lose him Burgundy’s friendship but it was going to bring vast advantages to Humphrey.
‘Don’t you think I should consider myself, sweetheart?’ Eleanor replied that indeed he should for it was something which he did to perfection being so practised in that art.
He could laugh at her; she amused him; she was ambitious for him too; she wanted him not only supreme in her bed but in the field. It amused her to have a powerful lover. She wanted him to be the most powerful man in England; and he would be when he regained Jacqueline’s lands.
He had rarely been so pleased with himself. He was so proud of being Jacqueline’s husband and Eleanor’s lover.
Eleanor was with them when they left for Calais. He would not have sailed without her, so important had she become to him. She was the most erotically skilled woman he had ever known and he had known a few. The intrigue necessary to keep his liaison secret from Jacqueline excited him. He had rarely been so pleased with himself. He would lie with Eleanor usually in some secret place and when they were satiated with their lovemaking he would talk to her of his plans.
She applauded his schemes. She said when he had secured Jacqueline’s territories he could turn his thoughts to England. It would be years before little Henry could rule and there was only John over in France. He would be likely to remain occupied there for some time.
‘There is that old devil of Winchester,’ Humphrey reminded her. ‘A curse on these Beaufort relations … the lot of them. Bastards all of them.’
She laughed and nibbled his ear.
Wonderful sessions they were. On the boat together arriving at Calais, the excitement of wondering what they would find; having to travel through country where they might meet Burgundy’s forces. But there was no opposition. It was all so easy. Right to the borders of Hainault they came and there was no sign of an enemy. Instead the people came out to welcome Jacqueline. They had no love for the ex-Bishop of Liège.
Glorious days. The conquerors riding through Hainault, stopping at the houses of nobles who had nothing but a hearty welcome for them … or in truth for Jacqueline; receiving the dignitaries with Jacqueline beside him and aware – oh very much aware – of Eleanor, hovering close. And then at odd times seeking a meeting. Anywhere, anyhow! How they laughed at the strange places in which they found themselves !
Two things had become clear to him. Conquest was easy and the more he knew of Eleanor the more he realised that he could not do without her.
Easy conquest, a wife who had achieved her ambition and was happy just then to make it her sole concern, and a mistress who delighted him more every time he saw her.
What more could a man ask?
It was too much to expect that life could go on like that. Rumours came through to the effect that Burgundy was preparing to come against him and that the mighty Duke had joined forces with Brabant.
Gloucester ceased so openly to sneer at Burgundy as the rumours grew more alarming every day.
One day one of Burgundy’s messengers arrived, bringing with him the suggestion that Gloucester return at once to England and that Jacqueline go back to her husband the Duke of Brabant, and they both forgot this farce of a marriage to Gloucester.
There was a letter from Bedford too. He was urging Gloucester to take heed not only for his own sake but that of England, for Burgundy was on the point of concluding a truce with France. ‘You can guess what a blow this is to us,’ wrote Bedford. ‘We are pressed as hard as we can be and if we lose Burgundy’s support, which we shall undoubtedly do if you persist in angering him, we could be in a most unhappy position.’
Humphrey tossed his brother’s letter aside. Did John think he was going to give up all these newly acquired possessions just because he was told to?
A further letter from Burgundy affected him more deeply. Burgundy was challenging Humphrey to a
‘Don’t you think I should consider myself, sweetheart?’ Eleanor replied that indeed he should for it was something which he did to perfection being so practised in that art.
He could laugh at her; she amused him; she was ambitious for him too; she wanted him not only supreme in her bed but in the field. It amused her to have a powerful lover. She wanted him to be the most powerful man in England; and he would be when he regained Jacqueline’s lands.
He had rarely been so pleased with himself. He was so proud of being Jacqueline’s husband and Eleanor’s lover.
Eleanor was with them when they left for Calais. He would not have sailed without her, so important had she become to him. She was the most erotically skilled woman he had ever known and he had known a few. The intrigue necessary to keep his liaison secret from Jacqueline excited him. He had rarely been so pleased with himself. He would lie with Eleanor usually in some secret place and when they were satiated with their lovemaking he would talk to her of his plans.
She applauded his schemes. She said when he had secured Jacqueline’s territories he could turn his thoughts to England. It would be years before little Henry could rule and there was only John over in France. He would be likely to remain occupied there for some time.
‘There is that old devil of Winchester,’ Humphrey reminded her. ‘A curse on these Beaufort relations … the lot of them. Bastards all of them.’
She laughed and nibbled his ear.
Wonderful sessions they were. On the boat together arriving at Calais, the excitement of wondering what they would find; having to travel through country where they might meet Burgundy’s forces. But there was no opposition. It was all so easy. Right to the borders of Hainault they came and there was no sign of an enemy. Instead the people came out to welcome Jacqueline. They had no love for the ex-Bishop of Liège.
Glorious days. The conquerors riding through Hainault, stopping at the houses of nobles who had nothing but a hearty welcome for them … or in truth for Jacqueline; receiving the dignitaries with Jacqueline beside him and aware – oh very much aware – of Eleanor, hovering close. And then at odd times seeking a meeting. Anywhere, anyhow! How they laughed at the strange places in which they found themselves !
Two things had become clear to him. Conquest was easy and the more he knew of Eleanor the more he realised that he could not do without her.
Easy conquest, a wife who had achieved her ambition and was happy just then to make it her sole concern, and a mistress who delighted him more every time he saw her.
What more could a man ask?
It was too much to expect that life could go on like that. Rumours came through to the effect that Burgundy was preparing to come against him and that the mighty Duke had joined forces with Brabant.
Gloucester ceased so openly to sneer at Burgundy as the rumours grew more alarming every day.
One day one of Burgundy’s messengers arrived, bringing with him the suggestion that Gloucester return at once to England and that Jacqueline go back to her husband the Duke of Brabant, and they both forgot this farce of a marriage to Gloucester.
There was a letter from Bedford too. He was urging Gloucester to take heed not only for his own sake but that of England, for Burgundy was on the point of concluding a truce with France. ‘You can guess what a blow this is to us,’ wrote Bedford. ‘We are pressed as hard as we can be and if we lose Burgundy’s support, which we shall undoubtedly do if you persist in angering him, we could be in a most unhappy position.’
Humphrey tossed his brother’s letter aside. Did John think he was going to give up all these newly acquired possessions just because he was told to?
A further letter from Burgundy affected him more deeply. Burgundy was challenging Humphrey to a
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