The Lion of Justice - Plaidy Jean. Страница 43

‘Can a man begotten by my father be such a fool?’ cried Henry exultantly.

‘He has said that he has come in friendship to speak with you. He wishes to reason with you about his unpaid pension, my lord.’ said Mellent.

‘Now is my chance. I shall take him and put him in such a dungeon from which he will never be able to effect an escape.’

‘My lord, he is your brother.’

‘What mean you? Do you think I am not aware of that?’

‘It would be considered a villainy.’

Henry’s cold rage had begun to rise. ‘You dare...’

‘Yes, my lord, I dare,’ said the bold Count. ‘I dare because I serve you well. You are our Lion of Justice. The people are beginning to understand what it means to be ruled by a good strong king and most of all a just king. Do not allow them to doubt your justice, lord, for it is the quality in you they most admire.’

‘And think you it is unjust to imprison my enemies?’

‘This is your brother who has come in good faith. It would become no great king to take as a prisoner one who came with only twelve attendants. If you will give me permission to talk with him I will send him back to Normandy and I believe I know a way in which I can give you acquittance of his pension.’

‘You have a high opinion of your talents, my lord Count.’

‘I would serve my King with all my powers and I believe you would regret deeply to lose the respect of your subjects.’

‘None would have dared talk to my brother William as you have to me.’

‘Your brother was no Lion of Justice, sir.’

Henry said thoughtfully, ‘I believe in your loyalty to me. My brother is unfit to rule the Duchy my father left in his hands. It could well be a wise act to seize this opportunity. But you say you can send him back to Normandy and relieve me of my obligation to pay his pension. I’ll keep you to this. Do what you say you can. If you fail you will face my displeasure.’

‘My lord, I know that I can succeed.’

Henry was not so sure. He continued to follow the deer but he was thinking of Robert and how foolish he had been not to take him prisoner.

* * * * *

The Count of Mellent rode to Winchester where the Queen sat with her women. She was embroidering cloth which would be made into a gown; it was an art at which she excelled and was practised to a great degree in England.

The Count was shown into her presence as he assured her servants that he came with some urgency.

He then told her that the Duke of Normandy was in England.

‘Does the King know?’ she asked.

‘I have come from the King.’

‘He sent you to me?’

‘Nay, he does not know I come to you.’

She looked alarmed, and he told her quickly what had transpired between him and the King.

‘And why do you tell me this?’

‘Because I have an idea that you can be of great service to your husband.’

‘I do not see how.’

‘My lady, the King is incensed against his brother. Not because he comes here to remonstrate with him but because he has not paid him his pension.’

Matilda was quick to understand that the King knew he had wronged Robert and therefore he hated his brother. He was now seeking an excuse to imprison him that he might make an easy conquest of Normandy.

‘If the King harms his brother when he comes on a peaceful mission he will regret it, I know.’ said the Count de Mellent.

Matilda cried: ‘I am in agreement with you. The King must not harm his own brother, particularly when he comes in friendship.’ Her expression softened. She had never forgotten how gallant Robert had been when he had refused to disturb her lying-in; and afterwards when she had helped entertain him at the Court she had found him charming. He was known to be one of the most fascinating men of his day; he could charm both sexes with the utmost ease; that he was feckless and superficial and that the compliments were lightly uttered, the friendship on no firm foundation, was something which was discovered later. It was Robert’s personality which throughout his life had enabled him to fail his friends and yet be able to win them back to him.

Matilda was still smarting from her discovery of Henry’s infidelities. He left her frequently and she knew full well that there were occasions when he could have been with her but preferred some other woman, some new light of love, perhaps the perennially attractive Nesta.

Robert with his admiring glances and his charming compliments had made her feel a desirable woman and since her discovery of Henry’s waywardness she needed to be reassured. It was not that she contemplated emulating his example. She was far too pious for that, but she did feel that she could enjoy the somewhat exciting company of her brother-in-law; and now she would be very ready to help if possible.

The Count of Mellent said: ‘I shall go to meet the Duke and tell him that he may be in danger from the King’s anger. And I shall persuade him to come to you.’

‘Does the King know of this?’

‘Not that I have called on your help. He knows only that I wish to send the Duke back to Normandy unharmed and ready to forgo his pension.’

‘How can you promise that?’

‘I believe you could help me. The King cannot pay this pension. He has projects in this country. To raise such a sum yearly would mean increased taxation and you know full well how the people hate that. It was Ranulf Flambard’s methods of extracting money from the people which made them hate him and the last King.’

‘But the people are beginning to understand that Henry is a great king.’

‘That is why they must not be over-burdened by this extra taxation.’

‘Yet the King has given his word to pay this money.’

‘He could do nothing else at the time. The Norman army was in England. The fleet had deserted. There could have been another Norman conquest and instead of our just King we could now be ruled by Robert of Normandy.’

‘So the King in truth cannot pay this pension.’

‘Not without inflicting hardship on the people.’

‘But if he was promised.’

‘My dear lady, there is more at stake than a promise. The King had to make that promise. He now has to break it.’

‘And you are asking me to help the King break his promises?’

‘I am asking you to save the poor people of this land from further crippling taxation. I am asking you to do such service to the King your husband that he will never forget it.’

‘You convince me,’ she said. ‘Pray tell me what I must do.’

* * * * *

The Count de Mellent intercepted Robert and his followers on the road to Winchester.

‘My lord.’ said the Count, ‘what brings you here? How can you have been so ill advised as to come? The King regrets the treaty. He is determined not to pay you the pension. By coming here you have placed yourself in his hands. What do you think he will do? He will imprison you. He might even put you to death.’

Robert and the twelve knights whom he had brought with him immediately realized in what danger they had placed themselves.

‘Mayhap we should go back to Southampton.’ said Robert, ‘and return to Normandy without delay.’

‘The King will not allow you to do this. If you attempted to set sail you would be stopped.’

‘Then, my friend, what do you suggest we do?’

‘The Queen remembers your last visit with gratitude. I think that she would receive you and I have no doubt that she would ask the King to give you free passage back to Normandy.’

‘The Queen is a delightful lady,’ said Robert with a smile. ‘I remember how kindly she received me before. I tell you this: I shall be glad of the opportunity to be with her again.’

The Count de Mellent rode with the party to Winchester, where Matilda was waiting to receive them.

What a gracious woman she was, thought Robert, and if she was not as beautiful as some he had known, her grace and dignity and her clever mind put her well in the front rank.