her proudly.

"We have to defend ourselves," Francesca replied. "We cannot simply allow a foreign power to force their will upon us. You must hire mercenaries. The di Medicis do it. All the important families do. My dower was paid you in gold; let the important families and merchants pay as well."

"We have never had the need to impose a tax on our people," he said.

"If they wish to be defended they will pay," Francesca replied simply.

"My father was correct about you," the duke told his wife. "You are clever."

"It is obviously better you wed a merchant's daughter than a French n.o.bleman's," Francesca told him with a smile. "I know how to be practical, my lord. If you do not wish foreign troops to be quartered in Terreno Boscoso, then you must defend it."

"Where can we find mercenaries?" he asked her.

"We must ask Captain Arnaldo," she answered him. "He is a soldier and will know. I do not, but I do know if we present a strong front to the French we can drive them off. They will not depart without a fight, of course."

"I love you," he said quietly.

"And I love you," Francesca replied. "We must not be driven from our duchy. At least not without a fight."

Captain Arnaldo was sent for, and when he heard the duke's idea of hiring mercenaries to defend the duchy he nodded in agreement, then said, "If you will permit it, my lord, I will go to Milan to seek the men we need. I have a cousin in the service of the Duke of Milan. He will direct me and advise me. It will be better if I choose them myself, for mercenaries are not loyal by nature except to the highest bidder. To obtain the best fighters you will have to pay very well indeed."

"I have no choice," the duke told his captain. "If we are to defend the duchy from the French we must obtain the best mercenaries we can find. You will have your hands full with these men."

"There will be one among those I choose who is a natural leader, and he will be the man I appoint as my secondary," the captain said. "I will depart today, my lord."

The duke nodded. "Offer what is fair, perhaps a bit over the going rate, and hold out the promise of a bonus when their term of service to me is completed and the French are successfully discouraged," he said. "Your kinsman will know."

"I will, my lord," Captain Arnaldo agreed. Then, bowing smartly, he turned and left his master's presence.

"He will do his best," Francesca said to her husband when the man-at-arms had gone. "We can ask no more of him than that. Let us pray his cousin is willing to help."

"Mercenaries are not known for their delicacy of behavior," the duke replied in a worried tone. "Bringing that many armed foreigners into the duchy could prove as dangerous as being invaded by the French. They will have no loyalty to Terreno Boscoso as their motherland. I had hoped to keep this unfortunate possibility from my people because I did not wish to frighten them, but the mercenaries we need cannot be hidden from them. While I can house them in the castle, their numbers will attract attention, and some of them may get into the town to cause havoc. I am d.a.m.ned without protection, yet I place us all in an equally dangerous position with this protection."

"You must decide, then, which are the lesser of the two evils we face. You can stop Captain Arnaldo from going, and we will take our chances that the French threat from the Comte du Barry is a hollow one. An attempt on his part to curry favor with his king by delivering the duchy into his hands. Or we can believe Raoul du Barry, and take precautions to defend Terreno Boscoso from an invading force."

He had never in his life been faced with such a decision. Either way he risked the peaceful life they had always enjoyed here. They had avoided the recent wars between the Italian states that fought with each other and with the French. Those altercations had come to an end with the clever diplomacy and bravery of Lorenzo di Medici. But who would look after Terreno Boscoso if its own duke didn't? Who would keep it safe from the invading French? He had not aided his neighbors, nor had they even considered his duchy enough to ask. Many were not even concerned with its existence or aware of it. They should have made alliances with other countries, but it had never been necessary. Now they had no one to turn to for aid or support. The French king, however, had become acquisitive during his reign. Now that his troops were home he was obviously looking about to see whose lands he might acquire, and his eye had fallen on Terreno Boscoso. Should he have sworn fealty to Louis XI and permitted him to quarter troops within the duchy? Rafaello questioned himself again as he had these past few days, but the answer that always sprang into his mind was a resounding no.

Fealty alone he might have managed for necessity's sake. Who would have known? It was not something that King Louis would have publicly bragged about, because Terreno Boscoso was really of no great importance to anyone save its duke and his people. And the French ruler would have wanted to have a certain hidden advantage over the governments in the Italian states. But the quartering of troops would have been untenable to his larger neighbors. It would draw attention to them. Milan would not have been contented at all by such a turn of events, nor would they be pleased to learn what had happened. Now Rafaello wondered what they would do when they learned that the French were attempting to force their will on the duchy and might very well succeed.

