Rich little Irish boys | Louis Cont. after church- Xmas 1677

[Defiance]

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Ibracken, Basildon, and the Boys

Louis had given the boys a respite from interrogation the day before, but he would find the right moment.  As he looked around the chapel, feeling the chill of winter about them, Basildon spied the approach of the Ibrackens.  He did not really know them well, but it was clear that they had royal favor.  As such, they were worthy of his time.  Henry O'Brien was an Irishman who had spent much of his adult life as an MP, having the good fortune to marry Katherine Stuart of the Aubigney Stuarts, a junior branch of the royal family.  The King seemed especially fond of Katherine.  Ibracken was a politician and a soldier, which was a good combination.  Though O'Brien was Irish, Louis seemed to recall that the man spent most of his time in England, but they walked in different circles.  Killington had been something of an outcast until he came into his own as an earl and married Elizabeth Seymour.  Now, he could walk in the rarified air of those who had been in royal favor for years.  As he recalled, Henry was the son of a Howard, so he assumed that Ibracken was friendly with Norfolk.

"My Lord and Lady, a Happy New Year and a Happy Sabbath.  I hope all is well."  It was the standard pleasantries of a man hoping to ingratiate himself.  He turned to the boys to extend their greetings.

 

Considering much of the King's ire at Williamson's Irish actions had to do with the risk it put Kat in by association, the King was very clearly fond of her. Basildon was also correct that Norfolk was close with Ibracken for familial relationship, so the wily young earl had discovered what linked all of these individuals together. Or at least one thing that linked them. Marriages generally cemented links that already existed. 

 

"And to you as well, my lord," Lady Ibracken said. "All is indeed well now that you have helped to rescue Trevor and Arthur from that impudent rascal, Danby."

 

She turned to the boys, "And I bet you young gentlemen have missed all the fun of Christmastide. That must be remedied, surely."

 

Whilst she shared an eager exchange with the boys, Ibracken nodded at Basildon, "I confess I was barely able to keep her at bay when I told her the boys wished not to be moved again until we move at the end of the season." He chuckled. "We owe you much gratitude for the part you played with Danby. Would you take tea with us and Norfolk before you return home?"

[Louis Killington]

Best to not get between a lady gushing at children, especially about Christmastide.  There would be talk of presents, ponies and peppermint candies, mostly a waste of time.  Still, if a Stuart thought them grand topics, Louis was capable of pretending great interest.

Fortunately he was saved by her husband.  "I was just lucky to have the opportunity to rescue the boys.  I knew the former Treasurer to be unscrupulous at times, but keeping those boys captive was monstrous," Basildon replied derisively.  The invitation to tea was just the thing to make the holidays brighter.  To heck with peppermint candies, though he had enjoyed them as a lad on the very few occasions his parents had offered.  "That would be enjoyable.  I regret that I have not otherwise had much opportunity to make your better acquaintance, and that of the Duke.  When might be a good time for it?  I shall make myself available."

[Defiance]

Sweetmeats and mince pies were high on the list of things drifting the way of the two gentlemen. Clearly Lady Ibracken knew all the boys' favorite things. 

 

"That level of desperation is beyond the decent, but it is oft found among those who rise from little more than nothing," Ibracken said, before realizing how that might be construed. "Not always, of course." He added in a lower voice, "If have found that if someone stabs one master in the back, he shall stab the second too." 

 

The King sometimes looked beyond obvious faults when someone could prove useful, thus easing his burdens, and that was a characteristic that had served him very poorly in this instance. 

 

"From His Majesty's words yesterday, I think there is a web of deception unraveling that even we cannot appreciate." Ibracken had his own ideas, of course, and he wished to find out whether what they knew separately might piece together into a better understanding.

 

"You are welcome now, if you are free. I am sure my lady wife might like to have the boys spoiled for a few hours if she might not have them all hours," he replied, with a chuckle. 

