That bitch, the she-wolf, Isabella, queen of England.
Queen’s chamber, Thorney Island
Back once more in her chamber, the Queen sat at a cushioned seat set into one of the tall lancet windows, and gazed out atthe river.
‘My lady, was there anything interesting he wanted to speak about with you?’ Lady Eleanor asked after some moments.
Queen Isabella was careful to give the appearance of surprise at hearing the woman’s question. ‘You mean you were not alreadymade aware of the suggestion? I am shocked, Lady Eleanor.’
It was difficult to restrain herself after so many months of living with this foul woman. At first she had tried to befriendEleanor, the King’s niece as she was, and included her in many festivities and parties. For a long time, she had never beratedher for laziness or foolishness, although God alone knew how many occasions there had been which justified sharp rebukes.Eleanor had always been a welcomed guest, no matter what the hour, no matter how great the annoyance of the interruption.All that changed when she married that arch-deceiver Sir Hugh le Despenser.
When he first came into their lives, it was as a paid informer for the barons. They kept him in the King’s household in orderto try to curb any independent action on his part, which they all wanted after the years of Piers Gaveston. After the latter’s death at the hands of a small party of barons, Despenser had gradually become more and more essentialto the King, and the King began to trust no one but him. All those who had been his most loyal servants had been forced fromhim. Even his greatest general, Roger Mortimer of Wigmore, had been driven into near rebellion, and had helped the Lords Marcherwith their sudden attack on the Despenser territories which Sir Hugh had taken from others by force or by deception. Therewas nothing he coveted which he would not grab.
Poor Mortimer. He had been ousted from the King’s side, then kept in the Tower until he broke out in such a spectacular fashion,riding for the coast with two allies and escaping to France. All because Despenser looked upon him as a mortal foe — RogerMortimer’s grandfather had killed Despenser’s on the field at the battle of Evesham fifty or more years before.
So, just as the King had found Despenser installed within his household, so too did Queen Isabella have the Despenser’s ownspy in her household. All her maids had been replaced by Lady Eleanor’s friends and accomplices. Any new lady-in-waiting had to be approvedby her. And meanwhile, all the Queen’s letters were perused by her before being sealed by the Queen’s own seal, which Eleanorheld about her neck at all times.
‘Obviously the King would not discuss private matters with me,’ Lady Eleanor said coolly.
The Queen’s response was more tart. ‘I am surprised. I had thought that your husband would have kept you informed about theirbusiness, my lady. Especially when it is so important for the realm.’
Lady Eleanor went white on hearing that. She pursed her lips angrily, but said nothing more, merely gathered up her skirtsand flounced from the room.
‘You defeated her there. She must grow tired of constantly being bested by you!’ Isabella’s maid Alicia chuckled, rising from her stool and walking to her mistress when she saw thefinger beckon. ‘My lady?’
‘Prepare yourself, Alicia. We are to go to France to my brother’s court. I am to be the King’s ambassador.’
Alicia gasped and clapped her hands, and then was still, her eyes thoughtful.
The Queen nodded. ‘Yes. The King still refuses to go to pay homage to my brother. But he is king of France — it is unthinkablethat my husband should evade his feudal duty. He must go at some point.’
‘Yet Lady Eleanor’s husband …’
‘Hugh le Despenser will oppose my husband’s journey with all the skill and persuasion he can muster, and that devil has muchof both. He is as crafty and mendacious as any politician. But that may give me an opportunity he has not considered,’ sheadded pensively.
‘He means to do you harm,’ Alicia said sharply.
‘Harm me? What harm could he do to me in my brother’s country? I shall be safer there than here in my adopted home.’
‘If an unscrupulous enemy wished to harm you, he would find his task that much easier in France, my lady,’ Alicia insisted.
The Queen was already looking once more out through the window at the Thames and did not answer. There was no need to. Sheknew it already.
Queen’s cloister, Thorney Island
Alicia was cautious about how she made her way from the Queen’s chamber to the door that led from the cloister to the Queen’sprivate little garden. Crossing the sweet-smelling camomile lawn, she reached the gate at the far side. There she knockedquietly twice, then once more.
Immediately the gate opened and Blaket peered in, his face wreathed in smiles. ‘Alicia, my love, my heart, my life. Come here!’
‘My!’ she gasped when he had embraced her for long enough. She set her fists against his breast to push him away. ‘If thisis how you respond to a scant half-day’s separation, I’ll have to be careful not to leave you for a day.’
‘You mustn’t leave me for so long. That would be torture,’ he said, but in his eyes there was a darkness and no flippancy.
‘Not just for you.’
‘Ah, you don’t love me as much as I love you,’ he said.
She cocked an eyebrow and set her head to one side. ‘So we are into competitive lovemaking now? My lord, I love you more thanyou love me.’
‘No, I love you most.’
‘Possibly true, then. I will not get into an argument,’ she said shortly, drawing away and smoothing her skirts.
‘What? Is there something the matter?’
‘It is said that our lady may be travelling soon.’
‘And you will be going with her?’
‘Don’t look like that, my love,’ she said softly. ‘We would be back as soon as possible.’
‘Would she take a guard with her?’
Alicia smiled. ‘If she has any say, she will know which guard she can trust, won’t she?’
It was a relief to hear her say that with that sweet smile on her pale face. He pulled her to him again and held her tight,saying nothing. He had proved himself to the Queen in the last weeks. No service had been too much for him. And now all hewanted was to remain with her when she went.
With Alicia, too, of course. She was his lovely, lively little bird. A wonderful smile, a warm, generous spirit, those brightblue-grey eyes that lit up his soul — life would be hell without her. ‘Thanks to God for that. I can’t let you go to Francealone.’
‘I scarcely think I’d be alone. Not with the Queen, her clerk, her chaplain, her honour-guard of knights and men-at-arms,’ shedeclared archly.
‘No. Of course not.’
She frowned quickly. ‘How did you know it was France?’
‘Eh?’
‘I told you we would be travelling, but you just said “France”. How did you know?’
‘Do you really think there are any secrets here in the King’s palace?’ he asked and chuckled.
She smiled in return, giving him a hug. It was that, then, which had made his eyes anxious and black. Little surprise. Everyoneknew how potentially dangerous a journey to France could be, especially now with war hanging over both nations like a cloudof brimstone.
Chapter Three
Lombard Street, City of London
‘Interesting,’ Janin said. ‘So now we’re suddenly the Queen’s Men, are we? That’s a snappy name for a band like us. Exceptwe’ve nothing to do with her just now.’
‘It’s hardly the way I’d have wanted to have things go,’ Adam said. He turned to the scowling Ricard. ‘Why the hell did youhave to start pawing that woman in the first place?’