Thwarted Queen (19 page)

“Yes, Your Grace,” said my lord. “If she is a girl, the duchess and I would like to name her ‘Margaret’ after you. Of course with your permission.”

The queen clapped her hands together. “Another Margot!” she exclaimed. Then she got up and started pacing. “I have another matter I would discuss with you. You know, my lord, that one of the provisions of the Treaty of Tours is that the truce holds until July 1446?”

“Indeed, my lady.”

“The King of France and I wish to bind together the royal houses of France and England. So, we propose to you a marriage between his daughter Madeleine de Valois and your eldest son.”

There was a long pause and it seemed to go on forever. Finally my lord said, “You would like for Princess Madeleine to marry Edmund?” I know he said ‘Edmund,’ my lady, because his voice rises as he gets to the end of the sentence.

Next thing I heard was peals of laughter, followed by gasps of breath. Finally the queen managed to say, “Surely,
mon duc,
you cannot have forgotten your own son’s name. I mean your eldest son, your four-year-old son called Édouard – is not so?”

Cecylee raised her hand to stop Jenet’s narrative flow. Six-year-old Nan was tapping her arm. “Mama, they are arguing again. I have told Edward not to tease Edmund, but he just laughs at me and tells me to go away.” She frowned. “Why can’t they play nicely together?”

Cecylee felt her unborn baby kick as she laughed and kissed her daughter’s soft cheek. Nan was going to be a wonderful mother. At six, she was already playing peacemaker to her brothers, trying to curb Edward’s natural exuberance so that his much quieter brother got his fair share of playthings and attention.

“Do you see what I mean?” inquired Nan, pointing.

Cecylee glanced over to see four-year-old Edward stick his tongue out as he made a large hoop roll around the room by beating it with a stick, while three-year-old Edmund stood there, balling his hands into fists and crying. She beckoned to Annette de Caux. “Take the children outside, for it is fine enough to play. And make Lord Edward share with his brother.” Edward rushed off, laughing in his boisterous way, followed more sedately by Annette, who held Edmund’s hand.

“May I stay and listen to Jenet’s tale?” asked Nan.

“No, my child,” replied Cecylee stroking Nan’s dark brown hair, which coiled down her back in soft waves. “Jenet and I have something private to discuss. But when we’re done, I shall tell you a story.”

“You won’t be long, Mama?” she called as she skipped away.

Cecylee shook her head, smiled, and turned back to Jenet.

The queen continued, “I mean your eldest son, your four-year-old son called Édouard – is not so? Your French son,
monsieur le duc
.” She pealed with laughter. “Not the other one, the three-year-old, what is his name? Edder-mund, so English. Oh, I cannot say it.”

There was dead silence from milord, but the queen seemed not to notice. She laughed again and then continued, “You know, Édouard is so
charmant
. Don’t you remember how he sang to me those songs last year? Why, he had not quite three years. And he looked so well, so handsome. Oh I think he would be the husband for the little
princesse
. She has only three years, but is already extremely pretty. I think that Édouard would want a pretty woman to be his wife, is it not so?”

There was another pause, and then I heard a deep intake of breath. “This is a great honor, Your Grace,” my lord said, spacing out each word slowly. “But I must give a little thought to it. Edward is only four years old.” His voice trailed off.

The next thing I noticed, milord was walking right past me. He disappeared in the direction of the river. I peeped around the corner to see the queen raise her eyebrows.

“This marriage has the backing of Suffolk,” she called after him.

But my lord seemed not to hear.

The queen lifted her elegant little shoulders in a shrug and turned to go indoors. However, she caught sight of me and frowned. I made a bob, as if I’m an ignorant wench who’s never seen the queen before and mumbled in English, as your ladyship instructed. She relaxed and walked off. Obviously I can’t have understood a word she said, since she and my lord have been speaking French.

As soon as she was gone, I ran after my lord, keeping a distance. He went to the river, where some women were spreading out their washing to dry. There’s a pile of wet clothing that needs attending to. So I set to, and lay it out on the bushes. It is indeed a fine day.

Meanwhile my lord stormed up and down on the strand, saying to himself, “Edmund, Edmund, I want you to be my heir.”

He was very loud, my lady. The folk by the riverside, the women with their washing, the fishermen, the tavern keeper, the barmaids, they all gaped, but one look at his fine clothing and aristocratic bearing and they left him alone. Fortunately he was ranting and raving in French, so they can’t have understood him.

I edged closer, for he was muttering to himself now. “What can I give my son? What can I give my son?” I heard him swearing under his breath, he even called the queen something I should not like to repeat. Then he struck his fists together and roared, “By Our Lady, how these women torment me.” He drew his sword and started whacking at the trees, hedges, weeds, anything that happens to be near.

Everyone edged back then.

“She told me who my eldest son was! I know who my eldest son is, but she had the temerity to tell me who my own son is!” He worked himself into quite a lather by now.

The groom appeared with my lord’s palfrey, but he took one look at him and hesitated. I signal for him to wait.

“I have it!” my lord exclaimed, sheathing his sword and panting hard. “I will make Edmund Earl of Rutland. That title belonged to the first Duke of York’s heir, and it carries prestige. It will be my way of letting everyone know that Edmund is my true heir. I will have to give that bastard something, however, to prevent gossip.” He paced up and down, rubbing his forked beard. “If I give that bastard the title Earl of March, it will remind everyone of that troublemaker, the last Earl of March, who plotted against King Henry V and succeeded in having my father executed.” He struck one hand against the other and gave a harsh bark of laughter. “My wife will have to agree, she’ll have no choice.” Suddenly, he noticed the groom standing there with his horse. He stopped dead, got onto his horse, and thundered off. We didn’t see him for the rest of the day.

