The Bastard King (25 page)

He
would
be King of England and no one must be allowed to stop him. His brother Tostig had always been jealous of him. He would have to watch Tostig, for where he was there would be trouble; but the people wanted him for King and when Edward died – which must surely be soon – he was going to rule England.

But in the meantime he was a prisoner in the hands of the Duke of Normandy and his first concern was to extricate himself from the friendly but firm hands of the Duke and return to England where he must be ready when the moment arrived.

The Duke wished to show him Normandy; they hunted together; in the castle they talked of their battles and they worked them out on the table, Harold showing how he had defeated the Welsh, William giving an account of his battles against the French. Pleasant days and companionable evenings, but Harold was restive and uneasy, and most of all perhaps when he was left with Matilda. William retired early. He
was a man who was wide awake at dawn when most other men were drowsing in their beds, but at an early hour in the evening he would wish to sleep. Harold would be invited to sit with Matilda and those evening sessions were a mystery to him. She would sit opposite him, leaning forward to show finely formed breasts, her long hair often released from its plaits. She was an attractive woman and he was as susceptible as most; he was yearning for his swan-necked Edith and he knew of course that there was some deep-rooted and detrimental motive in Matilda's mind.

Matilda enjoyed these sessions. She was attracted by Saxons. They had a quality which appealed to her. He reminded her in a way of Brihtric. Not only was there a similarity in these Saxons but they were both reluctant to accept the friendship she was offering; and while they acknowledged her to be an attractive woman they both made it clear that their affections were not free.

Not that she wished to indulge in any entanglement with Harold. She grew cold at the thought of William's anger. Moreover what if there was a child? How could a bastard be introduced into the family of Normandy? No, she had William's interests at heart and this man was vital to them. She was as interested in his downfall as William was, but that did not prevent her enjoying the intrigue she was building up between them.

She was attracted by his undeniable good looks and his fair beauty did appeal to her. The soft-voiced Saxon tongue was musical; the Normans did in truth seem rough by comparison. She hated the Saxons too because they would always remind her of that humiliating interview with Brihtric. After all these years she could remember it vividly when anything happened to recall it. And this man with his fair looks and soft voice reminded her of Brihtric.

Now as she bent towards him she said: ‘How glad I am that you stay and keep me company.'

‘It is a great pleasure,' replied Harold.

‘You Saxons have such beautiful manners.'

‘I am glad we please you, my lady.'

‘I cannot tell you how happy we were when we heard you were in Normandy.'

The lifting of the eyebrows, the lilt in the voice – there was something mischievously malicious about them.

‘They will be expecting me to return ere long,' he said tentatively.

‘Oh, my lord Earl, we are going to protest about that. Having you here pleases us so much. We shall not let you go easily. Depend upon that.'

Said in a friendly voice but the note of mockery was there. Nay, he thought, you will hold me prisoner here and when shall I ever get away.

‘I wish you could have seen William's face when he heard that you were in Normandy. Rarely have I seen him express such pleasure.'

‘He is a good host.'

‘And you are the perfect guest to stay up and entertain the wife of a sleepy husband. Tell me about England. I love to hear of it. It seems so close to us. I wonder if I shall go there one day? How I should enjoy that.'

‘You and the Duke must be my guests as I have been yours.'

She nodded slowly.

‘I should like our families to be joined. We have come to love you, Earl Harold. Have you noticed I have daughters?'

‘I have indeed remarked your fine family.'

‘There is nothing like healthy sons and daughters to delight the heart,' she said. ‘I remarked to William that I would like to see our families united. He agreed with me. My little daughter Adelisa – oh a child, no more – has fallen deeply in love with you. Oh, but we all have. Yet Adelisa has done so with a candid charm which the young possess. The child thinks you are like a god.'

‘I have noticed her. She is a delightful girl.'

‘I am glad you think thus highly of her. She will swoon with delight when she hears. Would it not be agreeable if our family ties were strengthened by this visit of yours?'

‘I am many, many years older than your charming daughter.'

‘You are a young man. I never saw any to compare in strength and health with you – except perhaps William. But then a wife would think thus in her husband's favour, would she not?'

‘I am sure you are devoted to his interests.'

She leaned forward, smiling at him seductively. ‘I trust I am his good wife. You have no wife, Earl Harold. No consolation can compare with the pleasures of family life.'

‘I know it,' he answered, thinking of Edith and the children and the solace he found with them when he was weary.

‘My husband would be so happy if you agreed to a betrothal between yourself and Adelisa. I think only then would he be reconciled to losing you because he would know that in truth he was only saying a temporary farewell.'

So it is an ultimatum, thought Harold. Submit to a betrothal and you may go home.

He was excited. Could that really be the implication? If he agreed to take Adelisa would they release him? It might be that William had no designs on the crown of England for himself but was seeking a peaceful compromise by making his daughter Queen of England when the time came.

If this was so there was no reason why he should not become betrothed to Adelisa. Betrothals were not binding; and if by submitting to William's proposal he could get home, then submit he must.

No one at home would consider binding any promise he had made under duress. Nor would he.

Harold rode beside William into the forest, their falcons on their wrists, the company behind them. Harold enjoyed the exercise as much as William did but he had learned that he must be on guard in the company of the Duke even when they were on some pleasure jaunt. William often chose such times to put a question the answer to which needed a great deal of care.

As they rode through the forest William said: ‘The Duchess tells me that you find our daughter charming.'

‘I find the entire family charming,' replied Harold cautiously.

‘But in particular the little Adelisa, my favourite daughter.'

Was that true, or had the child become his favourite because he had seen her as a good bargaining counter?

‘A charming child.'

‘Children grow up, my lord Earl. And how quickly! Girls are soon marriageable. I should put no obstacle to the marriage.'

