‘Margaret was only a child when he came here. How could he be interested in her?’

Margaret felt a little uneasy. She knew that the Duke of Brabant had been chosen for her, but as her sisters’ marriages had come to nothing she had thought hers might also.

She tried to remember what she could of John of Brabant, who had joined their household on one or two occasions and had stayed very briefly. She remembered a high-spirited boy who was always boasting about his horses and had taken as little interest in her as she had in him.

‘It will be a long time before I marry,’ she said.

‘Depend upon it,’ soothed Eleanor, ‘our father will never let you go at your age. He is sure to say you are too young.’

Joanna said: ‘I have heard the Duke of Brabant is a lusty young man and that already he keeps several mistresses.’

‘There are bound to be such rumours,’ put in Eleanor quickly.

Eleanor was glad that there was an interruption at that moment for she could see that Joanna’s comments were making Margaret apprehensive.

A messenger came with letters and packets from the Continent.

‘News from the King,’ cried Eleanor and the girls dropped their work and ran to him.

‘He must be coming home,’ said Joanna. ‘Oh, when, I wonder!’

There was a letter for Eleanor. It was full of loving sentiments to his dearest daughter and the news that they were about to begin the journey home. In the meantime just to show he had not forgotten them he sent them a few trinkets to remind them of him.

The princesses cried out with pleasure as they unwrapped the packets. There were jewels and silks for them all.

But for Eleanor there was the best of all the gifts – a gold cup and a coronet decorated with emeralds, sapphires, rubies and pearls. There was awestruck silence as they looked at it. Eleanor solemnly placed it on her head.

‘It is quite the most beautiful thing I ever saw,’ said Joanna.

‘Our father says it was given to him by the King of France. He says “Treasure it. I want you my beloved eldest daughter to have it in memory of me.”’

‘You were always his favourite,’ said Joanna.

Eleanor did not deny it.

‘They will be home soon,’ she said softly. ‘Oh, how I long to see them again!’

Later she reproved Joanna for speaking of John of Brabant as she had before Margaret.

‘Did you not see that you frightened her?’

‘I think it is well for her to be prepared. Everyone knows what a rake he is. Poor Margaret, I would not envy her, married to him.’

‘Perhaps it will not come to that.’

‘If it does, she should know that she will have a philanderer for a husband! It is right that she should be warned.’

Eleanor was unsure whether it was better to know or remain in ignorance of such matters.


* * *

What rejoicing there was in the city of London when the King rode through. It was two years since he had been away and the people were glad to see him back. He looked as kingly as ever and he brought with him that air of invincibility which gave them a feeling of security. They felt all was well while the King was in his castle.

A few noticed that the Queen had aged a little. There was a new air of delicacy about her which, seeing her frequently, the King had not been aware of; and her children were so pleased to see her, and she them, that it passed their notice.

They were gratified at their reception; the King was closeted with his ministers; but it was clear that he was longing to be in the intimate circle of his family and to talk of domestic matters. In a royal family those domestic concerns could become entwined with state affairs and they all knew this.

When he had studied all his children, glowed with pleasure at the charm and beauty of his daughters, marvelled at the progress of his son and heard from the Ladies Edeline and de Gorges that all was well with his daughters and from Mary of Caernarvon that Edward’s health gave no reason, however small, for anxiety, he sought to be alone with his favourite Eleanor and they walked in the gardens together.

‘My lord,’ she said, ‘you have been to Aragon.’

‘I have seen Alfonso,’ he replied.

‘Oh? What news of him?’

‘Eleanor, my sweet child, would you be very disappointed if I told you that there was to be no match with Aragon?’

She turned to him and laid her head against him. He kissed her hair.

‘Then, my dearest, you are not too disappointed?’

‘I could not have borne to go to Aragon.’

