The Lion of Justice by Jean Plaidy Page B

leaving no heir – which he certainly would not do – Henry could be King.
    Edith lifted her eyes and looked into his face. Never, she thought, had she seen a man so perfect. He was neither tall nor young; he must be ten years older than she was; but there was a gleam in his eyes when they met hers which showed his appreciation of her.
    â€˜I am pleased that I came,’ he said, his eyes studying her intently as though he were trying to probe what lay beneath the black robe. ‘Come, let us sit down and we will talk together.’
    William Warren was not looking very pleased. But he accompanied Henry and Edith to the window seat. Eustace and Mary followed them.
    The nuns sat some distance from them, their eyes watchful.
    Henry said, ‘You may leave us.’
    â€˜My lord,’ stammered one, ‘it is the wish of the Abbess and the rule of the Abbey . . .’
    He waved his hand.
    â€˜We will change that rule,’ said Henry. ‘Pray leave us.’
    â€˜My lord, the Abbess . . .’
    â€˜It is not the Abbess who commands now,’ he said.
    They hesitated and looked at each other and then, curtsying, retired.
    He laughed, and Edith realized how little laughter there had been in her life.
    â€˜Now,’ he said, ‘the watchdogs have gone.’
    â€˜I should like to see you deal with the old dragon herself,’ commented Eustace.
    â€˜It may well be that I shall have that pleasure,’ replied Henry.
    He was smiling at Edith. ‘It grieves me,’ he went on, ‘that you should be imprisoned in this place. You are worthy of a better fate. And those black robes . . . but let me consider. They are so ugly that they draw attention to your fairness by the very contrast.’
    No one had ever paid Edith compliments before. She flushed with pleasure. She knew what was happening. She had had dreams. She knew now why she had so feared Alan; she knew now why handsome young William Warren had not appealed to her.
    There was only one man in the world to whom she could happily go. It was strange that she should only have had to look at him to realize this. It was love, she supposed. At least she knew that nothing so completely exciting and exhilarating had ever happened to her before.
    Eustace and Mary were deep in conversation. It was amazing what a difference the restraint imposed by watchful eyes could have.
    â€˜Tell me what you do here,’ said Henry. ‘How do you pass the days?’
    â€˜In prayer and work.’
    â€˜A Princess should not work, nor should she spend over-much time on her knees. Devotions should be brief. Do you not agree with me, nephew?’
    William Warren mumbled that he supposed the Prince was right.
    â€˜I hear the Abbess is a stern jailer,’ went on Henry, leaning towards Edith.
    â€˜â€™Tis so.’
    â€˜That such a lady should be so imprisoned! It angers me. Does it not anger you, William?’
    â€˜It shall not always be so,’ said William almost defiantly.
    â€˜Nay,’ replied Henry, smiling into Edith’s eyes, ‘we must be assured of that.’
    â€˜It is for that purpose that I am here,’ replied William.
    â€˜So I understood, and because of this, nephew, I accompanied you.’
    â€˜The King approves my coming,’ William reminded the Prince.
    â€˜Ay, and his consent will have to be given if you would succeed in your endeavours,’ said Henry.
    â€˜â€™Tis so,’ replied William defiantly, ‘and that of no one else.’
    â€˜Certainly not mine.’ He turned to Edith with a wry smile. ‘My brother does not love me greatly. Nor I him.’
    â€˜I am sorry to hear it,’ replied Edith.
    â€˜Do not let sorrow dim the brightness of those eyes. It grieves me not at all. As you know I am the youngest of the family. It is not good to be a younger brother. My father knew this well. He left Normandy to my brother Robert and