"See if you can catch her!", laughed Pedro, as baby João Carlos, no more than two weeks old, did his best to crawl after his stout, sturdy sister Maria. João Carlos quickened his pace but Maria was easily able to run out of his reach.
Pedro and Leopoldina laughed heartily at their two children. Pedro was very pleased to have a healthy son - the future King of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves.
"Ah, the innocence of youth", sighed Pedro, turning to smile at Leopoldina.
"With no need to worry about politics", she added.
"Are you worried, then?", inquired Pedro.
Leopoldina nodded, before calling to Maria:
"Don't wander out of our sight!"
Somewhat reluctantly, Maria stopped running and began to toddle back in the direction of her parents.
"I have concerns about the Cortes", Leopoldina explained. "There's talk that they don't like this country, that they have bad intentions towards Brazil."
Pedro shrugged. At the same moment, he felt something against his legs and looked down: João Carlos was trying to climb up his father. Pedro reached down and hoisted his son onto his lap.
"You don't feel that way?", asked Leopoldina.
"I think we should wait and see", said Pedro. "After all, there was that mutiny just last month, everyone was panicking about that, but they turned out to be reasonable. Maybe these men will too."
"Maybe", said Leopoldina cautiously.
"So he's finally made up his mind, has he?", asked Carlota Joaquina.
"Yes, Mama", replied Miguel. "He's decided to return to Portugal."
"It's taken him long enough", Carlota Joaquina scoffed.
Miguel was silent.
"So why has he decided that?", asked Carlota Joaquina: there was genuine curiosity mixed in with her scorn.
"It's because that's what most of the Council of Ministers wants", explained Miguel.
"So he's been swayed, has he?", said Carlota Joaquina. "He always was. Still, I'm happy that we're going back to Europe - we should have done that as soon as Bonaparte was defeated. Once we're back in Portugal, you will be able to teach those traitors a lesson, and push your father to one side. You can show him how a King should behave."
"Possibly", Miguel suggested, "when he gets back to Portugal, he will see what these men are really like, and he will act against them."
Carlota Joaquina shook her head.
"Definitely not", she said. After a pause, she then asked:
"Are we all going back?"
"No, Mama", said Miguel, "Pedro will stay behind to be Prince Regent of Brazil."
"He's another one, of course", said Carlota Joaquina. "He may not be weak, like your father, but he has his ideas about 'reform' and 'liberty', just like the French had, and from the way he talks, he seems to think he actually comes from Brazil. But he is young, and there is time for him to learn sense."
Loud applause and cheers filled the halls of the Necessidades Palace.
"So", announced Costa triumphantly, "the Bases of the Constitution has now been adopted, the first step in restoring the liberties of this country. It shall be sent to Brazil, to be seen by the King, who I hope will be gracious enough to adopt it."
More applause and cheers.
"You cannot do this, Papa", exclaimed Pedro.
That afternoon, the parish electors of Rio de Janeiro had assembled at the Merchants' Exchange to elect delegates to the Cortes in Lisbon. However, the Council of Ministers had been informed that a small group of radicals had seized control of the meeting and had proclaimed that Brazil should adopt the Spanish constitution until the new Portuguese one had been completed, and had ordered that the King proclaim this document and swear to uphold it. The Council had been convened in emergency session at Boa Vista Palace, and Pedro had joined it after calling up a battalion of infantry and a battery of artillery and ordering them into positions between the palace and the city.
"What else could I do?", asked João helplessly. "These radicals may be small in number, but they are well organised."
"But you cannot just give in to this shit", said the exasperated Pedro. "By all means, have a constitution, but you must keep control of the process. This is not like the mutiny two months ago: these men are Jacobins who have no respect for the Crown. You have already promised to accept the new Portuguese constitution: you do not need to agree to these new demands."
"I'm sorry, Pedro", said João, "but I don't think I have much choice."
"Well if you won't deal with this fucking rebellion, I will", said Pedro, and he stormed out of the meeting. Maybe Mama is right, thought Pedro bitterly, he is a weak man.
Outside the palace, Pedro met with General Jorge Avilez, a tall, slim man with a thin face and a long nose.
"Are you sure of this, Dom Pedro?", inquired Avilez.
"Yes", said Pedro, "these men are loyal neither to the King nor the Cortes: if they were, they would be happy to wait for the constitution that the Cortes will produce, and which my father has already agreed to uphold. They need to be crushed."
"All right, then", said Avilez.
At the Merchants' Exchange in the early hours of the morning, loud cheering could be heard: they had just received a delegation from the palace, with a decree signed by the King agreeing to their demands. In addition, it was Easter Sunday: another reason to celebrate.
But then a company of soldiers led by Avilez came riding up to the door of the building. Avilez dismounted, but before he could read out a degree dissolving the assembly, a shot rang out. Avilez heard an angry cry behind him: he turned and saw one of his soldiers lying dead. A furious mood was bubbling amongst the rest of the company.