[Louis Killington]

Ibracken's words were insightful.  He had viewed Thomas Osbourne as nouveau gentry. For the oldest families, if one could not trace a title back at least 12 generations, one might as well be a commoner.  Danby had done remarkably well for himself, rising from common roots.  No matter how far his star climbed, it would not remove the stench of common or country gentry breeding.  The Irishman caught himself in speaking to Louis, realizing a moment late that the Basildon title was new and not well-deserved.  His father was a soldier, but might as well had been a farmer with his Puritan religion.  Louis was embarrassed by his father, but could do little about it.  he had saved the family name, what little value it had at court, by marrying a Seymour and his sister marrying a Somerset.  Neither he nor his sister would get much respect, at least behind their backs, but their children would and, Killington supposed, that was good enough.  What else could he do?

"True enough," he agreed, just to agree.  It was best to be agreeable when one wanted something.

The other comment about betraying more than one master was also telling.  It was the reason he had resisted Buckingham's initial overtures, staying true to Danby for a time.  It was only when evidence was presented that his mentor turned on Louis that it gave him an excuse to part ways with the Lord Treasurer.  "He stabbed not only his master, but betrayed others of us that thought him an ally."  The words were carefully chosen to convey to the Irish lord that Louis had been betrayed.  It had been no secret that Basildon was an ally of Danby for the past two years or so.  He had defended Danby in Lords and they had worked together to advance their common interests.  Ibracken would have seen that, even from his seat in Commons. 

Buckingham appeared convinced that Louis had abandoned Danby reluctantly.  The question was whether the King had been convinced by the story.  Although a true tale, it was a strange one.  If the King thought he had betrayed Danby, rather than the other way around, his own rise would be jeopardized.

"Yes, let us unravel this mystery collectively," Louis agreed.  "Each of us has several tiles of the mosaic.  If we place our tiles together, a picture may emerge."  With that, he looked for the Irish man to direct his wife accordingly.

[Defiance]

Even Ibracken thought it was best to get a title through soldiering or smart marriages than it was to get it through self-interested sycophancy followed closely by stabbing the person who made it all possible. Some might have gone along with Danby out of convenience and for royal favor, but that did not mean that any of them had forgotten what had come before. His very quick plummet likely illustrated much of that for not truly a soul had stepped forward in any form of defense or solidarity - in fact, Ibracken felt the opposite likely true; there were many Lord Basildons who stepped back or spoke up when it was opportune. 

 

"Those that do one, oft do the other. Betrayal is not generally a confined characteristic of a man." Ibracken did not view Basildon's actions as any form of betrayal. It would rather have been stupidity and attachment if he had not extracted himself from a situation that could prove treasonous. 

 

"Splendid, a fire and brandy are better companions for such talks than wide open spaces," he agreed. Then he turned, "Boys, darling, let us adjourn home. Lord Basildon is going to join us."

 

Turning to the earl, he said, "We live just on the other side of Blackfriars on the river," Ibracken said. "Trevor can give the specifics to your coachman."

 

That was an area of London closely associated with many Tudor doings. Old families tended to have mansions along the Thames in that part of London. It also kept them close but a bit more remote from the gossip of living closer to Whitehall. 

[Louis Killington]

Being a paranoid person by nature, Louis was hearing Ibracken's words as a warning about his own behavior.  He gave a look of seriousness as he nodded his agreement.  Is he calling me a traitor?  Has the King sent him with a message for me?  He has given me the boys as a consolation prize for being cast out from a royal embrace. 

What was Norfolk's role in all this?  He had betrayed the Catholic church," louis reasoned.  What had Ibracken done?  Perhaps he had been a part of Williamson's plot?  Yes, a league of traitors.  That is what they were.  The King was a clever man, far more than the court gave him credit.  Was this a coded message to Basildon to solve?  It was to tell him that he would never be trusted to be kept close, like the Irishman and Norfolk.  They would be held in high regard, but at a distance.  It made sense to a mind that looked for hints of betrayal himself.  Where did Buckingham fit in all of this?

