The Battle of the Queens (14 page)

Henry knew he was referring to the encounter with Alexander of Scotland. Hubert had explained: ‘It is very important that we stop these perpetual wars with Scotland, and I am hoping we shall be able to make some sort of peace.’

Henry was enjoying this trip. He had never felt so much a king and he supposed it was due to the fact that he was growing up. The older he grew the more homage he could expect; and he was waiting for the day when he need not take his orders from the men who surrounded him. It would be interesting, too, to meet another young King, although he discovered that Alexander was old by his standards, being twenty-two years of age and having reigned for several years.

The meeting was to take place in York, a city of which any king could be justly proud. Henry was met at the Micklegate by the Archbishop of York and the leading dignitaries of the city, and passing under the Roman arch which supported the turrets was escorted into the castle which was said to have been built by his famous ancestor, William the Conqueror.

The meeting of the two kings took place within the great hall of the castle where Henry felt somewhat at a loss on account of his youth; Alexander seemed very mature, having been King of Scotland for seven years; he was shrewd, Hubert had said, and like all good rulers, ever alert for the advantage of his country. Of small stature, with reddish hair and light eyes, he had a foxy look which suggested a certain cunning.

Henry knew that when England had been figuratively on her knees through the bad rule of his father and the French had been on English soil, Alexander had taken advantage of the situation by attacking in the north and in the circumstances naturally achieving some success.

‘It was a good opportunity for him,’ Hubert had pointed out, ‘and one which such a shrewd ruler would take advantage of.’

However when the French had been defeated and driven out Alexander had been forced to retreat behind the Border; and it was in the hope of bringing about a permanent peace that this meeting was taking place.

Hubert with other important barons sat with the Scottish King and some of his supporters. Henry was there in a chair of state but had been made to realise that he was, though a figurehead, a mere observer.

‘It is important,’ Hubert had told him, ‘that you should learn how these conferences are conducted. Listen to discussion, watch parry and thrust, and see how both sides juggle for advantage.’

So Henry listened, thinking what a long time must elapse before he was twenty-two years of age and put
his
views before men like Hubert de Burgh and was listened to with respect.

Hubert pointed out that a truce would be advantageous to both sides, for the English were eager to preserve the order they were beginning to experience after the lawlessness of John’s reign and Alexander admitted that he would be pleased to have peace on the Border in order that he might divert his energies towards settling quarrels among his own chieftains. But he would expect concessions.

Hubert nodded gravely and said that the English would be prepared to consider these whereupon Alexander replied that he was in need of a wife and he would be happy with one of the English Princesses.

‘The Princess Eleanor is betrothed to William Marshal,’ said Hubert. ‘That leaves Joan and Isabella. Isabella is but seven years old.’

‘I knew well that Joan was betrothed to Hugh de Lusignan and that he married her mother,’ said Alexander. ‘Therefore as she is now free I will take Joan.’

‘The King will tell you that he would derive great pleasure from the marriage of his sister Joan with you, my lord.’

Hubert was looking at Henry who said hurriedly: ‘Yes, yes. It would please me to see you and my sister married.’

‘I believe your sister is at this time in Lusignan,’ said Alexander looking full at Henry who replied: ‘That is so, but she is to return.’

‘And that there is some trouble about that return,’ went on the sharp-eyed King of Scotland.

Henry looked at Hubert who replied: ‘My lord, the King has commanded the return of his sister and the Pope has threatened Hugh de Lusignan with the Interdict if she is not sent back at once. I think you may rest assured that ere long she will be your bride.’

The King of Scotland looked faintly sceptical.

‘I am determined to have one of the Princesses,’ he said. ‘I do not wish for a mere child such as Isabella is, but by my faith I will take her if the other is not returned in good time. Marriage I will have – even with Isabella.’

‘Marriage there shall be,’ replied Hubert, ‘either with Joan or Isabella. We will sign on that, my lord.’

‘I have two sisters, Margaret and Isabella, and I want husbands for them,’ went on Alexander.

Henry knew that Hubert was a little disturbed because King John had promised their father, William the Lion, that the two girls should have his sons – Henry, himself, and Richard. Henry knew though that the Barons would not consider marriage with Scotland good enough for him now that he was the King. His wife would have to bring him a little more than peace with Scotland.

Hubert said: ‘We will find rich and powerful barons for your sisters, my lord.’

For a moment Alexander hesitated and then, evidently so delighted was he to have a sister of the King for his own bride that he decided to settle for two noblemen for his sisters.

So the conference ended happily and it was clear to Henry that both sides were gratified.

Later there was feasting in the hall. Henry was seated beside the King and they talked pleasantly and in friendly manner together. He noticed that Hubert paid great attention to both the Scottish princesses and Margaret in particular.

