The Queen from Provence (34 page)

Now Henry despised him.

He had to talk to Henry. He wanted to explain. He would find out where the boy lived and send some compensation. It seemed as though he had suddenly grown up and saw how silly he had been. His behaviour had not been that of a man who was learning to be a great ruler.

He decided to go to his cousin’s chamber without delay. He must talk to him.

Henry was not in his chamber.

‘Where is my cousin?’ he asked one of the servants.

‘My lord, he left this morning early.’

‘Left? He did not tell me.’

Edward stared ahead of him.

He knew that he would have no peace of mind until he had seen Henry.

Henry found his father at Westminster where he had been since the departure of the King for Gascony. As co-Regent it was necessary for Richard to be at the centre of affairs.

When he saw his son his eyes lit up. More than anything on earth he loved this boy – more than power, wealth or Sanchia. He was a son to be proud of. Tall and strong, Richard could never look on him without being reminded of the boy’s mother for he was very like her. She had been one of the great beauties of her day, poor Isabella. He did not really want to be reminded of her, for he was a little ashamed of his treatment of her. That marriage had been doomed from the first. Still it had brought him Henry and no man could ask for a finer son.

Henry was not only brave and manly, he was good. He was a man whom others would follow because of that essential honesty and integrity which were obvious to all who knew him. He was grandson on his mother’s side of great William Marshal, one of the finest men who had ever lived. William Marshal was a man who had never once stepped aside from the paths of honour and duty. Henry was such another. Yes, he must be grateful to Isabella. On his father’s side he had King John, Henry II and back to the Conqueror. And that produced this son of his.

He clasped him in his arms.

‘Welcome, my son. It does me good to see you.’

‘How fare you, Father?’

‘Oh well enough. There is much to occupy me as co-Regent with the Queen. It is never easy to work with another. It would be so much simpler to stand alone. You are troubled I can see.’

‘I have come for your advice.’

Richard glowed with pleasure. There was nothing more gratifying than to know this beloved son came first to him when he was in difficulties.

‘What is it, my son?’

‘I would like to leave Edward’s service.’

‘Oh. What is it? A quarrel?’

‘I find I can no longer stomach his behaviour.’

‘Rough riding through the country. That boy is growing into a fool.’

Henry gave his father an account of the boy who had lost his ear.

‘My God,’ said Richard. ‘What a fool he is! He is like his mother. He does not realise that the people in the end decide on whether he shall keep his throne. And you were there.’

‘I tried to remonstrate, but I knew that advice from me makes him act more violently. It has happened in the past. I took the boy to his home and gave the family a purse.’

Richard nodded. He knew that Henry would take the right action.

‘I feel that I can no longer serve him. I want to go abroad.’

‘To go abroad. That means to Gascony to serve with the King.’ Richard frowned. ‘I would not have that. And to leave Edward! One day he will be King, you know.’

‘If he is going to be like our grandfather I would have no wish to serve him.’

‘I understand that well. If he is going to be like his grandfather he will not long be King. Henry, you could stay with me. Nothing would delight me more. Edward will want to know why you have left him.’

‘He would know. He is fully aware of my disgust. Father, I can no longer ride out with him when cruel senseless disgusting acts are likely to take place at any moment. I
will
not, Father.’

‘Nor shall you. By God, you are as royal as he. But for the fact that his father was older than I by a few months you would be the heir to the throne. What a happy thing for England that would be! So, as my son, you need not serve your cousin if you do not wish to. But I could not agree to your going abroad, Henry.’ Richard hesitated. ‘You are no longer very young. You must know what is happening. The Queen grows more and more unpopular and the King is not loved by his people. This matter of Simon de Montfort’s quarrel with the King has been watched by the barons. There could come a day when they will takes sides as they did in the days of your grandfather. Henry, you should be here. You should learn what is happening.’

‘I have learned a little,’ Henry answered. ‘I have seen the people’s sullen looks when the Queen rides by. I have heard the whispers and now and then the shouts.’

‘It is not a healthful state of affairs. I do not see enough of you. Stay here for I see no reason why you should remain in Edward’s household if you have no wish to do so.’

It was not long before Edward arrived at Westminster. He had come, he said, in search of his cousin Henry and would speak with him.

When they were alone together Edward grasped his hands.

‘Henry, you left me,’ he cried reproachfully.

‘Yes,’ said Henry.

‘It was on account of that wretched boy.’

‘Wretched boy indeed … now and all his life. Think what you have done.’

‘I have thought of little else since it happened. I shall never forget the sight of you picking him up in your arms.’

Henry said: ‘I shall stay with my father.’

‘I want you to come back with me.’

‘I prefer to stay here.’

‘You forget your place, Henry. I am your lord.’

‘Oh, what will you do if I refuse to come back? Cut off my ears?’

