The Marriage Prize (30 page)

"How dare you treat me like a nothing?" she demanded

regal y, her royal blood asserting itself. Eleanor was a

princess, but spoke as if she were empress of the universe.

"Plantagenets think they rule the world; their blood pride

borders on madness. I am always stunned at the convenient

way you forget I am master in my own house, madam."

Eleanor, about to deliver a cutting retort, saw her husband's

face harden, and changed her mind. She lowered her lashes

to veil her anger. "Edward wil think we are savages."

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"I too am a Plantagenet," Edward said, "quite used to battles royal."

"Shal we get back to the list?" Rodger de Leyburn interjected.

"The Marches, the West Country, and al about Kenilworth can

be counted upon."

Earl Simon nodded. "Northampton also; my son Simon holds

the castle. The Cinque Ports are an unknown quantity, but they

are vital, and must be secured for command of the sea. When

we hold Parliament, I shal cal for a council of war!"

"Nay!" Edward protested. "I wil talk to the king first, before you declare war. I wil negotiate and mayhap he wil concede."

Simon de Montfort was furious. "No appeasement! The time

for concessions and compromise is over! There can be only

one leader, one man who issues the orders. I am that man."

Edward's fury now matched Simon's. As the two men stared

each other down, neither wil ing to bend to the other, Edward

suddenly realized that de Montfort had no intention of putting

him on the throne. He reined in his temper with difficulty.

"Parliament wil decide."

"Aye," Earl Simon conceded, "the barons are on their way here."

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said, "He has a deep-rooted hatred of the Plantagenets. I

thought it was love for England that drove him, but it is hatred

too."

"He does not hate you, my lord," Rodger protested.

"He does not love me either."

"Earl Simon recognizes your abilities in warfare, in

leadership; he sees your energy, your shrewdness, your

ambition, and knows you wil soon be his equal. Al you lack

are his many years of experience. Mayhap he envies you your

youth, and fears it too."

"If he makes an enemy of me, he needs to fear me!"

When they reached Ludgate, the western gate in London's

wal , they found it closed. "Ho there! Open the gate!" Edward shouted to the guards.

"The gates are closed. Entrance into the city is forbidden."

"By whose orders?" Edward demanded, noticing the guards

were heavily armed.

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"By orders of the king!"

"I am Edward Plantagenet, open the gates!" he commanded.

"The gates into London are closed against the Earl of

Leicester, Lord Edward, or any of their adherents," came the

grim reply.

"They wear Bohun's device; they are the justiciar's men,"

Rodger observed. He glanced along London's wal and saw

that armed guards were posted atop it to enforce the orders.

Edward's horse curvetted, sensing its master's anger. "Come,

we'l try the next gate, where I wil not announce who I am."

"Al know you, Edward. There is only one six-foot-four giant

with a golden head and beard."

They found Newgate, Aldersgate, and Cripple Gate heavily

guarded and were bluntly refused admission. They skirted the

wal to Moore Gate and watched in fury and frustration as

every farm wagon seeking entry was searched. They spurred

their mounts around the wal ed city toward the Tower, refusing

to believe London was closed to them.

The Tower of London was sealed tighter than a tomb, its

regular guards reinforced by Bohun's men, and it dawned on

the two young men that they were effectively cut off from their

men-at-arms, Harry of Al-maine, and even their squires.

Edward cursed everyone from the justiciar to the king, then for

good measure cursed the saints in heaven.

"Durham House or Westminster?" Rodger asked.

"Westminster! De Montfort's spies wil take him the news."

Their horses were lathered by the time the pair clattered into

the old palace yard. They turned them over to a groom with

orders to cool them down before they were watered.

Lord Edward, with his steward close upon his heels, went to

seek out Richard of Cornwal . They could not locate him

immediately, but curbed their impatience, knowing how vast

Westminster Palace was. Edward decided to seek the queen

in the royal apartments. His blood was up, and in this mood,

he knew none would dare gainsay him access to his wife,

Eleanora.

The royal apartments were deserted; not even a servant or a

lady-in-waiting could be found within the chambers. Edward

cursed to vent his frustration; he could have sworn he would

find his mother and his wife at Westminster. He quit the

apartments and strode to his own,

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asking a servant where everyone was. When he received a

blank stare, he ordered him to fetch ale.

The two men heard the outer chamber door open, fol owed by

soft footsteps and the rustle of feminine garments. Edward

turned toward the door with an eager, expectant look on his

face, which faded immediately.

"Chéri, 'ow did you find out so quickly that I was here? You are

very impetuous, Edward; I only arrived this morning."

"Alyce, what the devil are you doing here?" he demanded

ungraciously, total y forgetting the plans they'd made for a

rendezvous.

"Bringing your ale, my lord, to quench your raging thirst."

Rod wondered how she could make even ale sound erotic.

"Where is everyone? Where is Richard of Cornwal ? And the

queen, where is my mother? "

In a blood-red gown with her jet hair fal ing about her slim

shoulders like black silk, Alyce looked bewitching. Slowly her

mouth curved into a sensual smile. She had thought Edward

was at Windsor with his childlike bride, but obviously not. "So

many questions, so much information I 'ave thatyou would like.

You wil 'ave to pry it out of me, chéri. What inducements do

you 'ave to loosen my tongue?" Alyce ran the tip of her tongue

playful y about her bright red lips.

"Would a beating be inducement enough?" Edward

threatened.

"Oooh, perhaps if your rod is stout enough," Alyce teased.

Edward looked at Rodger over her head, begging for help.

Rodger shrugged, then inclined his head toward the prince's

bedchamber, and Edward took his steward's meaning

immediately. The prince curbed his anger with difficulty and

led Alyce into the inner chamber.

