The Follies of the King - Plaidy Jean (электронная книга TXT) 📗

clear.’

‘It is gratifying,’ she answered, ‘to perceive these qualities in the heir to a great crown.’

‘He is indeed kingly in his bearing.’

‘I am eager that he should make a good marriage,’ went on the Queen, ‘and

by that I mean a happy one. I shall never forget my own arrival in a strange country and what was revealed to me when I came.’ She shuddered. ‘I want

Edward to have a little choice when it comes to his marrying. I would like him to have met his bride first and found that he was fond of her before the

ceremony.’

The Count’s heart had begun to beat fast. Was she suggesting one of his

daughters might be Queen of England? It was a dazzling prospect. He and

Jeanne wanted good marriages for their girls but happy ones at the same time and it was clear that all four girls were already a little enamoured of the handsome Edward.

He came straight to the point: ‘My lady, do you mean that you would

consider one of my daughters as a bride for your son?’

‘That was what was in my mind,’ answered Isabella. ‘I believe you would

consider it a worthy match.’

‘I will not pretend, my lady, that I should not have thought of looking so high. I have heard however that the King of England is in progress of arranging a match for the Prince with Aragon.’

‘What the King arranges will be of no moment when justice is done. It is I who will decide whom my son shall marry. When I take an army to England my aim will be to remove the villain Despensers from the King and if he protests, then it will be my duty to my son and to England to transfer the crown from the worthless father to the worthy son. Oh rest assured, my lord Count, it will not be Edward, at present King of England, who will decide whom my son shall marry.

I shall do that. My son will listen to me, not his father; and if the lady is one of his choice? believe me, there will be no difficulty.’

‘I confess,’ said the Count, ‘that your suggestion has taken me by surprise.’

The Queen bowed her head. Indeed it must have done. The future King of

England to marry the daughter of a Count of Hainault! But anything? anything for an army.

‘I should like to discuss this with the Countess,’ went on the Count. ‘She has always been most concerned about our girls’ future.’

‘Do so,’ said Isabella. ‘But remember that this happy state of affairs could only come about if I were successful in ridding the country of the Despensers.’

She did not add: And by deposing the King and setting my son on the throne.

But that was what she meant.

The Count hurried to his wife and they discussed the matter long into the

night.

‘There would never be such another opportunity,’ said the Count.

The Countess agreed. ‘Moreover,’ she added, ‘the girls are all of them

already enamoured of Edward. He is a most attractive boy. I confess I should be very proud for him to become our son-in-law. And then? the crown of

England.’

‘What if the Queen’s attempts to depose the King should fail?’

‘If she had enough men to go against him why should she fail? You know

how matters stand in England. Our friend there tell us that people are turning against the King every day.’

‘Yes, but they are really against the Despensers. If he sent them away?’

‘He never will. The weaker he grows the more he relies on them.’

‘But to be involved in a war against England? for that what it amounts to!’

The Countess was astute. ‘There is a way,’ she said. ‘You could provide the army without being personally involved.’

‘How so?’

The Queen of England wishes her son to marry one of our girls. We agree to this. You will provide the dowry which will be enough for the Queen to raise an army among our people. Then? if aught should go wrong you have merely

supplied a dowry not an army.’

The Count looked at his wife with admiration.

‘It is the answer,’ he said. They were silent for a while, both thinking how glorious it would be on the day when one of the girls became the Queen of

England.

‘It must be Margaret,’ said the Countess firmly. ‘She is the eldest and it is fitting that she should be the first to be married.’

‘It shall be as you say,’ replied the Count.

???????

Isabella and Mortimer were overjoyed. The opportunity had come at last.

‘Oh what a blessing,’ cried Isabella, ‘that the Count of Hainault has four marriageable daughters!’

Sir John was ecstatically happy because the matter had been so cleverly

arranged, and immediately set about getting army together.

The fact that the dowry provided by the Count enabled this to be paid for

was not mentioned and neither Edward nor the girls realized that marriage had been discussed.

They carried on meeting frequently and often Philippa and Edward managed

to slip away undetected when they were riding with a party.

He told her a great deal about his youth and that there was trouble at home now because of a conflict between his father and mother. Philippa was most sympathetic. She could imagine how distressing that must be. He said he would like to show her England and that when he went home and all the trouble was over he would insist on her coming there. He would enjoy showing her his

country.

‘You will be King of it one day,’ she said, her blue eyes wide with a kind of wondering admiration.

‘I shall have to wait until my father dies. I mean to be a great King, Philippa.

I am going to be like my grandfather?’

He stopped, remembering that he was repeating what had been said to him

so often and that it was disloyal towards his father. Philippa immediately understood. She and her sisters had become very interested in England since Edward and his mother had come to Hainault and they asked a great many

questions about England. They had gleaned that there was something unusual about the King of England but they did not know what.

‘He is not like your father,’ the Countess had said firmly and left it at that; but she had implied that there must be something very wrong with someone who was so emphatically not like their father.

With Sir John’s exuberance and the determination of the Queen and Roger

de Mortimer the army was ready in a very short time.

The day came when they must leave.

The four girls, all saddened by the departure of the young Prince, stood

beside their mother as the Queen took a fond farewell of them and said that she would never, never forget the kindness she had received from the Count and her dear cousin in her hour of need. She embraced the girls and at last it was Edward’s turn.

He stood before them, startlingly handsome, looking as some noted; already a king.

He took leave of the Count and Countess and then turned to the rosy-

cheeked girls.

He was telling them how much he had enjoyed his stay with them, how he

would never forget their kindness, when he saw that the tears in Philippa’s eyes had started to flow down her cheeks; and then suddenly before she could stop herself she was, sobbing bitterly.

The Prince went to her and laid his hands on her shoulders.

‘Do not weep, little Philippa,’ he said, but she had covered her face with her hands. Then he said: ‘Look at me.’

She lowered her hands and he said: ‘We shall meet again. I promise you.’

The Countess had laid her arm about her daughter’s shoulders while the

Queen thought how informal they were in Hainault. She was glad that Philippa had been so overcome. It was most affecting.

But she was eager to be away.

She had her armies? two of them? the English contingent led by Mortimer

and the men of Hainault by Sir John. She was all set for conquest.

THE QUEEN’S TRIUMPH

THE Queen and her armies had arrived at Dort where they embarked on the