The Bastard King (16 page)

‘A
royal
mixture,' he answered.

‘Tell me of yourself, Brihtric.'

‘I? I am indeed humble compared with you, my lady. My father is Algar and he is the Lord of Honour of Gloucester.'

‘And does he own great lands?'

‘He owns lands, small in comparison with your father's possessions.'

‘You are over-modest. I did hear that your great Earl Godwin was the son of a cowherd. Is that true?'

‘It is not mentioned.'

‘Nay, the Earl would see to that. But he grew to be a very powerful man. Now his son Tostig may well marry my sister Judith and is it not true that his daughter Editha is that poor neglected wife of your Edward the Confessor himself?'

‘This is so, my lady.'

‘Then does it not show that it is not necessary to be royal to begin with? A clever man may become royal . . . or beget royal children. Remember the cowherd's son begat a daughter who is now the Queen of England.'

‘My lady is well acquainted with the tangled skeins of royalty.'

‘Indeed I am. So, son of Algar, Lord of Honour of Gloucester, I tell you, do not be too humble.'

She laughed at him and he flushed faintly. How beautiful his skin was when he flushed. It was like rose petals, delicate and soft. She wanted to kiss his cheek and make him flush the deeper.

‘My lady, I must to your father. There are matters to discuss.'

‘This coming marriage?' she asked.

‘Your father will acquaint me with his wishes when I present myself to him.'

‘Go then,' she said. ‘Later I will show you more of tapestry, for I see you are very interested in it.'

He bowed and went out.

She smiled as the door shut on him.

The crows were regarding her with shocked amazement.

‘And why,' she demanded, ‘are you staring at me? Why are you not working? Let me see your work. It is disgraceful! Look at those stitches! You have been staring around at what does not concern you. You lazy creatures. I should have you whipped.'

The women lowered their eyes and stitched. How like the Lady Matilda, when caught at some misdeed, to turn the tables and find fault with others.

She found her father alone and going to him put an arm about his neck and laid her cheek against his.

‘Dearest and best of fathers,' she said.

‘What does my daughter want of me that she discovers she loves me so much?'

‘Father, you are unkind!'

‘Never to my Matilda.'

‘Then why should you say I want something because I tell you how dear you are to me?'

‘Forgive me. Then you want nothing of me.'

‘Only to talk with you . . . one of our cosy talks with no one to overhear us.'

‘Then let us enjoy that.'

‘Is Judith to marry Tostig?'

‘It seems likely.'

‘And you have given your consent?'

‘If Judith agrees, yes.'

‘How many royal fathers would give their daughters the opportunity to decide. Only the best in the world.'

‘My dearest daughter, I want my children to be happy.'

‘So if Judith wished to marry someone humble you would allow her to?'

‘One can hardly call the son of Earl Godwin humble.'

‘But if he were. If it would break her heart not to marry some humble gentleman, would you withhold your consent?'

‘Do you imagine that I would allow my daughter's heart to be broken?'

She tightened her arms about his neck and kissed him.

‘There! Am I not proved right! You love your family beyond aught else.'

‘I fear I do.'

‘It is no wonder that they love you too. You have made me very happy, Father.'

‘Tell me what it is you have in mind.'

‘Just to be happy, Father.'

‘You know, do you not, daughter, that Judith is not the only one whose hand is sought.'

‘Mine too, Father?'

‘Yes, and we shall have to think about a husband for you.'

‘I shall make my own choice.'

‘I doubt it not.'

She hesitated. No, she would not tell him yet. First she would speak to Brihtric.

It was not easy to speak to him alone. Always she seemed to be surrounded by attendants from whom it was difficult to escape. She could of course order them to leave her, but they would hang around, waiting at the door. Even she could not easily dispense with the habits of a lifetime.

She chose a time when she could evade them and made her way to the apartment which was set aside for ambassadors in the palace.

By good fortune she found him alone in his study. She tapped at the door. He looked astonished as she entered.

