Epitaph for Three Women (45 page)

The wise thing of course was for Beaufort to try to bring about a reconciliation.

‘Perhaps you should make that attempt,’ agreed Bedford.

Beaufort was relieved. Like everyone else he was disturbed by the way everything was going in France. He knew that his old enemy Gloucester would take advantage of his brother’s discomfiture. How he hated Gloucester! A self-seeker; a man whose immediate ambitions came before everything else. He was even worse since he had made that mésalliance with his first wife’s attendant. Bedford must regain his hold on affairs in France; and there must soon come a time when he could leave those affairs to a deputy for his presence was greatly to be desired in England where Gloucester had far too much power when his brother was out of the country.

The first step was to patch up the quarrel with Burgundy.

‘I will make immediate arrangements for a meeting,’ he told Bedford.

Bedford nodded wearily. At least he could trust his uncle.

The Duke of Burgundy with a certain condescension agreed to meet the Cardinal at St Omer.

From the first moment of the meeting the Cardinal knew that he was facing difficulties and that the breach was going to be very difficult to heal.

Burgundy said that the English appeared to be losing their skill in battle. ‘It became noticeable after the siege of Orléans,’ he said. ‘If the Duke had not prevented the town surrendering to me, he would not be in such dire straits as to need an alliance with Luxembourg as a temporary measure to bolster up his strength.’

‘My lord, the Duke of Bedford deeply regrets the matter of Orléans. If it had not been for the witch …’

Burgundy shrugged his shoulders. ‘Everything is blamed onto the witch but you, my dear Cardinal, a man of experience, do not believe for one moment that a simple peasant girl could have changed the course of events.’

‘It was the effect she had on the people, not what she was, my lord, but what the French and the English believed her to be. Her influence is waning and if you two mighty lords forget these little minor irritations and are seen to be united, all that is lost will soon be regained.’

The Duke was silent. He is wavering, thought the Cardinal. God help us. It is true then … this rumour that he is thinking of breaking his alliance with us and joining with France. That would indeed be disastrous.

‘It would seem to be a most unfriendly act to marry into Luxembourg,’ said the Duke stolidly. ‘And if the Duke of Bedford regretted his act why does he not come to me in person? Why send an emissary … even one so important as yourself, Cardinal.’

‘I was not exactly sent by him, my lord.’

‘You mean he is unaware that you have approached me?’ The Duke was looking more haughty than ever. That would not do.

‘Not so, not so,’ said the Cardinal quickly. ‘He was deeply grieved by your displeasure and when I suggested I should convey that sorrow to you he did not forbid it.’

‘I see,’ said the Duke. ‘He was too proud to come himself. Let me tell you this, my lord Cardinal, if the Duke came to me in person it might be possible for us to dissolve our differences … who shall say … In the meantime …’

The Duke paused mischievously. He knew that the rumours about the feelers the French were sending out towards him would have reached the English and he could well understand their anxiety. Let them be anxious. He had never forgiven Bedford for Orléans and it had been borne home to him then more strongly that it was unnatural for Burgundians and French to be fighting on opposite sides in a war of such vital consequences. It was all very well to conduct strife between factions in the country. The feud between the Burgundians and the Armagnacs was natural enough; but to fight a war against a foreign enemy and not to stand together … Yes, it was indeed a bizarre situation.

Charles was being very meek; he was dissociating himself from the murderers of the old Duke of Burgundy. He might not have intended to murder. That could be well believed. He was a mild man, not given to violence by any means. Perhaps that should be considered.

‘It is a pity that there should be this discord,’ said the Cardinal. ‘It puts heart into our enemy even though Charles knows that you have sworn not to make a separate peace with France.’

So he had been correct in divining the Cardinal’s thoughts. They were worried, were they? It was true he had sworn not to make a separate peace with France, but he was getting very tired of Bedford’s going against him and the marriage into Luxembourg had really damaged their relationship. Anne was dead and he now no longer had to consider her. She was not there to plead with him and explain her husband’s motives. Bedford owed a lot to Anne – yet as soon as she was dead he was off with this young girl from Luxembourg.

Burgundy had no desire to mend the quarrel. It suited him well at this time to keep it going.

He knew Bedford’s pride so he made the gesture which he knew would not be accepted by Bedford.

He said: ‘If the Duke of Bedford wishes to say he regrets his actions let him come himself to tell me so.’

The interview was at an end, and the Cardinal knew that he had failed.

Would Bedford go cap in hand to Burgundy and say he was sorry? How could Burgundy ask him so to humble himself? Why should the Regent of France do such a thing even for the sake of an important ally? Burgundy knew he would not come. That was why he had asked him to.

Humphrey of Gloucester was in a rage. His brother was coming home. Eleanor was sympathetic. She knew exactly how to handle him. He had not swerved in his devotion to her, and she undoubtedly had the power to hold him. She sometimes wondered how much she had to thank Margery Jourdemayne for that, but the fact remained that with Margery’s aids and her own overwhelming sexuality she could appeal to the Duke – and what was more important, preserve his need for her – as no other woman had ever been able to do.

So far, though, she remained infertile. She could not understand it. She had paid several visits to Margery and had seen the waxen image. It looked very beautiful to her. Margery kept it in a tiny cradle lined with velvet. A beautiful article although so small. Margery said that she spoke to the image every day and she felt she was on the verge of getting a response.

