Queen Of Four Kingdoms, The (46 page)

Each day I see a blue sky, a few small clouds, and at night, when they close my shutters and draw my curtains, I have the warmth of the fire and the company of my faithful old wolfhounds Jason and Nestor, both descendants of the original two who ran alongside me on that journey from my home, and theirs, in Aragon to my wedding to your beloved father in Arles. My silky grey
levrettes
, Aurora and Electra, also descendants of the original three my mother sent me, lie beside my bed, their long noses outstretched on the ground and their adoring, impenetrable dark eyes gazing up at me. I have always felt closer to my dogs than to most people – they never complain and they make me feel they understand what I say. When I am sad, they know and put their heads on my lap, or just lie at my feet, and I am comforted. All my life it has been thus, and you, my children, I know feel the same about your dogs – more like friends than animals.

In the evenings, I have one of my musicians quietly play the mandolin in a corner of my boudoir, and if I want to be entertained with a little chess or cards, I ring for one of my ladies to come. They are all dear women, not close to me, but kind and accommodating. Mine is a peaceful existence here in my favourite of all my houses.

My work in this life is done. I have placed the chessmen on the board and taught the players. Now it is for you and others I have taught to make their moves. The end game especially would interest me, but I must watch silently from above.

Although none of you, my children or grandchildren, is with me at this time, I am content. You have your own lives to live just as I have lived mine, often alone after the death of the only man with whom I wished to share it. Happy memories sustain the long hours that remain until nightfall; somehow I know I shall not see the morning.

I believe I can go to my Lord above knowing I have done all I could with the intelligence and the courage He gave me to do my duty to my king, my adopted country and my own family. Here at Saumur, the serene chateau of my youthful marriage, the home I shared with my beloved Louis and our children, it pleases me to dwell on my memories, to thank God for the safe return to France of my treasured son René, and to prepare to meet my Maker.

I am grateful to my friend Philippa Gregory for convincing me to write an historical novel rather than another history book. Nevertheless, all the events in
The Queen of Four Kingdoms
did take place. Every character in the story – excepting some household staff – actually existed with birth and death dates as given. In other words, the history within the book is as accurate as I can ascertain.

During the past seven years spent in my quest to unravel and reveal the family saga of my trilogy, I have been aided and abetted by a number of skilled sleuths to whom I am deeply grateful: most of all to my brother Freddy, who has been my greatest supporter, adviser, gentle critic, always encouraging and invaluable with logistics; with regard to genealogy, Leo van de Pas is the best and has generously helped me throughout, as well as providing the family tree of Charles V, his siblings and their children and my descent from many of the book’s characters enclosed in my website; and to Philippe Charlier, the French pathologist, whose original research will become more apparent in the second volume.

I am indebted to Marchesa Barbara Berlingieri for helping my researches in Calabria; to Anna Parkinson – always willing to find answers for my most obscure questions; my thanks go to Jean-Charles de Ravenel for his help with translations from medieval French; much gratitude goes to Susan Opie, my inspiring, generous personal editor for helping me understand the difference between writing history and a novel; to Jill Hamilton, whose writing and practical experience is always given generously and instantly; to Daphne Weir, whose kindness and advice I value enormously; to Lente Roode, for helping me know her cheetahs; to Professor Philip Bobbitt, for explaining money lending and financial transactions in fifteenth-century France; another I wish to thank warmly is Kate Maxwell, who helped with the initial research, and her husband Gregor, especially for translating some of the more difficult notes written in old French; Wayne Sime is due my thanks for his information on the medicinal use of mercury; also A. E. Curry, for giving me leads for research in Normandy.

Robert J. Knecht, Professor Emeritus of French Renaissance history has been a great help in the past and again here for the useful leads he has given me; thanks must go to Professor José Baselgar and his son for their expertise on medieval poison; Michael Browne and his wife Jane Baile deserve my gratitude for sharing their knowledge of medieval cuisine in France; my sincere gratitude goes to Gonzague St. Bris for urging me to write the story of Agnès Sorel, his insider knowledge on the subject and for his generous hospitality.

Perhaps most of all, my gratitude must go to Sibilla Clark, who has allowed me to hibernate in her cottage for a number of years during the winter months, so that I may write in peace.