A lesser man would have become depressed at the thought.  Louis had an ego to overcome self-doubt, even when it might be prudent to heed it.  If the King thinks to marginalize me, I will not let that happen.  I will band together this brotherhood of betrayal if needs be and we will refuse to fade into the night, he told himself.  Norfolk still had power, and so did the Irishman before him, albeit it derivatively through his wife.  They were assets to be used.  Everyone was an asset to use.

"Yes, there is little that a bit of fine brandy cannot cure," the Earl offered in renewed spirits. "Even this dreadful weather that must be endured on a ride to Blackfriars.  At least the Thames is not as foul this time of year.  I'll look forward to word about the doings in Ireland these days my lord.  I must confess my own sources of information in that regard are rather limited."

The boys were gathered and the coaches arranged.  "I need send word to my cousin Nicolette that the coach will return shortly for her, unless we can all crowd in to your coach.  The boys can sit on our laps.  I want to ensure that she has a ride home as she is inside as well."  He had not the power to invite Nicci to the gathering.  He was not sure that she would have any interest anyway.  Still, by mentioning her, he afforded Ibracken an opportunity to invite her along as well.

[Defiance]

"Is she still here as well?" Ibracken asked, looking about. "Well if she is, she must join us, of course."

 

He then looked in the other direction. Perhaps she was speaking with friends elsewhere in the queue to outside. "I met your cousin at the last ball when I was speaking with Lord Denbigh."

 

(OOC - If Nicci is stuck somewhere and wishes to join us, I can mod-extract her!)

[Louis Killington]

"She is," Louis replied.  "I have your address.  The boys are welcome to ride with you and your wife of course, or they could join me.  Let me see if Nicolette has already found another ride home.  She may have gone home with my sister.  I shall see you soon."

They parted at the appropriate point.  Louis offered Nicci a ride home and then rushed back to the nearby house so that his groom could rush in and get one of his best bottles of French brandy.  One needed to arrive with a gift.

It was not long thereafter that the Basildon coach arrived at the Blackfriars address that Ibracken had provided.  With a hearty gait, the Earl was at the doorstep and looking to be admitted.

[Defiance]

The house was large for a London property and of Tudor design. It was quite warm when Basildon entered. He was shown to a parlour overlooking a frosty garden where everyone was assembled and having a warming drink before food would be served adjacently. Trevor and Arthur had taken up standing near the hearth as if they had weeks of warmth to make up for. Only Norfolk had yet to arrive.

 

"Welcome to our home, Lord Basildon," Lady Ibracken beckoned into the room. "The boys told me their story on the coach ride, and I must say it all sounds very daring."

 

Ibracken chuckled and said, "One must wonder if they embellished just a little." 

 

A servant came forth to offer the newcomer a drink. The room smelled pleasantly of mulled wine, warm cider, and hot brandy. 

[Louis Killington]

Happy to be out of the cold, Basildon deposited the bottle of fine French brandy into the Irishman's hands.  "You must really try this brand," he urged.  "It titillates the senses in a more cultured way."  He complimented the house and thanked the host for the invitation.

After a brief movement to warm his hands at the fireplace., Louis reacted to Ibracken's take on the story narrated by the boys.  "Embellished?  Did they tell you of the eight foot tall Turk that was Danby's bodyguard?  With a scimitar the since of young Trevor?  Or perhaps the six foot tall mastiff that the Earl named 'bonecrusher?'"  Louis gave a merry laugh.  "Perhaps we could get Sedley to write the screenplay," he continued to jest.  It was too cold to not jest.  Laughter warmed the body.

"In truth, the real tense moment was when I took his hand to shake it, but refused to release it.  I told Arthur to collect his things because he was coming with me.  Osborne's hand was captive in mine and he could not reach for a weapon, though his eyes revealed the location of the nearest one.  He had been outmaneuvered and he knew it so that he had to play along.  It was quite exhilarating really," he revealed in a rare moment of truth.