‘Nor could I have borne letting you go. To tell the truth, daughter, I can see no happiness for you there. This Sicilian matter was ill-conceived. He is a man who will have a finger in too many pies and pull little good out of any of them. I have talked with him. A match with Aragon … yes, it could bring us good. But I could not give you to him. No I could not.’

They walked arm in arm in silence for a few moments.

‘So I am not to have a marriage.’

‘A marriage … yes. There must be that. But not to Aragon.’

‘You have someone else in mind?’

‘Not yet … not for you. But for the others yes. Margaret must be married to Brabant and Joanna must be married, too. As for you, my love, your time will come. But let us have a little longer together, dear child, before you leave me. You cannot know how much I have missed you.’

‘I can, for it is as I have missed you.’

They walked in silence and he wondered whether to tell her of his plans for Joanna.

Better not, he decided. It would be better for Joanna to hear it first from him. He expected trouble there.

So he continued to walk in contentment with his best-loved daughter and for a time at least they could be content that they were not to be parted.


* * *

Delighted as she was to see her parents once more, Joanna’s apprehension had become great for she knew the time could not be long postponed before Egis de Audenarde reported to her father that she had refused to draw her allowance from him and had run up bills on her own.

She could not bear to look at those bills; she could only guess how far they exceeded that sum which had been set aside for her use.

She found her father alone and knew that this was the time when she must confess what she had done. The sooner the better, for so delighted was he to be back in the heart of his family that he was likely to be lenient.

She came into the room where he was seated at a table and to her horror she saw that the accounts lay before him. He was a man who was haunted by his father’s follies and the greatest of those had been extravagance. Edward only spent when it was expedient to do so.

She threw herself on her knees and buried her face in his robe.

‘My dear daughter,’ he cried, ‘what means this?’

‘Oh my father,’ she said, ‘I have to confess to some indiscretions.’

His dismay showed on his face. He immediately thought that she had become involved with a man. Joanna was different from the others. She was wild. He had always feared that there would be some trouble with her.

‘You must tell me,’ he said.

‘My lord, promise me you will not hate me.’

He smiled indulgently. ‘I cannot imagine that could ever come to pass.’

‘I have been foolish.’

‘I can well believe that.’

‘You see, dear father, they were so old. I was weary of them. They had been patched up so many times … and as your daughter I owed it to you to look of some substance.’

‘What are you talking of, my child?’

‘I dislike Egis de Audenarde. He is an overbearing, arrogant man. You would have thought it was his money he was giving us!’

The King breathed more easily. He was beginning to see that his vain little daughter had quarrelled with de Audenarde and been spending more extravagantly than she should.

‘He was commanded to keep my accounts.’

‘An arrogant fellow. He reproved me … me … your daughter …’

‘For wanting to spend more of my money than I had given him charge of?’

Joanna allowed a few tears to escape from her eyes while she watched her father intently.

‘I have heard what you have spent, daughter. It is a great deal.’

She was silent.

‘It would have been wiser if you had allowed Egis to deal with these matters. But,’ he added, ‘it is done.’

‘So you are not angry!’

‘I find it hard to be angry with one whom I love as I love you, my child. What is done is done. You have spent a great deal of money. Your grandfather and your grandmother spent recklessly. It brought them no good. You will have to be watchful in the future.’

‘Oh, my father, I will. I will do anything if you will forgive me for this … anything you ask of me to show my love and devotion to you … ask me and I will do it. I will even let Egis de Audenarde decide what shall be spent on my clothes.’

‘Anything?’ said the King. ‘I am glad to hear that because I have a husband for you and I want you to marry within the next few months.’

‘Marry! But whom should I marry?’

‘That is what I want you to understand. This marriage would be of the utmost importance to me. I need this marriage. I need this man on my side. He is the most important man in England.’

Joanna’s heart was beating fast; she was too bemused for a few seconds to reason clearly. The only thought which came to her was: The most important man in England … then I should be the most important woman.

‘Who … is he?’ she asked slowly.