They waited as early summer moved to late summer and then early autumn. Captain Arnaldo had returned with at least two hundred mercenaries. Among them one man seemed to be a leader, and the duke's captain had wisely appointed him as his second in command. If the French meant to attack it would not be before much more time had pa.s.sed. Armies did not like battling in the winter months.

The duke had stationed men on the border to watch. It was a wise precaution and would give them a tiny bit of warning, as the border was at least several days from his castle. Poor Aceline du Barry had been only a few miles from France when her party had been attacked. An army, even a small one, would take a few days to reach Terreno Boscoso. Rafaello had no choice now but to warn the townsfolk. The great bell in the little cathedral was rung, an age-old sign that the duchy's citizens were required for an important public announcement. Surprised, for it was rare they were called, they came to learn what it was their duke would say.

The duke's council had been called in to a short session just prior. They had been unhappy, but not surprised, to learn the French were preparing to attack the town. "I will send the small defensive force I have had brought from Milan to meet the French before they reach us, but I can guarantee nothing with regard to our safety."

"You will do your best for us, my lord," the bishop said. "The Cesare family has never failed Terreno Boscoso."

"The duchy has never before faced such peril," the duke answered the cleric.

Now Rafaello faced the anxious men and women of his duchy. Francesca had insisted upon being at his side. It was her duty as their d.u.c.h.essa. She believed that while the news would be extremely frightening to the people, for in their own history Terreno Boscoso had never been faced with the danger of invasion by a foreign power, nonetheless their united appearance would hopefully do something to allay the citizens' fears, if only briefly.

The hum of voices died as the duke and d.u.c.h.essa arrived in the town's main square. Rafaello, seated upon his stallion, with Francesca on her own horse by his side, began to speak. "Citizens of Terreno Boscoso, it is with great regret I must bring you bad news," Rafaello began. "Several months ago the French sent a demand that I give their king my fealty and that I permit them to quarter their troops in our duchy. I refused, for never have our dukes been subject to a foreign power."

A small patriotic cheer arose from the a.s.sembled.

"Quartering French troops here would have caused Milan concern, but more important, I thought the French demand bold. I was threatened by their emissary with armed retaliation if I did not accede to King Louis's demands. I might have reluctantly given my oath of loyalty to this king and then pleaded that no troops be quartered within our borders. I could not for honor's sake. Now, however, the French have sent their forces over our borders. They are approaching the town slowly. I have sent the mercenaries that I hired in Milan this summer to meet them. We will do our best to defend the duchy, but if you can, take yourselves and your families south quickly, for safety's sake. I am sorry to have put you in danger like this."

"Will the d.u.c.h.essa Francesca be going south too?" a voice from the crowd called out, and expectant faces looked to her.

Before Rafaello might answer, Francesca spoke up for herself. "No, I will not go south. I will remain here by my husband's side, good folk. It is my duty as your d.u.c.h.essa, and I cannot do otherwise. We will be secure in the castle until we can solve this unhappy situation, but your homes and shops provide little protection against a marauding army. You must do as my husband says and go until it is safe once again to return."

They cheered her wildly, and a few voices were heard saying, "If the d.u.c.h.essa doesn't go, then we won't either!"

"But you must protect your families," Francesca said. "Your loyalty to us is wonderful, but I know my husband agrees with me."

"For my sake, for Terreno Boscoso's sake," Rafaello told the people gathered below them, "you must do what you believe best for yourselves. But be warned that those soldiers in the employ of the French are not known for their mercy. These men will come no farther than the town itself. Once they hold it, they hold all of my duchy. We will either drive the French back or we will be forced to yield to them. If that happens I cannot protect you. They will steal what they can from your houses and your shops. Your wives and your daughters will not be safe from rapine. I beg you to consider my words seriously. Go now while you have the chance, my good folk. I will never question your loyalty in this matter, but my heart would break if any of you suffered on my account."

Then the duke and his wife turned their horses to return to the castle. Behind them they heard a cacophony of voices arise as the townsfolk began to loudly and publicly discuss what they had just been told. Rafaello knew that some of them would go, but some would remain to take their chances with the possible French occupation and protect their homes and shops. Most would send their women and children to safety. He understood the men, but the duke knew he would be extremely unhappy if the women and children suffered on account of his decision.