"I would be curious to better understand why he kidnapped the boys," he asked O'Brien in a quieter voice.  "There were better ways to gain money and I am quite sure there were better ways to hide.  He had other avenues surely to achieve his ends; but, perhaps you can fill in the missing motive."

[Defiance]

"Arthur thought for certain that Danby was going to kill you, and Trevor was preparing to come back in and shoot whomever he needed to shoot," Ibracken replied, with a grin. It was not bonecrushing dogs but a tale made tall by emotion and exaggeration. 

 

"And you outsmarted him, Arthur tells us," the lady of the house said.

 

Arthur blushed over the rim of his hot chocolate.

 

"Boys, why not sample the sweets while they are finishing inside," Ibracken suggested, giving them a nod to advance them into the other room. It would make it far easier to answer Basildon's question.

 

"...What do you know about the situation with Sir Joseph Williamson?" Ibracken then asked the earl.

[Louis Killington]

"The boys are kind," Basildon offered with feigned modesty. "Ordinarily, Danby is difficult to outsmart." Louis was enjoying the characterization.  "I just hope Trevor was not going to shoot me," he laughed.

_Pleased that the host found a way to cause to boys to leave the room.  The Earl paused until they could speak discreetly.  "They say that Williamson was issuing commissions to Catholic officers.  I found the charge to be curious.  It is clearly prohibited and the Northern Secretary must have known that.  He is not a foolish man.  So, it raises questions in my mind," he answered.  How much was this done to protect the King, or the Duke of York?  Something was happening in Ireland that required enlisting Catholic assistance.  O'Brien would be just the fellow to illuminate the situation.

[Defiance]

"Do not doubt he would have if he needed to," Ibracken replied with a snort. "You should see them hunt!"

 

With the boys gone, it did leave more room for speaking candidly.

 

"The question is not what happened, but why it was made public and thus required a response by the State and the King. For you know it is not His Majesty who takes issue with the service of his Catholic subjects." Ibracken paused. "That proof was dug up and done purposefully."

 

It was the lady who spoke next. "It is not coincidence that happened and then Danby takes the boys."

[Defiance]

*BUMP*

[Louis Killington]

OOC~  Yikes I missed that there was a reply.

 

So, it seemed that the real problem was that someone had gone to some lengths to publicize that which should not have been publicized.  "Danby would have had access to the information surely, but it would make no sense for him to cause trouble for Williamson and the Crown," Louis mused aloud.  "He would not have openly been the one to disclose it to the opposition.  He would have used an intermediary hard to trace to himself.  But why?  What could he hope to gain by such a betrayal?"  As more pieces of the puzzle were being put into place the picture became no clearer.

"It could have been someone else, I suppose, but the kidnapping of the boys suggests he was culpable somehow, or thought to take advantage of a crisis of another's making," Basildon reasoned.  "If the boys were in Williamson's care, perhaps there would be a motive in it, but not when the boys' guardians were yourself and Norfolk.  He would be putting himself at odds with the Hill family as well as two important families.  Perhaps you can shed more light on this?" he invited, tiring of bald speculation.

[Defiance]

"I am sure that you are aware that there is one thing which His Majesty has always desired that Lord Danby has never desired, and that is Toleration. Do you think it was solely ambition that had Danby strike down Buckingham? He could not secretly further his own politics with a patron who believes the opposite. The downward spiral of religious affairs intensified shortly thereafter although Danby pretended very well to see to the King's interests; he has been ensuring that the environment becomes ever less friendly to Dissenters so that the King cannot expect success in Toleration, only slim mitigation of hostility instead," Ibracken began. 

