‘When can I leave for Scotland?’ he asked Simon Fraser. Simon replied that he thought it would be advisable to visit the Court of France, make the King aware of his subjects’ request for him to return and ask his help in doing so.
It would be readily given, they were both sure.
And so it proved to be.
Smarting from the defeat at Helvoetsluys, Philip was only too pleased to add to Edward’s troubles; and he knew that the greatest of these would be a war in Scotland which must necessarily keep him out of France.
‘It is good news that they have driven out that traitor Baliol and Scotland is no longer England’s vassal,’ cried Philip. ‘You must keep it so, my lord. David the Bruce is the King of Scotland and not Edward Plantagenet.’
‘I want to go back and regain my kingdom. Then I will protect it from the English.’
‘That is as it should be,’ said the King of France. ‘Now, as you know, I lost many of my ships in conflict with Edward. He will know that you are proposing to leave for Scotland and what your arrival there will mean to him. He will use all his power and cunning to capture you before you arrive. We must be careful or you and your Queen will find you have left happy Gaillard for a less pleasant castle in England. You have been my honoured guests. You would be Edward’s prisoners. Leave this to me.’
David returned to Gaillard and the King of France gave orders that strong ships should be built to escort him back to Scotland. The shipwrights of Harfleur were working day and night; in fact all over France men were working on the ships and all the accoutrements necessary to convey a monarch home.
It was very flattering but David was to learn that the wily Philip was not expending all this time and money on him. The ships were in fact replacements for those lost in the battle of Helvoetsluys. Philip sent a secret message to Gaillard to the effect that David and the Queen were to make for the coast obstensibly to inspect the ships which were being made. They should pretend to begin to journey back to Gaillard and instead make for a quiet spot on the coast. Here they would find two humble vessels waiting for them. They should embark on these and sail for Scotland.
The English would be quite unaware that they had left France until they were safe in Scotland.
David was a little annoyed to realize that all the grand preparations were not for him. He would have liked to sail home surrounded by the might of the French navy. The English would then have determined to intercept. He was vain and arrogant but he was not a coward and he would have looked forward to such an encounter.
Joanna saw the wisdom of what the French King had arranged, and on the first day of June they set sail.
Their journey was uneventful and they arrived on the second day of June at Inverbervie, a small harbour in Kincardineshire.
Although their landing was scarcely noticed, when the Scots heard that David the Bruce, their rightful King, had come back to Scotland, they went wild with joy.
Now they would turn the English out of their country for ever.
David and his Queen were brought in triumph to Edinburgh. He found that the weakness of Baliol and his subservience to England had aroused the spirit of those men who longed to see a return of the strong rule of Robert the Bruce. There was a handful of men who were great fighters and had to a large extent the quality of leadership; these were rallying round the young King. There was Sir William Douglas, the Knight of Liddesdale, Robert the Steward, Murray of Bothwell and Randolph; and the determination of all these men was to rid Scotland of English domination. The fact that Edward had determined to make a bid for the crown of France had inspired them with greater hope than they had known since the death of Robert the Bruce.
The help they had received from France had been an inspiration. They were grateful to Philip for the hospitality he had shown to their king although they were of course aware of the reason for this.
They were stirring days in Scotland which followed the return of the King.
It might have been that they were a little disturbed to note his Frenchified manners. He loved fine clothes—such as were never seen in Scotland. His manners were French; he had developed a love of luxury and young as he was indulged with a freedom and abandon in his light affairs which was, they believed, a reflection of French customs. They were sorry for the young Queen, but she was after all English and the sister of King Edward, and no doubt she had other matters with which to concern herself than her husband’s infidelities.
Success followed success, castle after castle was recaptured in the name of the King and David was complacent, and as he had not yet been called upon to take part in any really serious battles his lack of judgement was not obvious.
He was surrounded by strong men and there seemed little doubt that victory was in the air.
It was hardly likely that Edward would allow matters to go on in this way.
Edward and Philippa determined that that Christmas should be a memorable one.
‘We have promised it to the children,’ said Edward. ‘Isabella was insistent that we all spend it together.’
‘And,’ added Philippa, ‘last Christmas poor little Joanna was in Austria.’
‘Well, there shall certainly be revelry this Christmas, otherwise I shall be in trouble with our daughter.’
‘Not too much indulgence, Edward, I beg of you.’
‘Oh, they are young yet. Let them be happy while they can. It will be necessary to arrange marriages for them soon. That is something I cannot relish.’
The plans began to be carried out and there was a great deal of excitement in the Princesses’ apartments. Joanna was embroidering gifts for her family—a pastime in which she delighted and she knew that her parents appreciated what she did. There were purses for them both decorated with dragons and birds, worked with exquisitely coloured silks. Isabella was not inclined to do such work; she sent her treasurer to buy gifts for her parents. They revelled in their new gowns—scarlet and purple scattered with pearls. They would wear their hair hanging down their backs because that was how their father liked it. They had surcoats of fine cloth of gold with patterns of birds and beasts on them; and beneath these they would wear a close-fitting gown of very fine material. Isabella loved to try on her gowns and indeed she had a great admiration for herself. As for Joanna she was so happy to be home that she was ready to laugh at everything—even Isabel- la’s vanity and her determination to have the best whenever there should happen to be a choice.
Never mind. This was Christmas in the palace of the Tower and a rare occasion because for once the entire family were all altogether.
Philippa was contented to be with her children and she was expecting another in June. She had a fine family and she was proud of it. One of the joys of her life had been her ability to give Edward these children whom he so dearly loved.
Perhaps some women would have been jealous of his devotion to them. Not Philippa. She rejoiced in it.
So it was indeed a happy Christmas. Edward had summoned the most talented of his minstrels, a man named Godenal who was famous throughout the Court for his music, his singing, his mimicry and his ability to amuse.
The pleasure of the children was a joy to behold, even young Edward joined in and they remarked afterwards that he was growing up fast and none would believe that he was only eleven years old.
I could die tomorrow, thought the King, and I should have a worthy successor.
But he had no intention of dying. There was so much he must do. More children to have. He was a man who could not have too many children. The more he had the more dear they would become to him. He hoped this one was a little girl. They had Edward, Lionel and John; and little girls were so enchanting.