A King's Betrayal (33 page)

Ruth brought her a gown of pale blue silk embroidered with silver.  It had long sleeves that hung to a point at the wrist and was sewn with beads at the waist and the hem.  There was also a short surcote to go over it, which was trimmed with miniver at the front and on the hem.  The material of the gown was as fine as the one Mistress Soames had given her, and Beth stroked it with reverent fingers.  She looked at Ruth, who was wearing a simple gown of grey silk, obviously good quality but nothing compared to the gown she’d been given.

             
‘Are you certain Sir William said this beautiful gown was for me? ‘Tis fine and must have been costly.’

             
‘Yes, of course.  I believe he brought it with him from France – it is a part of your marriage portion. As are these beautiful boots you will wear for riding.’ Ruth showed her a pair of long boots in red leather.  ‘But these slippers are for in the house.’

             
‘My marriage portion?’  Beth stared at her, feeling a tingling sensation at her nape.  She slipped her feet into the soft slippers, which were made of velvet with leather soles and fitted her as if they had been made for her.  They felt strange for she had seldom worn shoes on her feet. Her nerves were tingling as she considered Ruth’s words.  Had Sir William been so sure of her answer that he’d told Ruth and her mother she was to be his bride?  ‘I did not know I would have one,’ she finished lamely, as Ruth looked surprised.

             
‘Every bride should have her portion when she weds,’ Ruth said and a look of sadness came to her eyes.  ‘I put things by for my dower chest every year from my eleventh birthday, and because of that I am not penniless, but when my father died his cousin took the house and gave us barely enough to live on.  My father had thought to give me my wedding gift before I was wed and did not make provision in his will.  My mother has only her endowment, which is little enough for her – and the knight I was to marry reneged on our betrothal.  He said it was done in childhood and he had not given his consent – and then he wed an heiress. A woman twice wed and some years older than himself.  She had land, goods and chattels worth more than five hundred gold florins and that is why he preferred her over me.’

             
Beth gasped for she could not even comprehend so much coin.  Gold coins were often foreign for the English coinage was more usually silver and counted in pennies, which made it heavy to carry; there were gold coins, nobles or florins minted in England, though Beth had never seen one.  She had heard it said that King Edward 111 had minted beautiful gold coins of such high value that people melted them down rather than exchange them for face value.  Five hundred gold florins was a huge sum and to Beth it seemed impossible that a woman could own so much.

             
‘That was a lot of money, yet he was still a fool for a woman as kind as you, mistress, is worth more than all her goods and chattels.’

             
Ruth smiled and shook her head. ‘I fear Michael did not feel as you do, Beth.’

             
She lifted the silken tunic over Beth’s head.  It slithered over her hips and fitted her perfectly.  Ruth handed her a fine leather girdle worked with silver, which she tied in the front. Then she looped a chain of heavy gold links in Beth’s hair, making a coronet of her plait around her head.

             
‘You look as fine as a princess now, Beth.’

             
‘I am merely a woman of the woods,’ Beth said and looked at her uncertainly.  ‘It was unkind of your betrothed to treat you thus, Ruth.  You must have been sad.’

             
‘I liked Michael well enough but I did not love him.  However, I should have had my own house and children – now I am little more than a poor relation that must serve for my keep.’

             
There was a slightly bitter note in her voice.  Beth looked at her in surprise.

             
‘Sir William told me you were his cousins and his guests.’

             
‘Yes, he has been very kind, but the position is the same.  Mother feels it more than I, of course.  She was mistress of the house and now she will be merely one of your ladies, Beth – as shall I, though I may marry in time.  Perhaps a burgher or a yeoman farmer would take me for what little I have.’
             

             
‘Would your cousin not give you a dower?’ Beth asked.  ‘How much do you need to find a good husband who will care for you?’

             
Ruth shook her head.  ‘I cannot ask.  William made it clear when we came here that he wished us to serve his wife as her ladies, and we agreed.’

             
‘Oh…’ Beth was puzzled and alarmed.  If Sir William had said that he must have made up his mind to take a wife long before he told her of his intentions.  She was not certain how she felt for it was so much more than she had expected.  Had he made her his whore she would have understood that their relationship was for a short time only, but if she wed him she must spend all her life here at the castle.  ‘You should ask, tell him that you wish to wed.  He might do something to help you.’

             
‘Mother has forbidden it.  She says we must wait and see what fortune brings us, that perhaps he will not wed you in the end.   I do not understand her.  Surely she must know that Sir William truly loves you?  It does not matter that you are of the common folk.  I am of good family but plain. You are truly beautiful in that gown, Beth. I know that William prefers you.’

             
‘Am I beautiful?’  Beth frowned.  ‘I have seen my reflection vaguely when the moon shines on the water in the pool; it shows me an outline but not what my face looks like.’

             
‘You have a short straight nose, a pretty mouth that is naturally pink and a firm chin.  Your eyes are a greenish blue and your hair – but you know the colour of your hair.’ Ruth smiled.  ‘But there is no need to tell you.  I have a small mirror, which hangs from my chatelaine.  Here, look at yourself, Beth.’

             
Ruth unfastened a small round object and handed it to her.  Beth looked at the shiny surface and gasped as she saw a woman’s face surrounded by red-gold hair. 

             
‘Is it magic?’

             
Ruth laughed.  ‘No magic but a mirror.  I purchased it from a perfumers’ shop when I bought musk and ambergris, nutmeg and some tweezers to pluck my brows.  I could do yours for you one day, if you wish.?’

