The Hammer of the Scots (15 page)

The Demoiselle awoke each morning to a sense of desolation. She longed to know what was happening in Wales and how Llewellyn had received the news of her capture. She found the Queen sympathetic. Like everyone else she drew comfort from that warm and kindly personality. The Queen would sit at her tapestry, for she loved to work on it. She it was who had started the fashion for hanging tapestries on walls and they certainly gave warmth and colour to an apartment. The Queen was growing larger every week and her time would soon come. She did not speak of her coming confinement in the Demoiselle’s presence for she feared it might bring home to the poor girl that she was being denied the sort of comfort which she herself enjoyed.

The Queen Mother was less tactful. She made it clear that she did not approve of the Demoiselle’s being treated as an honoured member of the family. She had mentioned this to the Queen, who made one of her rare stands against her mother-in-law as she would occasionally when she thought some matter of kindness or sympathy to a bereaved person was involved.

‘My lady,’ said the Queen, ‘the Demoiselle is Edward’s cousin. You are her aunt by marriage. She
is
therefore a member of our family.’

The Queen Mother’s eyes narrowed. ‘She is the daughter of the greatest enemy my husband ever had.’

‘She is also the daughter of his sister.’

‘If you could only know what we suffered through Simon de Montfort you would understand. It was her brothers who murdered dear Henry of Cornwall … Edward’s cousin and greatest friend.’

‘But she was not responsible.’

‘I cannot endure to look at her.’

The Queen could only shake her head sadly. If the Queen Mother could not endure the sight of the Demoiselle then she must stay away from where the girl was.

The Queen Mother raged. How different from the days when Henry was alive. Then the Demoiselle would have been sent away from Court. Nothing would have been allowed to offend Henry’s beloved Queen.

The Queen was sorry that she had to disappoint her mother-in-law but she felt at this stage that the poor little Demoiselle was in greater need than that domineering lady who could, alas, only see life as it affected herself.

The Queen Mother consoled herself by going to the schoolroom and spending a little time with her dear granddaughter – such an attractive girl – and darling Alfonso whom she loved, although he gave her such qualms of anxiety.

She was, however, not going to allow the matter to rest, and she thought that it would be better for the Queen if she realised that her soft attitude towards the family’s enemies was not a good one and that she would be well advised at times to forget her ever-ready sympathy and listen to sound common sense.

She waylaid Edward. He was not very easy to confront these days. He was very concerned with the Welsh matter. Llewellyn was incensed of course to have lost his intended bride and was out to make trouble. Edward had sent up a force in preparation, but he was very disturbed and it rankled with him that he could not be with his armies there, because affairs kept him for the time in London.

‘My dear son,’ she said, ‘do you think the Queen is at ease?’

Edward looked startled. ‘She is well, is she not?’ he asked anxiously.

She had aroused him from his Welsh concerns. He really cared about his wife. Such a meek woman! She would have thought he would hardly be aware of her except as a bearer of his children, but she supposed he, being of an overbearing nature, was glad to have a mild creature who could say nothing but yes, yes, yes. Oh for the spirited old days when her word had been law! Henry had had
such
good sense. He always grasped her point of view immediately.

‘Oh, the child is well enough I doubt not. I pray it will be a healthy boy. But perhaps she is a little uneasy about our … prisoner, which is natural. When you think of what the creature’s father did to yours …’

Edward’s brow cleared. ‘Oh, the Demoiselle. The Queen is not concerned about her. She tells me she is a charming girl and she grows fonder of her every week.’

‘I have no doubt this Demoiselle has inherited a little of her father’s cunning. One as simple as the Queen …’ Edward frowned and she added quickly, ‘… and as tender-hearted … would see no wrong in anyone … not until it was brought home to her. Edward, the girl should be put into confinement. Why not send her to Corfe? Her brother is there …’

‘Dear Mother, this girl has done no wrong. She was sent for by Llewellyn and I have had the good fortune to intercept her. I have no quarrel with her. It is Llewellyn who is my enemy.’

‘And not the girl who would be his wife. Edward, surely you cannot mean that you do not
see
…’

‘I say what I mean,’ said Edward sternly, very much the King. More than six feet of splendid manhood looking down at her made her not so much quail as decide to change her tactics. In a way she was proud of him, as in a way he loved and admired her. But if it was a battle for power there was no doubt who was going to win. He had everything on his side now. He was the King and she knew him well enough to realise that the Demoiselle’s chances of remaining at the palace in the company of the Queen were now double those of what they would have been had she not interfered.

She sighed. ‘Well, perhaps one day you will change your mind when …’

He looked at her and that lid which fell over his eyes slightly and reminded her poignantly of his father could have added a sternness to his face but his mouth was tender.

‘If I have to change my mind, dear lady, because I am proved wrong, I should be the first to admit it.’

He was strong. If only she could have guided him as she had Henry she would have been greatly reconciled to her life.

She wanted to test his love for her.

‘Sometimes,’ she said, ‘I fancy my days of usefulness are over. Perhaps I should do what ladies of my age so often do … go into a convent.’

‘You would not like that I am sure.’

‘Would
you
like it, Edward?’

‘Dear lady, you know how I and Eleanor like to have you here. You know how the children adore you. How could we want you to shut yourself away? But if it is your wish …’

‘Well, I will tell you this,’ she said. ‘I have considered taking the veil and have been to Amesbury to look at the place.’

The King smiled. He could picture his mother entering the convent, becoming the abbess and setting up her rule there. ‘And you have decided against it?’

‘While they want to take my wealth, yes. I have no fancy to give up my possessions to a convent.’

‘Nay. You will have to get them to rescind that rule.’