"Right", said Avilez, "we must show restraint, but we also need to crush these villains. For King and Cortes!"
A loud roar went up, and the soldiers charged into the Merchants' Exchange with their bayonets fixed. Some people were killed, and many others wounded: still others jumped out of windows and ran to the harbour, trying to swim away or catch boats, only to drown. Two of the leaders were arrested, but others managed to escape.
"We have done it, Papa", said Pedro. "The rebels have been crushed."
João looked relieved to hear this.
"Now", said Pedro, "you need to issue a new decree revoking yesterday's. Say that those who came to you claimed to be representatives of the people, but were acting on the orders of evil-intentioned men who desired anarchy."
João gladly assented.
Four days later, João, Carlota Joaquina, Miguel and Isabel climbed on board the ship Dom João VI. The King walked over to the side of the ship and looked wistfully towards Rio. I will always miss Brazil, he thought. He was saddened by the prospect of the court intrigues he knew he would face back in Lisbon.
Pedro, Leopoldina and their two children boarded the ship, the baby boy in his mother's arms. Pedro had tears in his eyes as he embraced his father.
"Goodbye, Papa", he choked. "May you have a fair wind, and may things work out well in Portugal."
João did his best to smile, but he was trying to hold back the tears.
"Good luck, son", he said.
"Goodbye and God bless", said Leopoldina to her father-in-law. "You've been so good to me, and I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you as well", replied João. "All of you", he added, and he bent down and embraced his two grandchildren, who both began to cry, out of confusion more than anything else.
As Leopoldina did her best to console the children, Miguel stepped forward and clasped Pedro's hand.
"Farewell, Pedro", he said, in a heavy voice. "I suppose we won't see each other again."
"We might", replied Pedro, though he strongly doubted this. He tried to smile through his tears.
"Maria! João Carlos!", called Pedro, looking back over his shoulder, "said goodbye to Uncle Miguel."
Leopoldina gently let João Carlos down onto the ground: he crawled over to his uncle, while Maria ran into Miguel's wide open arms.
"Goodbye", said Miguel, as he hugged them both tightly, "and remember to be good, and obey your father."
"Where are you going?", asked Maria.
"To a country far, far away", smiled Miguel.
"What country is that?", Maria inquired.
"It's called Portugal, and Grandad is going to be King there", explained Miguel.
The children stared at him open-mouthed: Miguel laughed good-humouredly.
Pedro meanwhile was embracing Isabel
"It won't be easy, being Regent", she said, "but I know you can do it."
"I hope so", said Pedro, trying to sound more optimistic than he felt.
Isabel then embraced Leopoldina, and walked over to Maria and João Carlos and hugged them as well.
"I'll be thinking of you", she said.
Once Isabel had finished hugging, Pedro picked up his son, and gestured to his wife and daughter to leave the ship.
"Haven't you forgotten someone?", asked João shrewdly - he was pointing towards Carlota Joaquina.
Pedro opened his mouth, but João said to him, "Come on, say goodbye to your mother" in a manner that brooked no argument.
"Go on, Pedro", urged Leopoldina.
"Make it up to her", added Miguel
Pedro sighed, and inched over to where his mother was standing. Each put their arms around the other: it was hard to tell who was less enthusiastic about the embrace. Pedro ended the hug as soon as he felt able to, and made to leave the ship, only for his father to take him aside. Pedro handed his son over to Leopoldina, and followed his father into a quiet corner of the ship
"What now?", asked Pedro.
"I have something very important to say to you, about the political situation", said João. "It's very important you listen to what I say. Pedro, Brazil will soon separate from Portugal: if that happens, put the crown on your own head before some adventurer grabs it."
"Adventurer?", said Pedro.
"Yes, like those men at the Merchants' Exchange", said João. "We don't want a Bolívar or a San Martín or an O'Higgins, do we? At least you will respect me."
"I suppose so", said Pedro: he was not sure how to respond. He was spared by Leopoldina, who put a hand on his shoulder and beckoned him away: she seemed to have sensed his discomfort.
Pedro and Leopoldina left the ship, with Leopoldina carrying João Carlos and Maria toddling after them: as they went they waved to the rest of the family. No sooner had they set foot on shore than the anchor was lifted up, and the ship set sail.
Pedro watched the ship depart with tears in his eyes, then he sighed.
"Are you all right?", asked Leopoldina.
"It's just . . . I have a huge task ahead of me", said Pedro. "I have no experience of government because Papa thinks I'm too . . . too . . .
"Too liberal?", inquired Leopoldina.
"Yes", said Pedro, "and now I have to rule a huge and fractious country. I don't know how I'll cope."
Leopoldina again placed a hand on Pedro's shoulder.
"I'll be there for you", she promised. "I'll support you and advise you."
Pedro turned to his wife and smiled.
"I know you usually give good advice", he said.
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