Виктория Холт - The Battle of the Queens

‘Margaret said sometimes he fell on to the floor and chewed the rushes. It made him less angry doing that. I tried it when I was cross. But it didn’t make me less cross and the rushes were horrible.’

‘You chatter too much,’ said Joan severely, ‘and you must stop hiding yourselves so that you can hear what people say. It’s bad manners.’

‘It’s interesting,’ observed Isabella.

‘One day you might hear what you would rather not.’

‘I’d rather not have heard I have to go to William Marshal,’ admitted Eleanor fearfully.

‘Well if she has to go it’s best to know about it, is it not, Joan?’ asked Isabella.

‘Perhaps,’ said Joan.

Then she turned to Eleanor and saw herself as she had been what seemed like an age ago when she had heard she was to go to Lusignan, Had she looked as young and defenceless as Eleanor now looked? And Lusignan …. how beautiful it now seemed looking back. How she hated the harsh Scottish winter when the snow came quickly and stayed. She thought of the lush pine forests and riding with Hugh. Her mother had taken all that away from her because she was in a way a witch and made spells so that she was the most beautiful woman in the world and all men – even those betrothed to others – wanted to marry her.

She shook off these thoughts and gave her attention to Eleanor.

The poor child was more frightened than she would have them know.

* * *

It was not easy to be alone with Henry. He was so important now. It was hard to realise he was one of those brothers with whom she had played in those days which now seemed so long ago.

He had been their mother’s favourite – if she could be said to have had a favourite for she did not greatly care for any of them, Joan knew now. It had been such a strange life they had led in Gloucester Castle. It seemed now as hazy as a dream. Vaguely she remembered her terrifying father; he was enough to make any girl afraid of marriage. Fortunately her mother had never been afraid of him although Joan had since heard terrible tales of their life together.

Henry, who was now king, seemed very different. Perhaps it was because he was so young. He was three years older than she was and at their age that was a great deal.

She had to speak to him about Eleanor, for she must try to reassure her young sister. It would not be long before Alexander and Richard came back from Canterbury and then she would have to return to Scotland with her husband.

She did find an opportunity when he came in from riding and she waylaid him in the hall and asked if she could have a word with him in private.

He signed to his attendants to leave him and took his sister into a small antechamber where he bade her sit on one of the stools while he took the chair. It was almost as though he were reminding her that he was the King. He did that a great deal, she noticed. He will change though, she assured herself. It is just that now he has to keep reminding people in case they forget it.

‘I have little time, sister,’ he said importantly. ‘I have promised to see Hubert de Burgh very shortly. Peter des Roches gives me much trouble. He is continually trying to put me in conflict with Hubert.’

‘There is much envy there, I doubt not,’ she answered.

‘Indeed yes. Peter would be Justiciar,’ laughed Henry.

‘And rule England himself … as Hubert does.’

‘There is only one who rules England, sister, and that is the King.’

‘I know it, but I doubt not you listen to Hubert de Burgh and Stephen Langton now and then.’

‘A king cannot be everywhere in his realm at once. He must have those to work with him.’

‘And you are the admiration of your subjects, I hear.’

That placated him and softened his mood.

‘I wanted to speak to you about Eleanor,’ she said.

‘What of our sister?’

‘She has heard talk of her being given in marriage to William Marshal and that disturbs her.’

‘Where did she hear of such matters?’

‘You know how it is. People are indiscreet. The young are curious … particularly when what they hear concerns themselves.’

‘Indiscreet indeed …’

‘But this marriage, is it not common talk to all except the child it most concerns?’

‘Child! You say that as though something cruel is proposed. Our sister is of marriageable age.’

‘She is not yet nine years old.’

‘Well, of course, the marriage would not be consummated as yet.’

‘That would be left to the bridegroom’s decision, I dareswear.’

‘As it must be.’

Joan shook her head.

‘You know nothing of these matters, sister.’

‘Begging your royal pardon, I know a great deal. You forget it happened to me.’