Jenet paused to help Cecylee ease a cushion behind her back. She was so large now, she could scarcely move. She motioned for Jenet to continue.

“I am loath to tell you, my lady, in your condition.”

“I want to know!” snapped Cecylee.

Jenet opened a jar of ointment and massaged Cecylee’s feet.

I spent the next several days going to Cheapside, to visit the drapers, silversmiths, and haberdashers, so that I could get everything to furnish the new baby’s christening. On the evening of the fifth day, I am just returning to our lodgings when the groom mentions that an unnamed visitor was ushered into the duke’s private chamber.

I think quickly. It is nigh on vespers, evening is drawing in, and my lord has not yet returned. I go to the kitchen and bribe one of the cooks to let me wear a cap and a sack apron so that I look like a humble kitchen maid.

I pick up a tray of beer and make my way up the stairs. Keeping my face bent, I try out the local London accent on a dark-haired lady dressed in a red riding habit, sitting in a carved chair by the fireplace. She shoots me a sharp glance and then returns to her thoughts. What can Duke Richard be doing with her?

Next thing, I hear a thud of heavy steps and my lord shouting for his bath. I use the time to look quickly around the room for a suitable hiding place, mending the fire as I do so. Dipping a curtsey to the lady’s back, I make my way to a small door leading to a spiral staircase that goes back down to the kitchens. I close the door without shutting it, wedging some material from my skirts into it so that it stays open a crack. Balancing the tray on my knees I sit and wait.

Eventually my lord enters. I hear him whistling to himself as he enters the room, and then the sound ceases abruptly. Perhaps he’s been stopped dead in his tracks with astonishment.

A chair scrapes back. “My lord of York. I wanted a word with you about—a private matter.”

My lord does not reply at first. He pours himself some beer, and then sits. “Yes?” His tone is terse, like that of a military commander.

“I bring you important news, for the which you will have cause to thank me.”

My lord snorts, taking a gulp of beer.

“Your wife, Lady Cecylee—“

“What about my wife?”

“She is unusually broad-minded for such a great lady in her choice of companions.”

“My wife is my private affair,” says my lord.

“You are a great military man, Duke Richard,” replies the lady sweetly. “But you have one weakness: your lovely wife. She has you wrapped around her little finger, doesn’t she?”

The silence is taut.

“I think you should know who Lady Cecylee’s lover was. He was the son of a blacksmith.”

“No!” roars my lord. “He was a nobleman of the House of Savoy!”

“He pretended to be the Duke of Savoy’s son, but he was not. He was only a blacksmith’s son.”

“How do you know that?” shouts Duke Richard.

“He came from the village of Blay, near Bayeux in Normandy. There is a merchant from Bayeux, at this very moment, awaiting you in the Blue Swan in the village of Greenwich. He knows her lover’s family. Go you there, my lord. You will find that I tell you true.”

Jenet paused and looked down. Cecylee tapped her on the arm. Jenet sighed.

My lord thrust the door open and shouted for his horse. He banged downstairs, each footfall getting fainter with each descending step. Shortly afterward, the sound of galloping hooves floated up through the open window.

My lord didn’t return until dawn.

A while after the duke left, the door to the back stairway opened and the lady stood there, smiling down at me. It was Lady Lisette, your brother’s wife.

The tray of beer glasses rattled on my knees.

“Blaybourne,” she snorted. “What a stupid name. It’s obvious it is made up.” She signaled for me to stand and walked ahead of me back into the room.

I followed her, head held high and put the tray down on a table.

“As your lady’s sister,” Lady Lisette said to me, “I made it my business to find out more about her lover. I made some inquiries and discovered that there was a village named Blay near Bayeux. I sent my personal servant there, and he found Blaybourne’s brother. He had an interesting tale to tell.”

“My lady,” I said. “Forgive my boldness, but what you did was not well done. It was not kind.”

She slapped me. “Hussy!” she snapped. “Why shouldn’t Lady Cecylee pay for her sins? She knows she’s a sinner! Why, she’s desperate enough to send her maid to spy on her own husband!” She laughed shrilly.

I rubbed my cheek.

She stared at me for a moment, and then smiled: “Perhaps you should warn your lady.”

Chapter 19

Placentia Palace, Greenwich, London

April 28th 1446

Richard did not get much sleep for the next several days. Bad enough to have taken a lover—every time Richard imagined her in someone else’s arms, his stomach churned. But to have lied? To have slept with a peasant?

A wine cup banging on the table pulled him out of his thoughts. As he looked at it, the ruby wine sloshed out, the cup skidded, and it fell to the ground with a clatter.

A servant scurried out to clear the mess, but Gloucester waved him away, went to his fireplace, and pounded the hood with his fist. “I don’t believe it!” he roared.

Richard, Duke of York, sank back in his chair and wiped his face with the back of his hand.

A servant materialized with a bowl of water and a napkin for washing his face and hands, while another poured a full goblet of Gloucester’s best claret. Richard downed his goblet and signaled for another. He nodded for the messenger to leave. He’d forgotten about this latest piece of treachery, he’d been so preoccupied with Cecylee. Really, he sometimes felt he barely knew his own wife.

Gloucester turned. “I can scarcely believe the king would do this. The English people won’t abide it. We must go to court at once and learn the truth of the matter.”

“What is this I hear about Maine and Anjou?” roared Gloucester, striding into the king’s presence chamber, followed by York. He made only the most perfunctory of bows.