The Lion of Justice - Plaidy Jean. Страница 56

The Scottish royal family were more or less vassals to the English throne since Rufus had helped it regain the crown from the traitor Donald Bane, but Henry treated Alexander with great respect because, he told Matilda, he was her brother.

Mary joined the Court briefly, for her husband was away on a crusade and she was residing for a while at Bermondsey, the Abbey where she had placed her daughter Matilda and which she now honoured with her patronage.

The sisters talked a great deal of the old days when they had been children together, before that terrible time when their father had been murdered while their mother lay dying.

Henry insisted on entertaining Alexander royally and knowing her husband well Matilda believed that he had some reason for being so delighted to receive his brother-in-law.

She soon discovered that reason when a certain young woman arrived at Court.

‘I wish you to take Sybilla under your wing,’ he told her. ‘She is the daughter of the Count of Meulan’s sister. I should like to find a suitable husband for her.’

‘And who is her father?’ asked Matilda with a sinking heart.

‘Come, my dear, you should guess.’

‘Another of them?’

‘I fear so. I told you there were many of them.’

‘And after the clever manner in which you made poor Mabel take Robert, you would like to repeat the action?’

‘I would like to do my best for this girl. And I ask you to help me.’

He laid his hand on her arm and smiled at her beguilingly. ‘Come, Matilda. Help me with my responsibilities. I shall soon have to leave you. Let us be good friends while we are together.’

‘To leave me!’

‘There is trouble brewing in Normandy.’ he said.

‘But you have conquered Normandy.’

‘Would that I had!’

‘But surely the battle of Tinchebrai was decisive?’

He shook his head. ‘I captured Robert. He is my prisoner. I listened to what I believed all along to be unwise counsel and the Clito goes free. I have enemies. The King of France is not pleased to see me become so powerful. I must watch him closely. Robert of Flanders, Robert of Belleme, Fulk of Anjou. I do not trust these people for one moment. Depend upon it they are biding their time to rise against me. I shall be in Normandy soon to quell rebellion after rebellion. So, as I say, let us make the most of the time we have together.’

‘You are the King.’ she said. ‘If you command me to help you to find wives and husbands for your illegitimate children I must needs do so.’

‘I would have you do it willingly.’

She shook her head sadly.

‘I would...’ she began.

‘I know.’ he interrupted. ‘You would I had been the hero of your romantic dreams as you made me out to be before you discovered my true nature. But now you know me for what I am and in spite of all you have an affection for me.’

‘‘Tis true.’ she said, ‘but...’

‘But?’ He smiled at her wryly. ‘We must all make the best of what we have, Matilda, my wife. We must curb our needs and desires to what we can attain. Come, be my good friend. Help me find this girl of mine a husband.’

She smiled. ‘I will do it.’ she told him.

She was a little disturbed when she learned a few truths about Sybilla.

The young woman was by no means a virgin; nor was she of any special beauty. It would not be easy, Matilda decided, to find a husband for her. She told the King so.

He smiled at her indulgently.

‘You have no need to worry yourself further,’ he answered. ‘I have found the very husband.’

‘And he has agreed?’

‘Not yet, but he will when he knows that it is my wish.’

‘I am sorry for him.’

‘Oh, he is capable of looking after himself.’ Henry was smiling, well pleased. ‘Would you not like to know his name?’

She said she would.

‘Alexander, King of Scotland.’

‘My brother! But...it’s impossible.’

‘No, my dear, it is quite possible, and when my good vassal knows my wishes in the matter I have not the slightest doubt that he will be happy to do my will.’

‘But I could not allow it.’

‘You could not allow it, my dear Matilda?’

‘It was different with the heiress of Gloucester.’

‘Nay. There was a similarity. You saw how quickly she changed her mind when she knew my wishes. You will see that the King of Scotland is every bit as amenable.’

‘Henry, please choose someone else for him.’

‘But I wish him to take her. I shall be well content to see her married. It is a pleasure to see one’s children settled in life as you will know when our own Matilda and William are given in marriage.’

She was hurt and angry; and she was surprised when without a demur her brother, who was known as The Fierce, meekly allowed himself to be betrothed to Sybilla.

Such was the power of the King of England.

Young Matilda and Stephen

Henry was right when he said that it would not be long before he left for Normandy.

Philippe of France had died and his son Louis had ascended the throne. Philippe had been lazy and preferred the comforts of his court to the battle field. Louis however had a score to settle with Henry. He remembered when they were boys and Henry and Rufus were visiting his father’s Court, he, Louis, and Henry had engaged in a chess game. Henry had so incensed the French Prince when he won that he had thrown the pieces at him, to which Henry had responded by smashing the chess board over his head. War between the Conqueror and the French had grown out of that incident and it was at the ensuing battle that William’s horse had trodden on a burning ember which had resulted in the great King’s death.

It was no wonder that Louis had a score to settle. More than that, it was becoming politically impossible to endure such a powerful enemy on his borders.

Stephen of Blois and his forceful wife were natural supporters of Henry since Adela was his sister and one of the sons of the house was actually being brought up in the Court of his uncle Henry of England. It was different with Flanders and Anjou.

Henry knew that if the King of France could be robbed of the aid of Flanders, Anjou and the diabolical Robert of Belleme, he would be more or less powerless against Normandy. He often reminded himself that he had made two big mistakes in his policy. One which affected the present was the release of Belleme. He had had the man in his power and instead of dispatching him, or robbing him of his eyes, he had banished him to Normandy. A perhaps greater error which had yet to be realized to the full was to have allowed the Clito to escape from his hands.

In the years to come it seemed certain that the Clito would be a figurehead to which men would rally. Fortunately he was but a child at the moment and his father was safe in prison. Robert had been moved from Wareham to Devises and then to Bristol and shortly was to go to Cardiff. Henry had not wished him to stay too long in one place for fear attempts to rescue him might be carried out.

Now Henry knew that the King of France was conspiring with his enemies; he could safely leave England in the hands of Matilda and his trusted ministers headed by Roger of Salisbury and so he set out for Normandy.

Luck was with Henry. The first news that reached him when he set foot in Normandy was that Robert of Flanders, one of the greatest enemies, had been killed when his horse threw him on the Meaux Bridge.

This was a good augury, he told his followers, and because of their superstitious natures and their certainty that this was so, success seemed to come their way. But Henry was the first to realize that these successes were temporary and the whole picture could suddenly change.

His great fortune was that England remained peaceful and he had no need to worry about events there, so that he could give his attention to Normandy and this he did.