‘Indeed I should before I entered such a place.’

‘In the meantime you will continue to bless us with your company?’

‘For as long as my health is good.’

She saw the little lights of alarm in his eyes. She had never been one to complain about her health. She had rather thought that people who professed bad health were in some way to blame for such feebleness.

Edward suddenly thought of his childhood when she had been the most important person in his life. She had been love, security … everything to him. He would never forget. He loved her deeply and nothing could change that love, and even though he would not brook her interference he could not love her any less for interfering any more than she could love him less for refusing to take her advice.

She had suffered cruelly lately. The death of her two beloved daughters had been a great shock to her. She could be hurt most through her loved ones and whatever her faults she had been the most devoted of wives and mothers.

He was at her side, taking her face in his hands, looking at her anxiously. Joy flooded her heart. Real concern. The Welsh forgotten, the Demoiselle of no importance. Even the Queen’s imminent confinement relegated to second place. There was nothing but fear for his mother.

‘My mother,’ he said quietly, ‘is there something you have to tell me? If you are ill … if you are keeping something back …’

‘My dear, dear son, I am getting old, that is all. Life has been cruel to me of late. Your father’s death killed half of me … and now God has taken my daughters. Two of them, Edward. How could He! What have I done to deserve that? But I have my sons … my most beloved King. If my old physician William were here I would see him. But no other … No, it is nothing … I am just an old woman who has suffered too much the pain of loss.’

‘Mother, I am going to send for William.’

‘Nay, son. He is in Provence I believe. It is too far. Let us forget this. I should never have mentioned it.’

‘I am sending without delay for the physician. He will be here just as soon as it is possible for him to be.’

‘Edward, my son, you have other matters with which to concern yourself.’

‘What could be of greater moment than my mother’s health?’

Sweet words. Not entirely true but sweet nevertheless.

And he was true to them. It was not long before the Queen Mother’s physician arrived from Provence.

September had come and the birth of the Queen’s child was imminent.

There was a hush over the palace. Everyone was expectant. It should be a boy. It must be a boy. The Prince Alfonso was a bright boy, but he had that all-too-familiar air of delicacy which had been John’s and Henry’s. A great deal of care was taken of him and the physicians said that if he could survive the first seven years of his childhood he could grow to a healthy man. They recalled his father’s infancy. It was difficult to believe now that Edward had ever been a sickly child. Alfonso was only two. It would be a great comfort if a really healthy boy were born.

The Queen was a little sad, wondering if some fault lay in her. It seemed strange. She had had six children – this one would be the seventh. Three of them only lived. Perhaps one should not stress too much the little girl who had been born at Acre. The circumstances of her birth were against her. Joanna had lived and thrived though, and Eleanor was a fine healthy child. It was the boys whom it was so difficult to rear. Would she ever be able to forget little John and Henry? Never! Because she blamed herself for leaving them. And now Alfonso was not as strong as he should be. She had moved them from the Tower and Westminster to Windsor which she believed to be so much more healthy. But she had to admit that Alfonso had changed little since he had been at Windsor.

She must pray for a boy – a healthy boy.

In the afternoon her pains started while she stood calmly at her window looking to the forest where the leaves of the trees were already turning to bronze, for September had come.

She calmly told one of the attendants to go to the Queen Mother’s apartment and ask her if she would come to her quickly. The woman departed with all speed and as soon as the Queen Mother looked into the face of the breathless woman she knew, and immediately went to the Queen’s apartment.

The Queen was serene. The birth of a seventh child is not like the first. She knew what to expect and she had always given birth without much discomfort.

The energetic Queen Mother gave orders sharply. Soon there was great activity in the royal apartments.

As expected the labour was not arduous, but the result was disappointing.

The Demoiselle chose a moment when the Queen Mother was absent to come into the Queen’s bedchamber to see the baby.

‘What a dear little girl!’ she said.

The Queen smiled. ‘Yes, a dear little girl.’

‘But you wanted a boy.’

‘Now I have seen her, she is the one I want.’

‘The King will love her.’

‘The King loves all his children.’

The Demoiselle nodded, her eyes were misty. Poor child, thought the Queen, she dreams of the children it seems she will never have.

‘I have heard she may be called Margaret,’ said the Demoiselle, noting the pity in the Queen’s eyes.

‘It is what the Queen Mother wishes,’ said the Queen. ‘In memory of the Queen of Scotland.’

The Demoiselle nodded and remembered that life was sad for others as well as herself.

She asked if she might hold the baby and the Queen, smiling, gave her permission. After a while the Queen said, ‘The children will want to see her. They are being brought in.’

The Demoiselle put the baby in the cradle and was prepared for flight in case the Queen Mother came with the children.

She did and the girl slipped away. The Queen Mother frowned but the children were exclaiming loudly.

‘Oh, she is only little!’ cried Alfonso in a disappointed tone.

‘Well,’ retorted the Queen Mother, ‘what did you expect her to be? Big like yourself? You are two years old remember. She is but two weeks.’

‘They said we were to have a brother,’ said the Princess Eleanor rather reproachfully.

‘God sent us a girl instead,’ the Queen answered.

‘Which,’ commented Eleanor, ‘was rather unkind of Him when He knew what my father wanted.’

‘Well, we all have to have what is sent us,’ said the Queen Mother brightly.

‘You don’t, my lady,’ retorted the Princess. ‘You have what you want.’

The Queen Mother loved Eleanor. What a bright child. If the worst came to the worst Edward would have to make her his heir. She would speak to him about it some time … perhaps not yet. It was a little tactless while Alfonso lived, but the boy did have an air of delicacy and he was so like little Johnny had been at his age; and very soon Henry had begun to go like it.