The Follies of the King - Plaidy Jean - Страница 15

Of course the woman came in, nervous, eyes downcast.

‘The King was seen in conversation with one of his ministers.’

Isabella curbed her rising anger. She did not want to betray her feelings.

People gossiped. She would not let Edward know how much he meant to her.

That would be unwise.

‘State matters,’ she murmured yawning.

‘It is so, my lady.’

She was angry. Her mother would have said: ‘A King is first a king. You

must remember that.’

Her father was a man who would always consider his kingship before

anything else.

But Edward? Who would have believed it! She was going to be very angry

with him.

???????

It was late next day when she saw him. He was in the in the company of

Piers Gaveston. They were seated together in a window-sear, the light falling on Edward’s flaxen head which was very close to Gaveston’s dark one. They were laughing and whispering together. Of state matters! she thought angrily.

She advanced into the room.

‘Edward.’ Her voice was cold with its suppressed anger.

‘Ah!’ Gaveston had risen. He gave a bow which might be called ironic.

‘The Queen.’

‘Isabella!’ Edward sounded suitably contrite.

‘So you are here,’ she said advancing. ‘Are your state matters so pressing then?’

There was a short silence then. She stared for she could not believe what she saw— Piers Gaveston was wearing the diamond and ruby chain— Templars’

spoil— which her father had given to Edward.

Gaveston knew that she was startled. He lifted the chain with a delicate hand on which she immediately recognized the ruby and diamond ring, another of her father’s gifts. She was too bewildered for speech.

‘Very pressing,’ Gaveston was saying. ‘It is long since the King and I were together. We had much time to make up for. Is that not so, dear lord?’

‘Oh yes, yes,’ said Edward.

Isabella turned to the King. ‘The chain,’ she said, ‘the ring. He must have stolen them. Have you not seen??’

Gaveston laughed. ‘Are they not beautiful? I could have swooned with

delight when my dear lord set the chain about my neck and put the ring on my finger.’

Edward spoke then haltingly, his eyes still on her fearful and yet faintly defiant. ‘Perrot loves rubies almost as much as diamonds?’ he said.

‘And the two combined are quite irresistible,’ added Gaveston.

‘These are priceless ornaments,’ cried Isabella. ‘They are my father’s gifts to us. They are for our children. You cannot let this man wear them.’

‘Ha!’ retorted Gaveston with a smirk. ‘My lord the King would never

attempt to stop me wearing what is mine. Very precious they are to me but more because of the giver rather for their value.’

It was like a dream, a nightmare. Why should Edward give costly gifts to

this young man? Why should he desert her for him?

She felt dizzy with apprehension. She remembered sly looks which she had

failed to interpret.

She said: ‘I do not understand what this means. Edward, please dismiss this man. I have much to say to you.’

Edward looked at Gaveston who slowly shook his head.

‘Edward!’ cried Isabella, arrogant and appealing all at once.

Edward said, ‘I will see you later, Isabella. You see, my dear, having been away, there is so much to say to Perrot. Later I will explain.’

She felt weak and inadequate to deal with this situation and that was not due to Edward but to Gaveston.

She turned and went back to her chamber. She turned her attendants away.

She lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Understanding was beginning to dawn on her. How many had married, gone to a new country and found

confronted by a husband’s favoured mistress.

She did not have to face a mistress. She had to face Gaveston.

???????

Perhaps her Aunt Marguerite was the best choice of confidante for she

understood now that her aunt had made an attempt to prepare her.

What sort of man had she married? This was monstrous. How could he have

deceived her so? She wished she had been told from the beginning. She had

heard of these matters. Richard Coeur le Lion had loved his own sex and had neglected his wife. Consequently he had left no heirs and the kingdom had

passed to his brother King john. Was that what was happen again? She would be no barren Queen. She would be the mother of kings. She had determined on that.

She took her aunt’s hand and said to her: ‘I want you to tell me the truth.

What sort of man is this I have married?’

The Dowager Queen flushed to the roots of her hair. ‘So, you know about

Gaveston.’

‘I know that I saw the King not all through the night. Do you mean he

shared that man’s couch?’

‘It has been an unfortunate friendship,’ said the Dowager Queen. ‘His father feared it and sought to break it. He banished Gaveston but as soon as Edward became King he recalled him.’

‘He must be banished again. He is a loathsome creature.’

‘I agree, my dear, but will Edward?’

‘He must be made to.’

‘The barons would be with you.’

‘Ah the barons. Then there is hope. Oh, my dear aunt, I was so happy.

Edward seemed? perfect. I cannot believe this. I saw that man wearing the

jewels my father had given to my husband. How could he give them to that

man!’

‘He will give anything to Gaveston.’

Isabella stamped her foot in fury. ‘I’ll not endure it. He has deceived me. If my father had known this, he would never have allowed me to marry him.’

The Dowager Queen looked sad. Of course her brother had known of it.

Everyone knew of it. But Edward was a king and his friendship for another man need not prevent his having children. Philip wanted a bond between England and France. He wanted peace for a while so he had agreed to the marriage. He would reason that Isabella was a beautiful and virtuous young woman. It was for her to wean Edward from Piers Gaveston.

‘My dear aunt, you must help me.’

‘It is what I want to do, my child.’

‘How can I be rid of that man?’

‘The barons are in revolt against him. It is said in some quarters that they will not endure him for much longer.’

Isabella narrowed her eyes. ‘It shall be so. I shall do all I can to help them.

When I saw him wearing the chain and the ring, I could not believe my eyes. I thought of my sisters-in-law. Do you remember when you visited us you gave them costly gifts of jewels. They gave them to their lovers who foolishly wore them at Court? flaunted them that all might know of their relationship with these foolish women. My father saw them. He was furious. You know angry my father can get.’

‘I never knew any who could be so coldly ruthless.’

‘My dear aunt, he arrested those two brash young men. Do you know what

happened to them?’

Marguerite shook her head. She did not want to hear but Isabella was

determined to tell. ‘They were flayed alive and my sisters-in-law were sent to prison. They are still there.’

Marguerite covered her face with her hands. She has grown very soft here, thought Isabella. But then she always was. It was good that she married an old man who, wicked though he no doubt was, was ready to be a good and faithful husband to a docile wife.

Isabella knew what her aunt’s advice would be, she would tell her to be a

docile wife, that she must accept her husband’s peculiarities; she must hope that he would not ignore her altogether and that she would, in due course, bear the heir to the throne.

But there was nothing docile in Isabella’s nature. She was not like her

predecessor Berengaria who had meekly waited for her husband’s attention. She wondered what had happened to that gentle Queen. She had died neglected and there had never been any children to comfort her.