Jean Plaidy - The Prince of Darkness

The visit was the most exciting the household had ever known. King Richard had been very friendly with the family because of the crusades; now it was good to think that King John was on such excellent terms with them.

But listening to talk of him was poor consolation for his presence.

And what would happen now? He would go away and forget her. Would he? The way he had looked at her and held her surely had meant something. But then he liked all women.

The days passed. Nothing very amusing happened.

Shortly after the King’s departure Hugh had to go away to settle some revolt on the borders of his territory. He said farewell to Isabella and kissed her tenderly.

‘Soon,’ he told her, ‘we shall marry. I begin to think that in spite of your tender years we might go through the ceremony. As for the consummation …’

He did not finish and she did not seek to remind him as she had on other occasions that she was not so young as they all presumed her to be.

‘My brother Ralph will take over my position in the castle. He says his first duty will be to protect you.’

She watched Hugh ride away rather sadly for in spite of the impression John had made on her she was still deeply attracted by Hugh. In fact it had occurred to her to wish that Hugh were the King. What a fine king he would have made!

A few days after Hugh’s departure came a message from the Count and Countess of Angoulême. They missed their daughter and they wondered if Hugh would allow her to pay them a short visit.

Hugh being away, Ralph could see no reason why he should not grant Isabella’s parents what they asked.

Within a few days, surrounded by a considerable entourage, Isabella was riding to Angoulême.

Isabella welcomed the change. It would be pleasant to be home for a short while. She was feeling a little depressed, for her attendants had talked constantly of John since his visit and she had heard a great deal about his many mistresses.

Could it have been that he had behaved with her as he did to all attractive females? Was it really true that she, being so young and inexperienced of the world, had believed there was something special in his treatment of her?

She was soon to discover the truth. As they came close to Angoulême she saw a party of riders in the distance and recognised the King at the head of them. Excitement possessed her as he galloped up to her.

He brought his horse close to hers and looked at her.

‘I feared I had imagined so much beauty,’ he said. ‘But nay, you are even lovelier than in my dreams.’

‘My lord, I am glad to give you pleasure …’

‘There has never been such pleasure as we two shall know together,’ he told her. ‘God’s eyes, I would we were alone now. I would the priest had mumbled his words over us. But soon it shall be so. You and I will ride on to your father’s castle and as we ride I will tell you of the future I am planning for you.’

He had turned his horse and kept it close to hers. He waved his hand for the rest of the two parties to fall behind. Then he and Isabella rode on close together some way ahead of the rest.

‘I cannot take my eyes from you,’ he said. ‘Ever since the day in the forest you have shared my bed … but only in my thoughts. I am going to make that a reality. I shall wake in the morning and find you there. My little Queen.’

‘What does my father say?’ she asked.

‘What can he say? What can he do but thank God for his good fortune and go down on his knees and bless the day King John saw the loveliest maiden in the world before she was thrown away on a count not worthy of her?’

‘Hugh is a very fine man,’ she said and was surprised that she felt a certain resentment to hear him maligned.

‘Forget him, sweetheart. You are no countess. You are to be a queen. I am going to marry you. Yes, sweetheart. It’s to be marriage for us. Your parents are beside themselves with joy for this great good fortune which has come to them through you. I had a wife who was no wife to me. I hated her as much as I shall love you. It makes me laugh to speak of her with you beside me. She was as different from you as one woman could be from another. She gave me no children. I gave her little chance to. It will be different with us. But I’d not have you bear children too soon. You are too young for it. I’d not have that perfect little body spoilt. Nay, we’ll keep it as it is, shall we … for a year or two? And then we’ll start our sons. Why do you not speak, Isabella?’

‘I had no idea that this would happen.’

‘Did you not know when I held you against me … and talked to you? Could you not guess how urgently I needed you?’

‘I did not know …’

‘My innocent sweetheart, you are but a child. Never mind. I’ll teach you to be a woman. There’ll be a warm welcome for you at Angoulême and then the priest shall wed us and I’ll carry you to my bed.’

At the castle her parents were waiting for her. They looked very solemn but she saw at once that they were reconciled to the change of bridegroom.

When she was in her chamber they came to her and dismissed her attendants.

‘You realise, Isabella,’ said her father, ‘what a great honour this is for you, for the family and for Angoulême?’

‘I am to be a queen,’ she said.

‘Queen … duchess … countess … yours will be one of the highest positions in the world.’

‘You are pleased with me, Father?’

‘There is not a father in the land who would not be pleased to see his daughter made queen.’

‘There is one who will not be pleased to see me a queen,’ she reminded them. ‘What of Hugh?’

‘He must perforce accept what is inevitable.’

‘We have been betrothed, Father.’

‘Thank God the marriage was delayed.’

‘You thought I was too young for Hugh. Am I not too young for the King?’

‘The King thinks not. He likes your youth.’

Her mother looked anxious. ‘There are matters which you must try to understand.’

‘Your mother must talk to you,’ said the Count.

She laughed at them. ‘I know of what you would speak. I have looked about me and I know well what happens between men and women. I know what the King wants of me.’

‘You are old for your years, my child,’ said the Countess, ‘and perhaps that is well.’

Isabella could not stop thinking of Hugh – so tall and kind. She had tried to lure him into forgetting her youth but he would not be lured. There was something honourable and noble about Hugh; it made her a little sad to think of how angry he would be when he had heard that her parents had taken her away from him to give her to King John.

‘You are to prepare to leave for Bordeaux at once,’ said her mother. ‘You are to be married there by the Archbishop. The King will have no delay, he is so eager for the ceremony.’

‘Should not Hugh be told?’

‘My dear child, certainly not! The great point is to get the marriage over before anyone can try to stop it. The King will be very angry if we do not all meet his wishes. Therefore you must prepare without delay.’

It was exciting to have a wedding. She thought of herself wearing a crown. It would be most becoming. Within a few days they were riding to Bordeaux and there the Archbishop married them.

There was feasting in the castle that night but at an early hour John left the feast with his bride.

‘I am hungry for only one feast,’ he told the company.

She was very young – a child really – but the sensuality was there as he had known it would be. He was rarely mistaken in women.

Young as she was she could give passion for passion. He blessed the fate which had sent him into the forest that day. His hopes of her had been high and they had not been one whit disappointed.

During the days of the honeymoon which were spent mainly in the bedchamber, for he would not rise until dinner time, he became even more infatuated with his child bride.

When the King of Portugal heard that even while the embassy from England had been on its way to arrange the marriage of his daughter, John had married Isabella of Angoulême, he was furious. This was an insult. There had been no warning. They were preparing to receive the embassy with all honour when the news had come. At first it had seemed incredible; but when it became obvious that it was indeed true, the King decided that there was nothing to be done but send the embassy back with all speed. He would not lose his dignity by complaining of this insult to himself and his daughter but he would not forget.

Hugh de Lusignan was stunned when he returned and found that Isabella had been taken away. Ralph explained to him that he had received a request from her parents which did not seem an unreasonable one. Surely it was natural for parents to wish to see their child from time to time.

Hugh had to admit that had he been at the castle he would have acceded to the request.

‘Did you not know that that lecher was there waiting for her?’ he demanded.

‘How could I know this?’ cried Ralph. ‘Had he not been here and sent for the Count of Angoulême to come here to save himself the journey to Angoulême?’

‘We have been deceived by both the King and the Count of Angoulême,’ cried Hugh in anguish. ‘Was not Isabella solemnly betrothed to me?’

‘There can be no gainsaying that.’

‘Then this cannot be.’

‘Alas, brother, it is.’

‘And he has married her already! But she is only a child.’

‘Methinks that she was older than her years.’