When they arrived in that town, the army was increased considerably by the return of those who had previously slunk away and Richard decided to put his plan before Joanna.
Berengaria was with her when he began and the Cypriot Princess who never seemed to leave them was sitting quietly stitching in a corner of the room.
‘I have something to say to you, Joanna,’ he began. ‘You have been on my mind a good deal. You have lost your husband. Would you like another?’
Joanna looked startled.
‘Why . . . so much would depend . . . If he were suitable . . . if I were fond of him . . .’
‘I know,’ said Richard, ‘you have been married once and happily. You would naturally look with favour on another husband. Particularly if he were handsome and of high rank.’
‘You cannot have chosen someone for me . . . here.’
Richard nodded. He went to Joanna, pulled her to her feet and kissed her brow. ‘My dear sister, it is exactly what I have done.’
‘Who could it possibly be?’ cried Joanna.
‘It is Malek Adel, the brother of Saladin.’
Joanna stared at him incredulously, and Richard hurried on: ‘He is a man of high rank and great charm. He is handsome; he is . . .’
Joanna cried: ‘He is a Mohammedan! A Saracen. You cannot seriously suggest that I should marry such a man!’
‘You have the familiar belief that these people are barbarians. Let me tell you that is far from the case. They are charming people; they are brave, cultured . . . everything that a woman could wish.’
‘Not this woman!’ cried Joanna firmly. ‘You need time to grow accustomed to the idea.’
‘I need no time. I know immediately and without consideration that I would never marry a Saracen.’
‘You are being unreasonable. You have been listening to ignorant people. I know these Saracens. I have eaten with this man. Together we have listened to music. He is clever . . . He is charming . . . a man any woman would be proud to marry.’
‘A Saracen woman perhaps but not a Christian, not the daughter of King Henry of England and Queen Eleanor.’
Joanna had changed suddenly. All the docility had dropped from her. There was no doubt in those moments whose daughter she was. She had no need to remind her brother. There was all the fierceness, the arrogance, the self-will of both her parents.
‘How many wives has this Saracen already?’ she demanded.
‘I doubt not he has a few but that is no problem.’
‘No problem! Not to you nor to me either, for I refuse to consider this matter for one moment.’
‘I must ask you to be reasonable. This is a matter of great importance. It could help to decide the issue of this crusade.’
‘Then the issue of this crusade must remain undecided.’
‘Men’s lives are involved.’
‘And so is mine.’
‘You are unreasonable.’
‘And you are arrogant. Would you take a Saracen woman to wife?’
‘If it were necessary.’
‘For you it would be easy. You could marry a wife and proceed to neglect her. You could indulge in your wars to such an extent that you would find excuse enough never to see her.’
Berengaria gave a little cry and Joanna flushed a little, knowing how she had hurt her sister-in-law.
‘Richard,’ said Joanna, ‘I will not do it. You can tell your Saracens that I would rather jump from the towers of this town than marry a man who is not a Christian.’
Richard said: ‘Perhaps we could persuade him to become a Christian.’
Joanna burst into wild laughter. ‘Perhaps they would want me to become a Mohammedan.’
‘Nay,’ said Richard seriously, ‘I would not ask that!’
‘How kind,’ cried Joanna sarcastically. ‘How good you are to me! You would marry me to a savage, a man who doubtless has a harem of wives. You would send me to join them, but because you are so good and kind you would say, “Please will you become a Christian.” I can imagine how the man you have chosen for me would laugh at that.’
‘You are in an unreasonable mood.’
‘Aye,’ cried Joanna, ‘and shall remain there as long as you ask me to marry so. Let me tell you this, Richard, it is something I will never do.’
Richard walked hastily away.
Berengaria and Joanna looked at each other. They took a step forward and flew into each other’s arms.
Joanna was half laughing, half crying. Berengaria was pale and sad.
‘Joanna,’ whispered Berengaria, ‘could he insist?’
‘Never,’ replied Joanna. ‘He knows I mean what I say.’
‘You would not . . . kill yourself.’
‘Rather than marry such a man . . . yes.’
‘Oh, Joanna. It is a terrible thing to be a Princess who is sent where others wish her to be. I used to think I was fortunate.’
‘And are you not, Berengaria?’
‘What is the use, Joanna? Why should we pretend? He does not care for me. He makes excuses to be away from me.’
‘Take comfort that he is not with other women.’
Berengaria’s lips tightened. She stared straight ahead and said: ‘Perhaps there are others of whom I should be jealous.’
Alas, thought Joanna, she has grown up and she finds the world is not what she thought.
All pretence between them had disappeared. From now on if they remained together, there would be no necessity to placate Berengaria with excuses for all Richard had to do. Berengaria knew that he did not want her; that any relationship she would have with him would be because of a sense of duty to the crown.
They were two unhappy women – Berengaria more so than Joanna, for Joanna had declared that she would never marry the Saracen and she meant it.
The Cypriot Princess watching them sat so quietly that they forgot she was there.
Yes, it was true, it was sad to be a Princess. She wondered what her own fate would be. Her father was in chains – silver ones – and Cyprus belonged to Richard. She had no home. Would she ever see her father or her old home again? Would a husband be found for her? Perhaps not, for homeless and with a father in chains, she was not important any more.
Richard realised that Joanna would never marry Malek Adel; he had a niece, however, who could take Joanna’s place and marry the Saracen leader. He sent a message to Saladin and Malek Adel telling them that before a marriage could be arranged with his sister Queen Joanna it would be necessary to get a dispensation from the Pope which would cause delays and difficulties. He therefore proposed that Malek Adel should take his niece.
When Saladin heard this he laughed aloud. He had never expected for one moment that Richard’s sister would marry his brother. It had all been part of the bargaining, which was not to be taken seriously.
He sent a message to say that Malek Adel could not consider anyone of lesser rank than the King’s sister; and Richard had to accept the fact that that idea could not be pursued.
Saladin was not displeased with what had happened. The terms could never of course be considered seriously but at least the peace talks had delayed action and both sides were resting. The autumn was passing into winter and that was scarcely the season to wage a successful campaign.
Leaving Berengaria and Joanna in Jaffa Richard with the army moved on to the town of Ramleh, which Saladin had evacuated when he decided that he would move back to Jerusalem and prepare for an assault on that town should it come.
There was a conflict of opinion in the Christian camp. The fact that Saladin had gone to Jerusalem could only mean that he was building up defences there and as the peace talks had come to nothing it was clear that he was determined to defend Jerusalem with all his strength.