Sixteen

Rosamond helped Nan unpack Sir Rodger's trunks and hang

his clothes in the huge dressing room wardrobe. The scent of

sandalwood stole to her as her hands caressed the rich

materials of his garments.

"He's a fine figure of a man; his doublets need no shoulder

pads," Nan mused as she stole a glance at her lady's face.

She had overheard the newlyweds exchange sharp words late

last night.

Rosamond ignored Nan's curiosity. "Since the queen is not in

residence today, this is a golden opportunity for me to see the

royal apartments. Would you like to come with me, Nan? "

"Nay, servants carry tales, and I have no business up there. As

the steward's wife, you have a ready excuse. I shal unpack al

your fine sheets and linen, my lady."

Rosamond spent the next two hours touring not only the king

and queen's apartments, but also Lord Edward's and

Princess Eleanora's. Al were the last word in luxury. Lady

Eleanor de Montfort had been right: Windsor Castle was a

magnificent residence indeed. Rosamond put on a cloak and

ventured from the new tower. She visited the chapel, then

found a stil room with bunches of herbs hanging from its

rafters.

She crossed the Middle Ward and went through the Norman

Gateway with its twin towers, toward the river where she had

seen the royal barge yesterday. She hadn't gone far when she

came face-to-face with Griffin and Owen. The squires,

soaking wet and looking like river rats, bowed low. "Lady

Rosamond," they said in unison.

She stared at them, more than puzzled. "Where have you

been?"

"We came upriver by watercraft, my lady," Griffin offered.

"You look as if you had swum from London!"

"We did take a dip in the river, my lady," Griffin admitted.

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"And did Sir Rodger and Lord Edward swim with you?"

Rosamond's eyebrows arched with disbelief.

Griffin nodded, while Owen shook his head. From her

question, the squires inferred that Rodger and Edward were

not at Windsor as they had hoped.

"No doubt you swam to rid yourselves of the stink of wine and

wenches!" Rosamond's words told them she was piqued, but

also indicated that Lord Edward and Rodger had returned to

Windsor last night.

Griffin had been trained to be closemouthed without seeming

curt. There was no way he would divulge a whisper of the

trouble Rodger and Lord Edward were in as a result of their

al iance with Simon de Montfort. Early this morning, when the

Welsh squires had awakened at the Tower and found

themselves imprisoned because al gates were closed and

guarded against de Montfort adherents, they had slipped into

the Thames and swum across to the other side, and from

there had taken a boat to Windsor.

Since there was nothing he could do to aid Sir Rodger's

larger problem, Griffin decided to see what he could do about

al eviating his master's domestic trouble. He lowered his

voice to a confidential tone. "It was Sir Rodger's duty as

steward to provide the men with food and drink to celebrate

the Welsh victory and New Year's, but neither Lord Edward nor

Sir Rodger stayed for the revels, Lady Rosamond. After a cup

of wine, they left us to it and returned to Windsor. Our heads

were a bit foggy this morning, but the river cleared them."

"I see," Rosamond said, mol ified. "You'l catch your deaths; get out of those wet clothes immediately, you foolish young

devils." She led them back to the new tower with a lighter

devils." She led them back to the new tower with a lighter

heart. Why in the world hadn't Rodger explained things? She

decided he had far too much pride to excuse himself to a

woman, especial y if that woman was his wife. The corners of

her mouth rose in a smile. When Rodger returned tonight, she

would make up for the tart tongue and cold shoulder she had

given him the night before.

******************

the flesh of

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a naked female on either side of him. It roused Fanny, but

Fancy merely rol ed to the floor.

"Fancy that!" her sister muttered between yawns.

Harry scrambled to his feet, blushing to the roots of his hair as

his father strode into the chamber. "Richard!" Harry said

hoarsely as his half-brother Gloucester appeared. For a

fleeting moment, Richard of Gloucester looked impressed, but

then he quickly set his features in a grim mask of disapproval.

Richard of Cornwal , however, was plainly enraged. "Faugh!

This chamber stinks. Get your clothes on and come below," he

ordered, turning on his heel.

Caught at a complete disadvantage, Harry obeyed. He

descended the stairs and said, "Father, let me explain—"

"I don't want an explanation for the whores, I want an

explanation for why you have turned traitor against your

Plantagenet blood!"

"I am no traitor!" Harry retorted hotly.

"You have taken sides against your king, your father, and your

entire family to support Simon de Montfort."

"Earl Simon speaks for al the barons as he attempts to hold

King Henry to the Provisions. Richard, you were at Kenilworth,

tel him we are not traitors!"

"Circumstances have changed, Harry. The king is absolved by

the Pope from the Provisions, and is on his way back to

England. He has cal ed for one hundred loyal barons to be

ready for armed action. Justiciar Bohun is already in London

and has closed the city gates against Simon de Montfort and

his adherents."

Harry stared at his brother Richard with disbelief. "You are a

turncoat!" he said.

"Richard is England's leading peer," his father pointed out.

"And now he heads a new inner council. You are the turncoat,

Harry. You seem to have total y forgotten that you are a royal

Plantagenet!"

Harry almost choked on his choler. The drink he had

consumed the night before threatened to spew up from his

stomach. "What about Edward? He is heir to the throne, but

stands solidly with Earl Simon!"

"Edward is far shrewder than you, Harry," his father said

quietly.

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"He has already repudiated de Montfort." He watched his son

closely to see how he took the lie.

In disbelief, Harry turned to his brother Gloucester for

confirmation. Richard did not lie, but lent weight to their