He rose to his feet flushing. She held out her hand; he took it and bowed over it.

‘Pray be seated, Brihtric,' she commanded. ‘And I will too.'

He brought a stool for her and she sat on it opposite him, smiling, her eyes dancing with amusement because he looked so startled.

‘You find me strange, Brihtric.'

‘I did not expect you to come here.'

‘I act unexpectedly at times. You will grow accustomed to that. Everyone does.'

‘I?' he asked raising his eyebrows; he looked as though he would like to run away.

‘Do you like being an ambassador, Brihtric?'

‘I do,' he said.

‘And particularly in Flanders?'

‘My stay here has been very pleasant.'

‘And do you wish to return to your Gloucester?'

‘It is always pleasant to go home, my lady.'

‘If you went home you would say good-bye to my father and mother . . . to
me.
Would that please you, Brihtric?'

‘Nay, I should be sad to go.'

Her smile was revealing. ‘That gives me great pleasure, Brihtric. You would be sad to leave us.'

‘One becomes attached to places . . . to people, after a stay – even a brief one.'

‘You must not be sad. An alternative would be never to leave us.'

‘I am at the call of my King,' he answered.

‘Even that need not recall you.'

‘I do not understand.'

‘Brihtric, you are very handsome.'

‘My lady is kind.'

‘Nay, I am not always so. And it is not kind merely to state a truth. You are aware that I think you goodly to look upon. Are you aware that I like you, Brihtric?'

‘You have shown me a kind interest . . .'

‘That I like you very much.'

He flushed painfully.

‘You could not speak to me as I can to you . . . until you have my permission of course. It would be impertinent for an ambassador to speak thus to a princess. That is what you feel, is it not? That is why when I tell you you are handsome, you do not reply by telling me how beautiful you find me.'

‘It would seem unnecessary to say so. All the world knows it to be so.'

‘All the world, yes, but you, Brihtric, it is you I wish to know about.'

‘Assuredly I find you beautiful.'

She smiled happily. ‘Now I will say to you what you dare not say to me. My sister is to marry a Saxon. I have a mind to do the same. Her husband will be Tostig. Why should mine not be Brihtric?'

He had risen. Alarm showed clearly in his face.

She stood up and going close to him laid her hand on his arm.

‘Do not be afraid, Brihtric. I promise you I can prepare my father. If I tell him I will die if I am not allowed to marry you. I shall marry you. You need have no fear. You may trust me. My father will give his consent.'

He withdrew from her, his face frozen in horror. She took him gently by the arm and shook him.

‘You are astounded by such great good fortune. Dear, dear Brihtric, you must not be. You may trust me. I will arrange this. Come, enjoy your good fortune.'

He stammered: ‘My lady . . . my lady Matilda, it cannot be.'

‘Cannot be? Oh, you fear too much. I tell you it shall be. I say it shall be. I have what I want to have.'

‘Let me tell you . . . You are a princess . . . I am but the son of a humble lord of no great account . . .'

She stood on tiptoe and tried to kiss his lips but he stepped back hastily.

‘It is impossible,' he said.

‘I will arrange it. Have no fear. My father will give his consent.'

‘Even if he did, I could not marry you.'

‘You could not marry me if my father gave his consent! Why not?'

‘Because . . . because I am betrothed.'

‘In your Gloucester?'

He nodded.

‘It can be overcome. It can be broken off. That shall not stop us.'

‘My lady Matilda, this cannot be.'

She stared at him, sudden anger blazing in her eyes.

‘You are a coward,' she said.

‘No, my lady.'

‘You are afraid.'

‘I am not afraid. I merely tell you that I can marry only the lady to whom I am betrothed.'

‘You cannot wish that now.'

‘My lady, forgive me. I wish it and I am pledged.'

He bowed and because she was so dumbfounded, he was able to make for the door. He had gone.