 

"And further endanger some of the oldest noble families in His Majesty's realm, thereby reducing the number of those that would contend him or speak of this stirring on the pot," the lady added. "Even the  most influential and powerful can fall quickly at the head of a Catholic hunt. Sir Joseph was  put away so quickly, because it was the only option to protect me, Ibracken, Ormonde, Denbigh, Brooke, and anyone else who could have been easily falsified into some nefariousness. If Danby brought forth the faulty commissions through himself or an intermediary, he could have easily couched it as protecting those others, but if the affairs with Monmouth had not come to light, you can bet one by one all those lords would have had serious allegations to contend with that would have prevented them from speaking anything against Danby, anything against Exclusion."

 

The tip of the iceberg was bobbing before Basildon. How all this related to the Hills was the piece that was hiding yet below the water. With a grandfather who was rich and influential, frequently doing diplomatic missions for the King, it might be easy to guess that someone had evidence of Danby doing far more and that Danby was attempting a final blackmail. 

 

"Danby would have happily pushed Ireland into a revolt so that he could then blame any Irish nobles who he could damn as Catholic sympathizers or Catholics themselves as being the instigators of such, when it is the policies he furthers which causes problems in Ireland, not a desire to cause mischief or disobedience for His Majesty," Ibracken said. 

[Louis Killington]

It was well known that the King favored toleration.  It might be known to those who watched Basildon that he favored toleration as well.  He had grown up in a Puritan family and was friendly with the French and York.  Lest some think him a sympathizer, he was careful not to show any respect for the Catholic faith -- quite willing to insult the Pope on the floor of Lords to prove his independence from Rome if necessary.  The fact that Nicolette was a Hugonot was useful to him in that regard.  It made a grand image that his poor little cousin had fled to England to be safe from Catholic persecution.  That she remained friendly with French royalty could be put in perspective.

"Clever but foolish," Louis judged upon hearing the tale.  "A creative and dangerous tool to be employed, but one thwarts the royal will at one's peril, especially when one is the Chief Minister to the King.  Making enemies with Buckingham and the oldest families, is equally ill-advised.  Ireland is a tinder box in my opinion and best left to those who know it best.  One does not play with matches."

The message was clear -- stay true to the King and leave Ireland to the Irish.  That seemed the right message to give to Ibracken and his wife.  Louis had no interests in Ireland.  He did not like the Irish.  He did not like the Welsh either, nor the northerners.  He had succumbed to all the prejudices of the southern English nobility.  That did not mean that he could not pretend to respect them. 

"The boys were kidnapped to keep their grandfather and some of the older families from attempting to thwart his plans to slander the Irish lords perhaps," Louis ventured quietly.  "Or to keep him silent."  It was a insane plan if true.  It might have worked if it had been more elegantly done, using intermediaries that would allow deniability.

"Now that he is on the run, what will prevent him from causing mischief in Ireland, even without the boys?" he asked.  "He has less to lose now."  On the other hand, Danby still thought there was a chance that Louis would return the boys to him, so perhaps he would stay his hand. 

[Defiance]

Ibracken nodded at Basildon's assessment that it was not smart to conduct affairs that way. Men like Danby, though, without birth and alliances built more than one generation, often took the tactic of striking down to rise up. Such men only saw things in the short term. 

 

"Keeping the older and more powerful families at bay would be the only way for a man like him to continue to rise or stay long-term." 

 

"I expect he did not think to get caught in such matters, but he shan't be the first nor the last. Gaining control over those who might naysay your policies is common by one grounds or another. Blackmail more common than kidnapping, I'll allow."

 

"Once you have come between His Majesty and his close family there is little that can do more damage," Kat said. "Monmouth is a dolt but the first and very close to the King's heart. Causing his removal is far worse than kidnapping a few boys, even if one is to marry your cousin when he grows up."

 

"The great thing about intermediaries, Basildon, is that many can employ them for many reasons. I do not think Danby will be doing much running, though he perhaps thought that he was doing so."

 

"And one can be assured his family will suffer as those boys did, because we shall make sure his property, his funds, and any other possession is utterly destroyed in his absence." Kat was clearly not a woman to cross. 