‘Any day now,’ she said. But she had been saying that for months and still there was no sign of a child.

Eleanor knew that she could afford to wait a while. There were important matters always on hand and life with the Duke was never dull.

And now Bedford was coming home. She was sure he would strongly disapprove of her.

‘There’s nothing to fear from him,’ she said blithely. ‘He hardly comes home as a conqueror, does he?’

‘It is disgraceful the way he is mismanaging things in France.’

‘They should have let you handle them.’

He smiled fondly at her. She was always amazed by how childishly he responded to flattery. His military career had been without renown but he always saw himself as a great commander. She should not complain of that trait in his character. It made him more easy to manage.

‘He will probe into the way things are at home.’

‘Oh yes, no doubt, and find fault with everything.’

‘You can be sure of that.’

‘Well, let us begin by finding fault with him. That should not be difficult. You could tell the Council that you are not at all happy about the way he is conducting the war. Since he was so ignobly beaten at Orléans things have been getting worse and worse over there. A word in the ear of certain members of the Council …’

‘You are right,’ said Gloucester.

‘Most carefully dropped as you know so well how to do … dropped on fertile ground. There are many who are not over fond of your noble brother, Humphrey.’

So they talked. Gloucester said that perhaps he should offer to go to France to set matters right.

Go to France! It was the last thing she wanted. What a terrible thought! Trailing from town to town, living in camps! No, she preferred the castles and palaces of England. But there was no harm in agreeing with him. She could be sure no one would take such a suggestion seriously.

When she saw Bedford she was struck by the fact that he had aged considerably since she had last seen him. The sight of him sent little quivers of excitement running through her lively imagination. That affair of Joan of Arc had upset him more than seemed possible. And he had this merry little wife of half his age. He was still a man of distinction. He was very like his brother the late King, so it was said. He did command respect as Humphrey, bless him, never could. John was a fine figure of a man; not her taste really; no one would be able to tell him how to behave. He would never be the slave of his senses. He had been a virtuous married man with Anne of Burgundy, and now he had married this pretty little creature. But that was, of course, for Luxembourg.

No, she need have no fear that he would let Humphrey go to France; and the ageing looks of the great Duke and a certain unhealthy tinge in the colour of his skin did set her mind working.

Bedford faced the Parliament, well aware of the criticism of events in France. When things went wrong the leader was always blamed, he accepted that. He said that if any complaints against him had to be made this must be done before the King and the Parliament.

John Stafford, the Bishop of Bath and Wells, rose immediately to reassure him, saying that he and the Council had heard no such charges and that he had had word with the King who wished to add his personal thanks to those of the Parliament for the manner in which the Duke had conducted the war.

At the next meeting of the Parliament when the finances were discussed Bedford offered to give up a large part of the money paid to him for his services that it might be example to the people showing them how it was necessary to make great sacrifices in order to win great victories.

There were certain members of the Council who hinted that Bedford’s presence was needed in England. This was an indication of Gloucester’s unpopularity and Bedford was well aware of this. He had no confidence in his brother; he knew that he was rapacious and ambitious and even more so since his marriage. All the same it was quite impossible for him to stay in England, he pointed out. In view of the way in which the war was going his presence was needed over there.

Gloucester then offered to go to France in his place and he made boastful remarks to the effect that he would soon set matters to rights so that the English would be successful again.

Bedford was naturally furious at what this implied. He said that Gloucester must write down what he had said that Bedford might present it to the King.

Gloucester had no wish to indulge in an open quarrel with his brother so he withdrew his remarks, and his offer to go to France was not even referred to again.

But there was a meeting of the Parliament to which the young King – now thirteen years old and solemn for his years – had to attend.

Henry was more accustomed to these occasions now and he invariably pleased the Earl of Warwick by his demeanour during such sessions. He did not tell them that his attention often strayed and he had to concentrate hard to remember what they were all talking about. But on the whole he did not find them too taxing, though of course they would become more arduous as he grew older.

Often he thought of the easy days with his mother and Owen. He wished he could see more of them. There was a certain amount of whispering about his mother and Owen. Apparently their being so much together was not considered seemly. Henry thought it must be very pleasant to be them – living quietly in the country, being together and not having to attend long dreary sessions which were intruding more and more into his life.

He listened to his Uncle Bedford droning on about the setbacks in France which had begun with the unlucky siege of Orléans. ‘Taken in hand,’ he said, ‘by God knows what advice.’ Everybody knew then that he was talking about Joan of Arc and Henry’s mind went back to that day when he had looked through the aperture and seen her. He found it hard to forget her completely and now and then the memory of her would flash into his mind.

Uncle Bedford was a very noble man – different from Uncle Humphrey he knew. Now he was saying that he would return to France and prosecute the war and that he would give up to it the whole proceeds of his estates in Normandy.

It was clear to Henry that those who had listened to the sly hints of the Duke of Gloucester were ashamed and now wholeheartedly applauded the Duke of Bedford.

A few days later he came to see Henry to say good-bye before he left for France.

‘It rejoices me to see you growing fast, my lord,’ he said. ‘Why within a few years you will be able to take your rightful place and govern this land.’

Henry was glad Uncle Bedford was pleased with him but he was not really looking forward to when the crown should become a reality instead of a terrible burden to be worn on his head on State occasions.