It had been a long journey and a perilous one across France, and then the sea had been so rough that Joan had not much cared whether she reached the other side of the Channel or not. But at last she was home, and she kept thinking of how apprehensive she had been when she had set out with her mother and remembered the tales Isabella had told her of her childhood in Angoulême. She should have known that her mother loved Hugh; she should also have known that he would only have to take one look at her and he would be as much in love with her as he had been when they were young.

But that was all over now. Nothing was to be gained by brooding on the past. She had a new life to face and since she had failed to become Hugh’s wife, they had another bridegroom for her.

A resentment flickered within her. They did not consult her wishes in any of these matters affecting her future. Princesses had to realise that their lives were governed for them and that they married men not because they would make good husbands or because the princesses loved them … no, it was only because it was good for the country to make an alliance with another country. Women like her mother, though, managed to get their own way; and sometimes Joan wondered whether if her mother had really loved Hugh in the first place she would have allowed herself to have been carried off by John.

She was not of her mother’s nature; therefore she must accept what was prepared for her.

She arrived at Westminster Palace and was pleased to be greeted by her brother. He had grown in size and in dignity since she had last seen him. He was almost a man, being fourteen years old; and he was undoubtedly aware of being King.

He greeted her warmly and told her how sorry he was for what she had suffered. He did not mention their mother until they were alone and then he wanted to hear how she fared.

Joan told him that Isabella was well and happy in her marriage. Hugh de Lusignan doted on her and people said he was her slave. She did not add that she had heard the whisper that his devotion to his wife would be his undoing because he seemed to have no will but hers.

Henry told her that he had seen Richard at his coronation, that their brother was well content with life at Corfe, and that as soon as he was of an age to leave his tutors he would bring him to court.

‘The trouble with us,’ said Joan, ‘is that we are all too young.’

Henry admitted that it was a pity that they had not been born a few years earlier.

‘Or that our father had lived longer.’

Henry shook his head. In his newly found wisdom he knew that if that had happened there would have been no inheritance for him.

Joan was able to see her sisters and was amazed how they had grown. As for them, they did not know her; four years was a long time in their brief lives.

Four years, thought Joan. When she had left she had been a child, and indeed knowing Hugh and learning to love him had given her a maturity beyond her years.

She must grow up; she must learn to shut out the past and face the future, for she was going to be married as soon as it could be arranged and instead of living, as she had believed she would, in the warm lush south of France, she was going to the bleak north of England to marry a man she had never seen.

Henry had said: ‘He will be better for you than Hugh de Lusignan. He is not an old man. He is twenty-two, so he will be more suitable.’

She turned away. How could she explain to Henry that she had come to accept Hugh as the most suitable man in the world.

The cavalcade was on its way to York and beside the young King rode his sister. Outwardly she looked serene and she was surprised that she could appear so indifferent to her fate. Since she had lost Hugh it did not seem to matter what became of her, so perhaps that was just as well.

Henry was pleased with her. ‘I had feared you would weep, sister,’ he said, ‘for you are young to marry. But you will be nearer home than you would have been had you married into France. We shall be able to meet now and then. I promise you shall join us when we travel in the North. It will be easy for you to come across the Border. And your husband will be pleased with you for you are very fair to look upon. I tell you this: you have a certain look of our mother and I have heard it said that there was not a woman in the Courts of France or England to compare with her.’

‘I have heard that said too,’ replied Joan.

‘And you will have the satisfaction of knowing that your marriage has brought peace to England and Scotland. There is nothing that brings peace to countries like marriage between the ruling families.’

‘I could believe that to be so.’

‘It is so, Joan; and how happy we should be that it is in our power to bring peace to so many.’

‘I hope you will feel contented when your time comes, brother,’ she retorted. ‘But it will be different with you. You are the King and I doubt not you will have more say in whom you marry than a mere princess does.’

‘I intend to,’ said Henry, smiling complacently.

She looked at the pines on the horizon and thought of riding in the forest of Lusignan with Hugh before she had known he was in love with her mother.

In due course they arrived in York, where people ran from their houses to get a glimpse of the bride. They thought her beautiful and called God’s blessing on her. She thanked them quietly and graciously; and she heard one old beldame murmur: ‘Poor wee child. She’s over young for marriage.’

This time there would be no cancellation. This marriage would take place, she feared.

She stood in the cathedral, which was said to be the most beautiful in England, only vaguely aware of the grandeur of its massive buttresses decorated with ornamental tracery, its elegant niches and clustered pillars, and beside her was the stranger – this red fox, as she had heard him called – young, eager to please her, not unkindly; her husband, and she must be glad of this marriage since because of it peace would be brought to the borderlands of England and Scotland.

The ceremony was over. She was a queen – a Queen of Scotland. Alexander took her hand and led her from the Abbey to the castle and the bells rang out long and loud in the city of York for this was a day of rejoicing.

They sat side by side at the banquet and he took the most choice pieces of meat and fed them to her. His hand closed over hers and he said: ‘You must not be afraid of me, little wife.’

She looked at him intently and tried to read in his face what manner of man he was, and because he smiled reassuringly at her, her fear passed away.