course.’
‘Bring her here. Let her be of our household. Would that please you, Catherine?’
‘It is good of you, my lord.’
‘Philippa did so much for us, we must do something for her.’
He was wondering if he could do something for her children also. He would of course. But he would have to think carefully of that.
‘Catherine,’ he said, ‘I never dreamed there was a woman in the whole world who could please me as you do.’
Chapter IV
THE CASTILIAN MARRIAGE
J ohn rode out to Windsor and presented himself to the King.
The sight of his father shocked him. Edward’s character seemed to have changed completely since the death of the Queen. He now had no reason to hide his relationship with Alice Perrers and the signs of debauchery were marked on his face. The blue eyes once so bright were dull and there were deep shadows under them; the strong mouth had slackened.
By God, thought John, he looks what he has become – an old lecher.
Alice sat beside him. It is true then, thought John, she scarcely lets him out of her sight. He is quite unbalanced. He must be to allow a woman like that to share in his councils with his ministers – and all because she insists! How could a man like his father – great Edward, hero of Crécy, sink so low. And all because of this woman!
But although Edward had prided himself on being a faithful husband who deplored promiscuity at his Court there had always been a latent sensuality in him which was straining to emerge. There had been rumours about his efforts to seduce the Countess of Salisbury; it had even been said that he had cast his eyes on Joan of Kent and there was that incident of the garter to suggest it might be true. Now it seemed, that since he had become a widower he had convinced himself that there was no need to conceal this side of his nature and it had broken free of restraint. Alice Perrers no doubt had determined that it should be so.
He bowed to his father, then to Alice.
She inclined her head and smiled at him, almost triumphantly as though to say: I know you don’t think I should be here but here I am and here I stay.
On her finger was a magnificent ruby ring which he recognised as his mother’s. So it had come to that. She was now in possession of the Queen’s jewellery.
She saw his eyes on the ring and she lifted her hand to her face that he might see it better – a triumphant insolent gesture.
‘Welcome, my son,’ said the King. ‘It is a sad return for you to find dear Blanche no more.’
John was aware of Alice’s mocking glance. It was almost as though she knew of his encounter with Catherine.
‘I could not believe it when I heard,’ he said. ‘I was overcome with grief.’
‘She was a fine woman and a good wife to you. I was glad to see you so satisfactorily settled.’
‘It was a fine marriage,’ put in Alice. ‘Look what it brought my lord. It made him the richest man in the kingdom next to you … my King.’
John would have liked to order her out of his presence but the King was smiling fatuously. He patted Alice’s hand.
‘Yes, yes,’ he said, ‘a good marriage. It makes it all the more sad that the plague took her. And I hear disturbing news of Edward.’
‘He suffered after Nájara,’ said John. ‘He never seemed to recover his old rude health. Joan cossets him and orders him … and he accepts it.’
‘A man needs a woman to look after him,’ put in Alice, smiling benignly at the King.
‘Alice speaks truth there,’ agreed Edward.
John felt sickened. He could scarcely believe that this was his father. If he must have the woman, let him keep her in the bedchamber. How could he have her here sitting beside him flaunting the Queen’s jewels. He was completely bemused by her. She did what she would with him.
Why? Why? She was a woman of no breeding. Fit only for the beds of serving men. And the King … Great Edward … Oh, it was unbelievable! And yet he recognised that inherent sensuality.
‘Bring her here. Let her be of our household. Would that please you, Catherine?’
‘It is good of you, my lord.’
‘Philippa did so much for us, we must do something for her.’
He was wondering if he could do something for her children also. He would of course. But he would have to think carefully of that.
‘Catherine,’ he said, ‘I never dreamed there was a woman in the whole world who could please me as you do.’
Chapter IV
THE CASTILIAN MARRIAGE
J ohn rode out to Windsor and presented himself to the King.
The sight of his father shocked him. Edward’s character seemed to have changed completely since the death of the Queen. He now had no reason to hide his relationship with Alice Perrers and the signs of debauchery were marked on his face. The blue eyes once so bright were dull and there were deep shadows under them; the strong mouth had slackened.
By God, thought John, he looks what he has become – an old lecher.
Alice sat beside him. It is true then, thought John, she scarcely lets him out of her sight. He is quite unbalanced. He must be to allow a woman like that to share in his councils with his ministers – and all because she insists! How could a man like his father – great Edward, hero of Crécy, sink so low. And all because of this woman!
But although Edward had prided himself on being a faithful husband who deplored promiscuity at his Court there had always been a latent sensuality in him which was straining to emerge. There had been rumours about his efforts to seduce the Countess of Salisbury; it had even been said that he had cast his eyes on Joan of Kent and there was that incident of the garter to suggest it might be true. Now it seemed, that since he had become a widower he had convinced himself that there was no need to conceal this side of his nature and it had broken free of restraint. Alice Perrers no doubt had determined that it should be so.
He bowed to his father, then to Alice.
She inclined her head and smiled at him, almost triumphantly as though to say: I know you don’t think I should be here but here I am and here I stay.
On her finger was a magnificent ruby ring which he recognised as his mother’s. So it had come to that. She was now in possession of the Queen’s jewellery.
She saw his eyes on the ring and she lifted her hand to her face that he might see it better – a triumphant insolent gesture.
‘Welcome, my son,’ said the King. ‘It is a sad return for you to find dear Blanche no more.’
John was aware of Alice’s mocking glance. It was almost as though she knew of his encounter with Catherine.
‘I could not believe it when I heard,’ he said. ‘I was overcome with grief.’
‘She was a fine woman and a good wife to you. I was glad to see you so satisfactorily settled.’
‘It was a fine marriage,’ put in Alice. ‘Look what it brought my lord. It made him the richest man in the kingdom next to you … my King.’
John would have liked to order her out of his presence but the King was smiling fatuously. He patted Alice’s hand.
‘Yes, yes,’ he said, ‘a good marriage. It makes it all the more sad that the plague took her. And I hear disturbing news of Edward.’
‘He suffered after Nájara,’ said John. ‘He never seemed to recover his old rude health. Joan cossets him and orders him … and he accepts it.’
‘A man needs a woman to look after him,’ put in Alice, smiling benignly at the King.
‘Alice speaks truth there,’ agreed Edward.
John felt sickened. He could scarcely believe that this was his father. If he must have the woman, let him keep her in the bedchamber. How could he have her here sitting beside him flaunting the Queen’s jewels. He was completely bemused by her. She did what she would with him.
Why? Why? She was a woman of no breeding. Fit only for the beds of serving men. And the King … Great Edward … Oh, it was unbelievable! And yet he recognised that inherent sensuality.
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