The Plantagenet Prelude - Plaidy Jean - Страница 60

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The old man, who could not believe his good fortune and thought that the two noblemen were revellers who might change their minds, wrapped the cloak about him and scuttled off as fast as he could.

Henry’s laughter rang through the streets.

‘Why Thomas, how blue your nose has become. What an icy wind! You should be thankful that I did not command you to give the poor old man your gloves. What a tragedy if those delicate white digits should have become red and chapped like those of your royal master. Praise be to God, Thomas Becket, I have made a charitable man of you.’

Henry thought it a great joke. Thomas riding through the cold streets was less amused.

But the incident was typical of the friendship between them.

Chapter X

THE VACANT SEE

For two years Eleanor had been free of child-bearing. She began to feel young again. Little Richard was nearly three years old – the brightest and most handsome of her children. She always thought of him as her special child.

Her preference was obvious, also her dislike of the elder Geoffrey. The Princess Marguerite was in England but Louis had not wished his daughter to be brought up by the woman who had once been his wife. He felt it would have made a situation which could have its dangers. It had been agreed therefore that little Marguerite should be placed in the household of a certain Robert of Newburgh who was known as a virtuous man of the highest character.

Eleanor said goodbye to her children and joined Henry in Normandy. She wished to make a journey to Aquitaine.

Whenever she appeared in her native land there was rejoicing. No matter what rumours there were concerning her she was always welcome there. Once more she set up her little court and the troubadours came to her; once more they sang of love and it seemed that Eleanor, no longer young, the mother of six living children, was as desirable as ever.

She thought now and then of Louis who had had three daughters only – and two of them by her. Marie and Alix were betrothed by now, Marie to Henry of Champagne and Alix to Theobald of Blois. Did they ever think of their mother? And how envious of her and Henry with their fine sons, Louis must have been when his little Marguerite was born. At least that child had strengthened the alliance between France and England, and the bond would be greater when she was in fact married to young Henry.

As she listened to the singing of her minstrels she ruminated that life had been interesting. Henry had disappointed her, yet oddly enough she still hankered for him. She often wondered what it was about him that attracted her so much. She so elegant; he quite the reverse. Oh, but he was a man; and his power sat naturally on him. That Angevin temper of his amused her, but her own was a match for it.

Now that she had grown accustomed to the fact that he was unfaithful to her now and then, she had enjoyed their encounters, and looked forward to them. Her only reservation was that they could result in more child-bearing.

With three healthy sons she had enough, she reckoned. But she was still young enough to bear more.

She was a little jealous of the King’s Chancellor for Henry seemed to prefer his company to that of anyone else – even women’s. Becket was clever, she conceded that; and he was a good servant, so perhaps she was wrong to resent Henry’s devotion to him. A king could not have too many good servants.

She was amused to hear that Louis’s wife was pregnant once more. Good for Louis! she thought mockingly. At least he had managed to get her with child twice. She wondered if he was still rather reluctant and preferred to listen to church music instead of the music of love. Not for one moment had she regretted her escape from him.

The life of repose was not for her and whenever she was in Aquitaine she began to think of Toulouse, which had always irritated her because she believed that it should have belonged to her. She had in the past claimed that it came to her through her grandmother Philippa, and she was always hoping that she and Henry would win it back. At this time it was in the possession of Raymond the fifth Count who was a weakling, yet nothing much could be done about it because he had, very shrewdly, married the sister of the King of France.

Oh these marriages! mused Eleanor. How necessary a part of statescraft they were.

Henry came to her when she sat in the gardens with her minstrels. He clapped his hands impatiently implying that he wished them to depart. No one ignored such a signal.

The King’s temper was well known and something to avoid.

Henry was clearly disturbed. He sprawled down beside Eleanor and said: ‘I have news. The Queen of France was brought to bed...’

‘A son,’ said Eleanor.

‘Nay, a daughter.’

Eleanor burst out laughing but the King said in a hushed voice: ‘The Queen of France died giving birth to the child.’

They were both silent, thinking of what this would mean.

Another daughter for Louis! That was his fourth. Was it that he could not get sons? Eleanor could think complacently of her three healthy boys in the nursery. Poor Louis! What would he do now? He would have to marry again in due course.

The same thought was in Henry’s mind.

‘He’ll wait a while,’ he said, ‘and then he’ll marry. The marriage of the King of France is of the utmost importance to me.’

Henry was casting round in his mind for a wife for the King of France who would be suitable in the eyes of the King of England.

To the astonishment of all, only one month after the death of Queen Constance, Louis married Adela of Blois.

Henry and Eleanor were blank with amazement which quickly turned to apprehension.

‘So,’ cried Henry, ‘he marries Adela of Blois in most indecent haste and her brother Theobald is betrothed to Louis’s daughter. This makes a very strong alliance between the Count of Blois and the King of France.’

‘Too strong,’ said Eleanor.

‘I like it not,’ grumbled Henry. ‘Forget not that the last King of England came from the house of Blois. I like not to see that house too powerful.’

‘You are thinking that they might bring out a claim to the throne of England?’

‘And if they did,’ replied Henry, ‘would Louis withhold his support from a house with which he had such a strong alliance?’

‘It is a pity that Henry and Marguerite are too young to marry. Then with his own daughter married to the heir of England, Louis could do nothing but support you.’

‘Why should they be too young to marry?’

‘Henry is six years old. Marguerite not yet three.’

‘Her marriage portion is the Vexin,’ Henry reminded his wife. ‘If the Vexin were in my control Normandy is safe and that would give me an opportunity to turn my attention in other directions.’

‘But such children!’

‘Why not! We shall not put them to bed. But there could be a ceremony. Louis cannot object. He has agreed to the match. I will get them married and with the marriage, the Vexin. Every Duke of Normandy has known the importance of that territory.’

‘You’d have to get a dispensation from the Pope.’

‘I got one before for our Abbess’s marriage, remember. Alexander is very insecure. If I promised him my support for the dispensation do you doubt it would be mine?’

‘You are a clever man, Henry.’

‘My dear wife, I should not long be King of England and Duke of Normandy if I were not!’

She could not help but admire the manner in which he got his will.

Marguerite and Henry were married. It was a quiet ceremony but it took place in the presence of two cardinals, and since it was truly a marriage the dowry could not be withheld. The Vexin was now under Henry’s rule and he felt a good deal more easy in his mind regarding the marriage of the King of France with Adela of Blois.

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