The castle was well fortified to withstand a siege, although never in its history had it been forced to do so. There were wells for water within its walls. They had food. They had men-at-arms to guard them. The drawbridge was now drawn up permanently. When they had done so it made a great creaking noise, for it had been years since it had been raised. They could do nothing but wait.

Francesca had sent a long letter to her parents, telling them of the current situation and asking that they bring the French demands and incursion to the attention of Lorenzo di Medici. She had asked them to shelter her messenger, a young boy who had been so proud to be given his d.u.c.h.essa's trust. She explained to her mother that she did not feel comfortable having the lad come back to Terreno Boscoso under the current circ.u.mstances. She knew they could expect no help from Florence. It was too far away, and the interests of the duchy were not the concern of the di Medicis or the Florentine government. If their mercenaries could not drive the French back over the border, Francesca did not know what they would do.

King Louis didn't really need her husband's fealty. She realized now it had been a polite gesture, and explained that to Rafaello. "The French only want one thing of us: to quarter their troops here for their future forays into the Italian states. Your fealty would have given them the right."

"And without my fealty," Rafaello said, suddenly understanding, "they will simply seize the duchy for their own purposes. What arrogance!"

"It is the nature of the French to be arrogant," Francesca replied. "They cannot help themselves, I fear."

"But we must pay the price for their overweening pride," he responded. "I have never before in all my life felt so helpless."

"Thank G.o.d your father is no longer with us to see this," she answered him.

He nodded in agreement. "Nonetheless I somehow feel as if I have failed him, our ancestors, and Terreno Boscoso," Rafaello admitted.

"You have not, my lord," Francesca a.s.sured him. "You have done your best. You have done what is best for the duchy and for your people. No one can fault you."

"I should have pledged my fealty to King Louis," he said.

"It would have done no good. What the French wanted was to quarter their troops here. It is a veiled threat to the Italian states, and they are aware of it. With or without your permission they were determined to do it."

"I pray we can stop them before they reach the town," Rafaello said, but she heard the hopelessness in his voice.

"I hope so too," Francesca agreed, but she knew it was unlikely. She had read the first dispatches sent by Captain Arnaldo from the front line. There were more than 500 French troops to their 225. Unless a miracle occurred it was likely that the French would reach the town in a few days.

Most of the women and children, along with the elderly who were mobile, departed the town. The goldsmith and jeweler who served on the council took her female artisans and departed for Milan. She had friends there, and they would welcome her and her workers. A silence such as Francesca had never known surrounded the castle now both day and night. The town boasted no lights once the night set in. It felt like they were the only people left upon the earth itself. Francesca did not know which was worse: the empty silent days, or the dark and silent nights.

The facade of the castle's inhabitants was calm, but Francesca knew that they were as nervous, frightened, and concerned as she was. It was almost a relief to have the French troops march into the town. Captain Arnaldo and a few of his men had managed to return a few hours ahead of the invaders, gaining entrance to the castle by a hidden back entry that opened into the cellars and dungeons beneath. The doorway by which they gained admission was then barred by an iron rectangle that was screwed into the stone walls. It would be difficult if not impossible to get into the castle by that door now. It could be unlocked only by removing the iron barrier from the inside.

Captain Arnaldo immediately sought his master. Finding him in the hall with the d.u.c.h.essa, he gave his report. After a brief fight some of the mercenaries had switched sides, and the rest not killed had fled. He and his own small force had fought on until he realized that future deaths would accomplish nothing for the duchy. He had given the order to the remaining few survivors to retreat. "There is no hope, my lord, and I can only beg your forgiveness," the soldier said, hanging his head.

"You did your best," Rafaello replied. "We could ask no more. And I am glad that you brought those who remained loyal to us home."

"The French?" Francesca asked him.

"With nothing to impede them now, my lady, they will arrive in the town within a few hours," he answered her. "We have but to wait."

"Do they carry heavy artillery with them?" the duke wanted to know.

"No, there is only the small French force. The Comte du Barry leads them," was the captain's answer.

"He is no soldier," Rafaello said.

"He is the official face of his king, but the soldiers are directed by another man. I do not know who he is, my lord."

"They want the town," Francesca said softly. "They expect they can easily take the castle, for it has always been open to all visitors."