‘I fear she might.'

‘The Duchess tells me you have bewitched her.'

‘The Duchess is gracious.'

‘She speaks truth. You have an unmarried sister. I would like to see her married to one of our Norman barons. Give her to the one I shall choose and in return you shall have Adelisa. Come, my lord, what say you?'

‘I should need to discuss this with my family.'

‘My lord, I know well that you are the head of that family. You do not ask your family what you should do any more than I do. Come, tell me you think the plan a good one and we will settle this matter as early as may be. I dare swear it would be necessary for you to go to England to make preparations for these marriages. Well, that is not a bad idea.'

Take Adelisa then in exchange for freedom. What could he say?

William went on: ‘I would be generous with you, my lord Earl. I will not deny that you have captivated us all with your gracious manners. My wife finds you enchanting; you have bewitched my daughter; and I feel that you are a man whom I could trust. There are few in the world, alas. It is good when one finds one.'

‘You are determined to be gracious to me.'

William leaned forward. ‘And will be more so. King Edward is ailing, is he not?'

‘He has never been strong.'

‘But of late he grows more feeble. It will not be long before he will be in his tomb. That makes me grievous sad for I love the man. Did you know, Harold, that we saw much of each other when I was a boy?'

‘I knew that he spent many years at the Court of Normandy.'

‘Happy years for Edward. He was grateful to my father and then to me. He is more Norman than English.'

‘A fact which does not please the English.'

‘But they learned to think highly of him. They think him a saint. Edward the Confessor! Why I hear that he has virtue in his hands and in touching his subjects heals them.'

‘He is greatly revered.'

‘I was in England not long ago.'

‘I remember it well.'

‘Then King Edward told me that when he died he would name me as his successor.'

There! It was out. Harold hoped that his expression did not betray him. His indignation was such as to make him choke. He had known this from the moment he had been brought into the presence of the Duke of Normandy but this was the first time it had been put into words.

Harold heard himself speaking and was not quite sure what he said. It was something like: ‘The English would not wish for a Norman king.'

‘But you are a power in the land. You are well loved. People respect you. They must always respect the wishes of their king. Edward has named me as his successor. Harold, I swear to you that if you will do all in your power to help me to the throne, there is nothing you may not ask of me.'

Harold was silent, and William pretended to take this silence as agreement.

‘As soon as Edward dies I shall land in England,' went on William. ‘Take Dover Castle and have it ready to deliver into my hands. Do this. Serve me and I promise you shall regret nothing. Your brother and nephew shall return to England. You shall be as my son, for you shall have my daughter.'

Still Harold did not speak. William did not look at him. He acted as though the matter was settled and turned his attention to his falcon.

In the schoolroom there was constant talk of the visitor. None of the children had ever seen anyone quite like him and they knew that their parents were more excited about Earl
Harold than they had ever been over any other visitor.

Robert, who rarely spoke to his little sisters, was now boasting about how he acted as page to the guest. This was indeed a sign of growing up. He stood behind his chair and waited on him. Robert as the Duke's heir had been given this task which showed how important the visitor was.

Adelisa could not stop plying Robert with questions. What did he say? What did he eat? Had he told any stories? Had he laughed or sung?

Robert replied that the visitor was different from anyone else who had come to the castle.

‘He is more handsome,' said Adelisa.

Robert conceded that. He smiled little, said Robert. He seemed sad, but he was kind to Robert.

‘He is always kind,' said Adelisa with conviction.

Richard said that he fancied Lord Harold was longing for his own home.

‘How could he be,' demanded Adelisa, ‘when we all wish him to stay here?'

‘With the greatest ease,' replied Richard with a smile.

Robert and Richard exchanged knowledgeable looks which were infuriating. They implied they knew something which was not for little girls' ears.

Eagerly she gleaned all the information she could and on one memorable day she was dressed in a gown much more beautiful than any she had ever possessed before.

Her mother came to her chamber where the maids were braiding her hair. She smiled and said: ‘You look well today, daughter.'

Adelisa smoothed the folds of her gown. ‘It is beautiful, my lady,' she answered.

Matilda turned round and examined her critically.

‘It's a pity you're so young,' she said. ‘Why couldn't you have been born four years earlier?'

‘That was a matter for you and my father to decide,' replied Adelisa demurely.

‘Ah, so you can speak up for yourself. Come with me. You are to be presented to Earl Harold.'

Adelisa blushed with confusion.

‘Oh come,' said Matilda, ‘he is but a man. You will have to stop thinking of him as some divine being.'

She gripped her daughter firmly by the arm.

‘Now we shall see whether you have learned your lessons. You will curtsy to the Earl and answer the questions he puts to you; and if you do not behave in a becoming manner in every way I myself will whip you.'

‘I will do my best,' murmured Adelisa.

‘I wish him to find you charming. If he does not, remember, it will be the worse for you.'

‘I will try to please him.'

‘If you show him you regard him as one of your grandmother Arlette's heroes you will doubtless do that.'

Matilda laughed as though something very amusing had been said and they went into the hall where Harold sat with William.

Harold rose as Adelisa entered.

‘My daughter,' said William.

Harold bowed and smiled kindly. Adelisa curtsied with as much grace as she could.

‘Our daughter is so overcome by the honour you do her that she is a little shy,' said Matilda.

Harold took her hand and for a few ecstatic moments the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen met hers in grave concern.

‘You must not be afraid of me,' he said.

‘No, my lord,' she breathed.

‘For you and I are friends.'

She smiled and all her adoration was in that smile.

‘She is by no means ignorant,' said Matilda. ‘The Duke has always set a high value on education even for girls. Her Latin is good. Quote some Latin verses, Adelisa, so that Earl Harold may see that you are no dullard.'