             
‘Is that really me?’  Ruth nodded.  ‘I look nice – do you not think so?

‘You are truly lovely. Surely you must know it?’

‘I did not know the colour of my eyes, more green than blue.’  Beth sighed.  ‘My child’s eyes are blue and her hair is like silver rather than gold – as moonlight.’

             
‘She sounds beautiful?’

             
‘She is truly so,’ Beth agreed and a tear trickled from the corner of her eye.  ‘If she is lost or – dead, I think it will break my heart.’

             
‘To lose a child is a sad thing, especially if it be a male child.  Had any of my three brothers lived they might have inherited Father’s land and they would surely never have turned us out of our home.’

             
‘I am sure they would not.  They must have loved their mother and you.’

             
‘You are a sweet lady,’ Ruth said and smiled.  ‘I shall not resent serving you, though my mother may.  You will forgive her if she does not smile at you, Beth?  She had hopes that Sir William would wed me until he brought you here.’

             
‘Perhaps he might if I went away?’

             
‘No, I do not think so.  Besides, I do not truly wish to marry him.  Now that I am no longer the daughter of a rich lord, I consider that I may marry where I wish.  A wealthy merchant would do well for me – if he loves me and I love him.’

             
Beth nodded but she was thoughtful as she went down the twisting stone stair of the tower to the great hall below.  It was a large room, built with thick columns of stone to support its vaulted ceiling, which was made of wood painted with red, blue and gold.  The paintings depicted scenes of battles, what looked like babies with wings, to Beth, and the sign of the golden rose twined with ivy, which was Sir William’s family crest.

             
‘What are they called?’ Beth asked Ruth, pointing up to the half naked children.

             
‘They are cherubs,’ Ruth said.  ‘And the man with wings is an angel.  Have you not seen such things before?’

             
‘No, I do not believe so – I think I recall a book with some pictures but I cannot recall them.’

             
‘The pictures will be woodcut prints I dare say.  Someone once told me that the skill was begun many centuries ago in the Far East and the method is used for making patterns on silk.  It was only in the last century that such prints were used on paper in this country and the manuscripts bound in leather. I have heard of such a book but never seen one.  All books are rare and expensive, of course, some cost as much as fourteen shillings.  It is because they take the scholars so long to complete. I think Sir William has only his bible, as has my mother.’

             
‘Common-folk never see a book except in church and most cannot read or write their name.’

             
‘No, that is a pity.  Not everyone can read their letters of course.  I was taught when I was young. My father had a book of hours as well as some religious pamphlets, but he did not care for reading much.  I read all he had but there were not enough for me.  It is a passion with me, an indulgence that some might call a sin, for a woman' s time should be spent in caring for her home and husband.’

             
‘I have seen the Bible the priests use in the church,’ Beth said, wrinkling her brow in thought.  ‘I think there were books at the castle where I lived once…before Marthe found me.’

             
‘She was not your mother?’  Beth shook her head.  ‘Do you know who your real mother was?’

             
‘No.  Sometimes I see a lady in my dreams.  She is beautiful and she smells wonderful.  I think it was she that taught me my letters but it was so long ago and I have forgotten. I believe I lived in a castle much like this, but it may be just a dream.’

             
‘How did Marthe come to find you?’

             
‘She says we had to run away.  She always said there were wicked men who looked for us.  If they had found us they would have killed us.’

             
‘Did they ever come looking for you?’

             
‘No – at least there was a dog who snarled and huntsmen in the wood near…the Marches.  I think Marthe said that we would never be safe in the Marches but I do not know what that meant.’

             
‘The Marches are the borderlands between England and Wales.  Perhaps you came from Wales, Beth.  There is something in your voice – a faint lilt at times.  Yes, perhaps Marthe brought you to England.  Perhaps to save you when the castle was attacked.’

             
‘I think there were men…men who abducted me and something happened in a clearing in the woods.  I see it in a dream sometimes.  I believe they raped a woman and she screamed over and over again.  She might have been my mother.  I do not know.  It is only a fragment…a dream I had when I was a child. I am not sure if any of it really happened.’

             
‘You should ask Sir William to make inquiries for you.  Many castles were attacked when the Welsh people rose up against the English after King Henry 1V took the throne from Richard. King Richard’s supporters continued to make trouble even after his death and there were uprisings against the throne, by Owain Glyn Dwr and others.’

             
‘Mistress Soames told me some of those stories before she became too ill. Her husband fought for the Welsh prince.’

‘You must have been a small child when the fighting was going on – but there was much unrest then for the King took reprisals against the people when they were forced to surrender.  My father said that Henry 1V was generous and loyal to his friends but ruthless to any that opposed him.  They were lawless times indeed.  I think that perhaps Marthe ran away with you in order to save your life.’

             
‘Yes, perhaps,’ Beth said and then saw that Sir William was coming towards them.  He was smiling and nodded as his gaze went over her, as if well satisfied with what he saw.  ‘I must thank you for such a beautiful gown, my lord.’  She sank into a respectful curtsey, as if she had done it all my life.  ‘You have a fine hall.’

             
‘I thank you, my lady,’ he said and there was a warmth in his eyes that made her tremble.  There was such hunger in his eyes.  ‘Pray take my arm and we shall go to supper.  Ruth may take one place down at table tonight for I would have you sit close to me, Beth.’