Matilda stood looking at the closed door. All her planning had been in vain. She had to face the incredible fact that he did not want her.

She had never been so angry, so bitterly humiliated in her life. She had offered her hand to this Saxon and he had refused it. It was shameful. How could she have humbled herself so? Because she loved him. Because she knew that of all
men she wanted him for her husband. And he had refused her – not because he feared he would be asking too much but because he was betrothed and he was determined to marry the woman of his choice. He was as determined as she had been.

She had noticed the firm set of his lips. He was only an ambassador and she was a princess but he would marry where he pleased.

What could she do? Whom could she turn to for sympathy? To Judith? To her mother? They would reproach her. How could she so demean herself? It was not for her to
ask
a man to marry her. It was for some important ruler to beg for her hand.

And a Saxon ambassador of no importance in royal circles had refused her.

Never, never would she forget the humiliation.

Only her pride sustained her. She would have liked to hide herself away but that would only arouse comment. No one must guess how she had humiliated herself. If Brihtric dared to tell anyone she would have him killed; she herself would kill him. She hated the thought of that betrothed of his kissing that fair skin. It maddened her; she wanted to have him dragged before her father; she wanted him punished. But how could this be done? They would have to know the reason.

Her father misconstrued her state.

‘My dearest Matilda,' he said, ‘you are wishing that you were to have a husband. It is natural. Judith is to marry. Why not you? I will tell you something. I heard William of Normandy is putting out hints that he is considering asking for your hand.'

‘William of Normandy! Normandy is in a sorry state, I believe.'

‘There has been rebellion in Normandy ever since the death of the Duke's father. William was but a minor when the ducal cloak was placed on his shoulders. There is always danger when a ruler is too young to rule.'

‘He would marry me, I daresay, because if he did he would have you for an ally.'

‘A reasonable conclusion. I could not go against my own daughter, could I?'

‘Nor would you ever, Father.'

‘Nay, you know that well.'

‘This William knows it too. Hence he asks for my hand.'

‘It is the case with royal marriages. You know that well.'

‘Is it true that my Uncle Henry of France, who recently helped him, is now ready to turn against him?'

‘It may be so.'

‘And if he did what would happen then to my lord Duke?'

‘I feel he would not be subdued. By all accounts he is a strong man. I have made some enquiries about him. He is a young man of great vitality.'

‘The father of many bastards, I'll warrant.'

‘I have heard of none. So seriously does he take his duties that his time has been spent in learning how to govern.'

‘He sounds a paragon of virtue.'

‘Hardly that. He was ruthless at Alençon.'

‘What happened there?'

‘The people of the town displeased him. They referred to his origins. His mother was a tanner's daughter. He cut off the hands and feet of his prisoners and threw them over the walls into the city.'

‘And you would give your daughter to such a man?'

‘If she wished to go to him. Remember he was greatly provoked. He has a reputation for normally being just and has been over-lenient to his cousin who has betrayed him.'

‘Should I, a princess, a niece of the King of France, marry the son of tanners?'

‘He is the son of the Duke of Normandy who held that title before him. Think about this for I am certain that soon we shall have a visit from the Duke's ambassadors.'

‘There is no harm in considering the matter,' she said.

Indeed there was not. It took her mind off the memory of her humiliation.

She thought about William, Duke of Normandy. He would be some twenty years of age. He needed a bride such as she was. He needed her for several reasons. For one, there were
many who sought her and it would be to his credit to be the one to succeed. He needed her father's help against his enemies. He needed a wife with royal blood in her veins to make up for that which had come to him through the tanner.

I have no doubt, she thought, that this William is a very clever fellow.

What a fool Brihtric had been! He had turned away from her who was sought by the great men of Europe. How dared he – the little Saxon fool.

When she thought of him she wanted to hurt someone as he had hurt her. What was the use of trying to forget that humiliating scene? She could not. How dared he! When she had expected him to fall on his knees in gratitude he had become frightened and simpered about his betrothed.