‘But our mother was of great use to you, was she not? She took your place.’ The King laughed.

‘So you find that amusing, Henry?’

‘Far from it. They are giving us great concern over their demands for a dowry. But Hubert says it is not such a bad thing, for my mother will be able to persuade the Lusignans to stand by me against France more easily than you could have done.’

‘Then it was well that it happened so,’ said Joan wryly. ‘And why is Eleanor to be handed over so soon?’

‘Because, my dear sister, she was promised to William Marshal. You know the importance of this family. His father helped me to the throne. He and Hubert stood beside me and William would be there now if he had not died.’

‘His son was not always so faithful, was he?’

‘No. That is why he was promised Eleanor.’

‘A reward for treachery.’

‘Oh come, my dear sister. You are a princess. You know how we must work for our country. If a marriage is advantageous then it must be made.’

‘No doubt ere long you will be making an advantageous marriage.’

‘No doubt,’ said Henry.

‘But I’ll swear you’ll have more say in whom you’ll take than Eleanor has.’

‘Eleanor is only a child.’

‘That is my point. Must this marriage take place?’

‘It must. William Marshal says the time has come for us to honour the promise.’

‘Was he not married before?’

‘Yes, to Alice, Baldwin de Bethune’s daughter. She was but a child.’

‘He would seem to have a fancy for children.’

‘Understand, Joan, that these marriages are made for good reasons.’

‘Good reasons being not the affection of the partners but the advantages to accrue to their sovereigns.’

‘Do you learn such ideas in Scotland? I am surprised at Alexander.’

‘I have a mind of my own. I reason things out.’

‘Then be sensible. Eleanor will be well cared for. And she will ensure the loyalty of William Marshal.’

‘Why was Eleanor affianced to this man?’

‘A very good reason. Marshal was proposing to marry a daughter of Robert de Bruce. It was not good for England that one who has shown himself a friend of France, should put himself in the position of having influence in Scotland.’

‘I see. So Eleanor must marry him.’

‘Yes. Cheer up, sister. You will not stay with us long. Let us be merry while you do. The signs are good. Our mother married in Lusignan, you in Scotland and Eleanor shortly, with the Marshal.’

‘You have still Richard and Isabella to barter with.’

‘Their time will come,’ smiled Henry.

‘And yours, brother?’

‘And mine,’ he repeated. ‘Now I must leave you. State matters call me, sister.’

Joan looked after him when he had gone and her thoughts went back to Hugh and her fear of him when they had first met, which quickly changed to an emotion she must not think about.

Hubert de Burgh was waiting for an audience with the King. He was feeling gratified by the way in which events were moving, but he would not have been the experienced statesman he was if he had not known that there was no occasion for complacency. Since he had achieved such high office there never would be.

He knew there was whispering against him. His old enemy, Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester, would keep that alive. It was a battle between them and it could only end in the elimination of one of them.

Hubert felt he had the greater chance of winning because he had the King’s affection. He was not a man of the calibre of William Marshal, first Earl of Pembroke, who had on more than one occasion risked his life to uphold what he felt to be true. The character of the second Earl had yet to be proved, but he had already shown that he could change sides if he thought it the wise thing to do. Marshal the younger would have argued that when he had gone over to the French it was because he had believed that England must be rid of John at any price, and perhaps there had been good sense in such a conclusion but the fact remained that he had deserted the sovereign to whom he had sworn allegiance – something his father would never have done. Little harm had come to him through that disaffection and he was now going to get the King’s sister for his pains.

Well, Marshal was a name to be reckoned with and the marriage would mean his loyalty was firm. He would be the King’s brother-in-law; and there was a certain charm about William Marshal which had already had its effect on the somewhat impressionable young King.

So when the marriage had taken place William Marshal would be established in the royal circle. Not that Hubert could complain. His wife Margaret had brought him his aura of royalty; he was the husband of the King of Scotland’s sister and that gave him a kinship with the King of England.