‘Henry, we have always been good friends. It was always the two of us. We were the ones. I want it always to be like that. We used to make plans together, talk of what we would do when we grew up. It was always good fun.’

‘We were children then. Perhaps you have still to grow up since you find pleasure in roaming the countryside tormenting people.’

‘I want to stop all that.’

‘What? Give up your games! Give up your sport!’

‘It was no real sport. This is why I want you to come back. I want to go to that boy’s home. I want to show him my remorse. I want to give him money …’

‘I doubt money could compensate for the loss of an ear.’

‘I will do something for him. I am going to take a vow, Henry. If you come back with me I will change. Yes, I will. I am not a boy any more. I suddenly saw how silly it all was. One day I shall be King. I want to be a good King. I want to be like the great Conqueror. He could not have gone around the country making cruel sport with the people.’

‘He would never have become the great ruler he was if he had.’

‘You are right, Henry. You have always been right. Oh, I listened to Henry, Simon and Guy de Montfort. I think they wanted to lessen me in people’s eyes. I was foolish. I listened to them. No more, Henry. You will see. So come back with me and our first task shall be to recompense that poor boy.’

Henry hesitated. ‘Do you mean this, Edward?’

Edward held up his hand as though making a vow.

‘I swear it. From now on I change my ways. From now on I shall begin my training. I am going to be a great King, Henry, when my time comes. My name shall be spoken with those of the greatest of my ancestors.’

Henry took his cousin’s hand.

‘I will come back with you,’ he said.

Two days later the Queen came to her son in a state of great excitement.

‘I have heard from the King,’ she cried. ‘We are to prepare to join him. Edward, he has a bride for you.’

The royal party set out from Portsmouth on a warm May day, and the Queen was in a state of high excitement at the prospect of being reunited with her husband. Edward’s feelings were mixed. The prospect of marriage did not displease him and the reports of his bride were promising. Henry was staying behind with his father who, with the departure of the Queen, assumed the entire Regency.

Sanchia was with them. She was sorry to leave her husband but she had the compensation of her sister’s company and she could not forgo the opportunity of seeing her family once more.

Henry was impatiently waiting at Bordeaux for their arrival, in a fever of anxiety lest disaster should befall them; and when he saw his Queen he was wild with joy.

It was his happiest moment since he had left her, he told her. They embraced fervently; then he turned to the rest of the company.

In the castle a great feast had been prepared. Never had he felt more like celebrating anything, said the King. He wanted to hear what the family had been doing and how baby Katharine fared. Poor darling, what a pity it was that she was too young to join them!

Later he explained the position to the Queen and Edward.

This marriage was necessary if they were to keep Gascony. King Alfonso, who had come to the throne on the death of his father Ferdinand III, was being very firm in laying down his conditions.

The little Eleanora of Castile, the bride-to-be, was very young. She was the daughter of Ferdinand by Joanna Countess of Ponthieu – that lady whom Henry had churlishly treated in order to marry Queen Eleanor. Joanna, after being jilted by Henry, had married Ferdinand who had already had Alfonso by a previous marriage. Thus the young Eleanora was the new King’s half-sister and he was in control of her destiny.

He had offered her to young Edward and Henry had seized on it as the only way out of the predicament he found himself in after his quarrel with Simon de Montfort, which could have lost him Gascony.

Once the marriage ceremony was performed, Gascony would be safe for Henry.

It had to be admitted that Alfonso was a little cynical regarding the intentions of the King of England.

This was not to be wondered at. Young Eleanora’s mother had been badly treated by Henry who after being betrothed to her had abruptly broken off his contract. Moreover the young girl’s grandmother had been that Princess Alice who had been sent to England as the bride-to-be of Richard Coeur de Lion, and had been seduced by Richard’s father when she was a child and kept by him as his mistress so that the marriage she had come to England to make had never taken place.

Nothing of this nature was going to happen to his half-sister, Alfonso determined; therefore she should not go to Edward but Edward should come to her; he should travel to Burgos and if he did not arrive by a day which Alfonso would appoint, the contract would be broken and he would invade Gascony.

Henry said: ‘You see what a position we are in.’

‘What an arrogant fellow!’ cried the Queen.

‘He is indeed, my dearest. But we are in his hands. If we are to keep Gascony, Edward must be in Burgos before the date expires.’

‘He shall be there,’ said the Queen.

No time was lost, as soon as the contracts were signed and agreed on, Eleanor and Edward set out for Burgos. Henry’s presence was needed in Bordeaux so he could not accompany them.

Travelling across the Pyrenees was hazardous, but at least it was summer, and the Queen’s determination was well known.

Michaelmas day marked the end of the period allowed them.

They arrived on the fifth day of August, thanks to the indefatigable efforts of the Queen; and there was great rejoicing in Burgos.