 

"The boys' father must have some form of evidence of precisely the grand scope of this plot. Taking the boys tied a lot of hands that are now free. His Majesty has assured the boys that their father shan't be harmed and steps have been made to get a message to him." 

 

"I will not be surprised if this does not reach strongly into Dutch circles, who benefits more strongly from threats both to Catholics in His Majesty's realms and to the Catholic heir to the throne but the Dutch."

[Louis Killington]

"Best to work, rather than war, with the older and powerful families," Basildon mused aloud, wanting to reassure the older families thereby.  "If one attempts to stand on one's own, it is a lonely perch, and prone to failure quickly whenever outcomes do not please HIs Majesty."  He made clear to Kat that royal happiness was the key.  "I imagine that Danby now understands this, too late, having no friends or allies in the realm."

"He should be made to suffer clearly," found himself saying.  "Without funds, he will be less dangerous.  We can keep account of him in the United Provinces."  His own wife would be well-placed for such.  "But, the man will still be dangerous for what he knows."  By that he meant Parliamentary dirty little secrets that could be quite valuable, as well as secrets concerning the Treaty of Dover.  Like Williamson, Danby's worth would always be measured by what secrets he harbored from his time as Chief Minister.  "If he moved to aid the Country Party, it would be most unfortunate."  He did not think a man like Danby would simply fade away.  As such, Louis read into Kat's warnings of Dutch circles the possibility of assassination.  He imagined that the King might not forbid it.  It was a dirty business cleaning up after a mess such as this.

"I shall keep some eyes and ears on him through my own family, and his.  With luck, combined efforts of us all will have his every move noted."  Obviously, the pair knew his wife was with Mary in Amsterdam.  He had told the King that he had sent the fallen minister to his wife for money.  That would establish a basis for being watched.  The King did not seem pleased; but, in political matters King Charles appeared shrewd and unreadable.  He had also referenced Danby's family.  Those with an eye on his own movements would have noted him in the presence of Bridget Osborne, one of many offspring of the former minister.  No doubt they would attribute prurient interest, but he needed a narrative to suggest he was using her to get information about her father.

"I shall pray that justice will be done," the Earl offered to Kat, the more emotional of the pair and more apt to wish to hear such allusions.  "If I can be of assistance ... ."  he let the offer hang in the air, not really wanting to commit himself to anything, but wanting to signal that he could be a friend.

"Lastly, I fear for the Court Party.  It has misplaced its trust in Danby, in good company with others.  We should expect the Country Party to make even more hay from this.  The Court Party does its greatest service in protecting the throne and I fear it shall need strong leadership in the days ahead."  Rarely did one discuss politics in front of a woman, but Basildon's experience with his strong wife, and others, had convinced him that one should not discount them so easily.  Kat was clearly a player in the Game.  There was more to say on the subject but he would use this point to test the engagement of the pair in the politics to come.  Perhaps they were more interested in a personal vendetta and Irish matters only. 

[Defiance]

Ibracken raised an eyebrow at the statement. Basildon seemed either over-cautious or a bit paranoid; then again, he had been closely linked to Danby so perhaps he wished to make it clear he dissociated from such things. As to the rest about Danby, Ibracken merely smiled softly. The other earl had not entirely caught his drift. He would find out soon enough. 

 

"Pray!" Kat snorted, "Fools leave justice to prayer and a song." And she knew Basildon was not such a man. He did not wait around for things to happen, but in this case, there was not anything he could do in that very moment anyway.

 

"Or perhaps the King will have a son and the Country Party will no longer need to excite the Commoners over Exclusion. It would be something of a moot point then. Whatever else they might find to be dissatisfied about will no doubt be as pressing and divisive," Ibracken said. He worried  very little about such things. There were many strong and influential voices that could drive royalist causes. 

[Louis Killington]

Louis laughed at Kat's exclamation.  He appreciated that sort of spirit.

"Very well then, I shall pray for the male heir instead," he continued in a light mood.  "You are correct that it would weaken the Country Party greatly."  It was true.  It could be a panacea to the woes of the opposition; but Basildon doubted that they would go away.  Having tasted power that could be greater than the monarch, they would not easily abandon it. 

Ibracken did not seem worried about the Court Party, but Basildon was not so sanguine.  The Court Party contained royalists surely, but not all royalists were part of the Court Party.  The party was viewed as the party of the King's ministers rather than the party of the King.  Buckingham was a prime example.  His hatred of Danby had led him to ally with Shaftesbury on occasion, even to the detriment of the King.  Perhaps it was little more than ego and caprice that he did it, but there were other royalists that did not identify with Danby and the Court Party.  The question might remain whether the Court Party should be transformed into a "royalist" party instead, so as to draw back so disaffected royalists that might have joined Shaftesbury.  Would Buckingham be the leader?  He would be the natural leader and Louis would owe him support but his fidelity to a cause was sometimes in question.

"So, in the interim, what should be the plan to reestablish the Party and get control of all this nonsense about exclusion and some Papal Plot?"

[Defiance]

Ibracken snorted with a warm smile as Basildon asked him what should be the plan for re-establishing the Court Party. "You are asking an Irishman who should drive the Court Party here?"

 

He might be an MP for the Lower House, and he might be married to the King's cousin, but he was not the sort of man who injected himself too much into the workings of such  matters. He had Ireland to concern himself about, and the Hills. Such transparent concerns showed Basildon's ambition in Ibracken's mind. 

 

"Where His Majesty places his trust, I think, will dictate much of that," Ibracken added. 

 

As of yet, it did not seem that any had appeared as a likely candidate. If the past indicated anything, the King might not place such trust in any one person right away.

[Louis Killington]

If Ibracken knew anything he was keeping it close to his vest.  His answer was obvious, though Basildon was wondering whether the King would handpick the next generation of leadership or would await those to seize the initiative to bring Parliament to some order.  It would be a tall order to try and thwart the Country Party with the anti-Catholic sentiment and the scandals that were attached to Danby's name.  The Earl supposed that Buckingham would have the better insight.

"Fair point," he acknowledged.  "So, instead, I'll ask an Irishman what is happening in Ireland these days.  I would imagine that the anti-Catholic sentiment is different there, or perhaps more muted.  I would imagine there is less Country Party support there."

[Defiance]

"Ireland is a complicated child and always has been, but the situation is oft used to advantage by those here to further their conspiracies, and that is where your Country Party harms Ireland. It is simpler to point there for Catholic conspiracies to stir England's common folk, and those lords who had been chosen to aide in Ireland's governance frequently have many ties to Catholics for generations; that is why they were initially chosen by the Tudors, it was a necessity to bring Ireland to any rule united with England, and now those same families who have kept peace can be suspect for the service they were asked generations ago."

 

And the nobility had their hands tied, and even the nobility of the Country Party had their hands much tied, in matters of religion, so even those who saw it as it was had much to risk in voicing a word about it. There were many interesting things that would be seem moving forward. Danby had enemies that were freed and coming out of the woodwork in droves. 

 

(OOC - Before we start to wrap up, make sure you reread the last 6-8 posts and don't have any other questions 😆 )

[Louis Killington]

The Court party would need to await the pleasure of the King it seemed.  That complicated one of his own plans, but it merely required an adjustment.  Louis would need to wait one or three turns of the wheel before his time would come in that matter.

"Back to the boys," Louis transitioned.  "I know next to nothing about their father and grandfather.  It seems I should know more if I am to look after them.  By your words you suggest that their father bore some culpability in a plot with Danby, hence His Majesty's assurance that the father would be protected in this.  Their grandfather is on the Continent I believe.  There is a shroud of secrecy about the father and grandfather that prevents me from fully appreciating the situation.  Danby told the boys their father was dead."  That suggested that Danby would have been in a position to know.  Maybe the man was working for Danby.  Maybe he was a prisoner as a result of another scheme.  Perhaps the pair would shed more light on the mystery.