laughed. “Your earnestness delights and instructs me as always.” He drew her into a hug. “Good-bye, Nelly. Where is Hugh? Traveling as ever?”
“No. He is back at court for the moment.” She frowned, for Hugh had greatly irritated her that fall by borrowing her carts and sumpter horses without warning, forcing Eleanor's elderly chamberlain to scramble about to hire some for her own travels with the queen. Isabella had had a great deal to say about Hugh's presumption, and Eleanor had found herself agreeing with much of it. Even after the horses and carts had arrived back in their designated place in the royal stables, and Hugh had apologized, Eleanor still remained a little piqued.
“Someday, my dear, you and I will have a chat about Hugh's travels, but not today. If I run into him abroad, I shall tell him you have taken a French lover and have no need of him.”
“Piers!”
“Very well. A plain old Englishman.” He turned to embrace Margaret again, then the king, and turned to board his ship. Only when its sails went out of sight did the three of them turn away. Eleanor could see from the king's and Margaret's slumped shoulders that they were both dejected; what surprised her was how dejected she was herself.
Immediately after Christmas, Eleanor and her father-in-law were summoned to attend the king in York. Eleanor was disappointed, for life at Loughborough had been extremely agreeable. Philip's health had improved so much that he had married, and he and his new bride had come for the holiday festivities. Isabel de Hastings, whose second son had been born a few months earlier, did not visit, but sent good reports of her family; she and her husband had just returned from Gascony. Margaret le Despenser came home from some great house where she had been improving her manners and conversation, as was the custom among girls her age, and all at Loughborough agreed that she was duly improved. Hugh the elder had his eye out for a match for her.
Hugh her husband was there too, of course. It had snowed a few days before Christmas, and he and Eleanor and their three-year-old son had had a delightful time throwing snowballs at each other. Even Margaret had temporarily abandoned her fine manners to join in, ganging up with little Hugh and his nurse against his parents. Eleanor had been freezing cold afterward, and Hugh had taken her inside and helpfully removed her sodden clothes, which had led to an even more delightful time. She'd then forgiven him entirely for so highhandedly taking her sumpter horses.
“York!” she asked now. “Why York, this time of year?” Hugh the elder said, “It can mean only one thing, my dear. He is bringing Gaveston back to England.”
“York! This time of year! We just came from York. I do not intend to go back there.” Isabella looked around her at the comforts of Westminster, where she and the king were spending Christmas. “I will not go there.”
“Then you may stay. I go to York.”
“Edward. You cannot be contemplating having that Gaveston return.”
“I am not contemplating it. My messenger has already given Piers his instructions. He is to make his way to York immediately.”
“Edward, are you mad?”
“Certainly not. Only a madman would consent to be treated the way I have been treated, being told whom I can have around my own court. Do you think for an instant my father would have tolerated this? I did a short while, but 'tis past.” He glanced at his seething young wife. “But there is no need for you to hurry, as you may join us at York at your leisure. We shall travel slowly too, for we must stop at Wallingford and bring my niece Margaret with us. Traveling with a pregnant woman will slow us down, but Piers will like to see his child, and Margaret is of hardy stock. Piers's old nurse, Agnes, and Lady Despenser shall go with her.”
“You take my own lady now, without informing me?”
“I am informing you now, Isabella, and is it not
“No. He is back at court for the moment.” She frowned, for Hugh had greatly irritated her that fall by borrowing her carts and sumpter horses without warning, forcing Eleanor's elderly chamberlain to scramble about to hire some for her own travels with the queen. Isabella had had a great deal to say about Hugh's presumption, and Eleanor had found herself agreeing with much of it. Even after the horses and carts had arrived back in their designated place in the royal stables, and Hugh had apologized, Eleanor still remained a little piqued.
“Someday, my dear, you and I will have a chat about Hugh's travels, but not today. If I run into him abroad, I shall tell him you have taken a French lover and have no need of him.”
“Piers!”
“Very well. A plain old Englishman.” He turned to embrace Margaret again, then the king, and turned to board his ship. Only when its sails went out of sight did the three of them turn away. Eleanor could see from the king's and Margaret's slumped shoulders that they were both dejected; what surprised her was how dejected she was herself.
Immediately after Christmas, Eleanor and her father-in-law were summoned to attend the king in York. Eleanor was disappointed, for life at Loughborough had been extremely agreeable. Philip's health had improved so much that he had married, and he and his new bride had come for the holiday festivities. Isabel de Hastings, whose second son had been born a few months earlier, did not visit, but sent good reports of her family; she and her husband had just returned from Gascony. Margaret le Despenser came home from some great house where she had been improving her manners and conversation, as was the custom among girls her age, and all at Loughborough agreed that she was duly improved. Hugh the elder had his eye out for a match for her.
Hugh her husband was there too, of course. It had snowed a few days before Christmas, and he and Eleanor and their three-year-old son had had a delightful time throwing snowballs at each other. Even Margaret had temporarily abandoned her fine manners to join in, ganging up with little Hugh and his nurse against his parents. Eleanor had been freezing cold afterward, and Hugh had taken her inside and helpfully removed her sodden clothes, which had led to an even more delightful time. She'd then forgiven him entirely for so highhandedly taking her sumpter horses.
“York!” she asked now. “Why York, this time of year?” Hugh the elder said, “It can mean only one thing, my dear. He is bringing Gaveston back to England.”
“York! This time of year! We just came from York. I do not intend to go back there.” Isabella looked around her at the comforts of Westminster, where she and the king were spending Christmas. “I will not go there.”
“Then you may stay. I go to York.”
“Edward. You cannot be contemplating having that Gaveston return.”
“I am not contemplating it. My messenger has already given Piers his instructions. He is to make his way to York immediately.”
“Edward, are you mad?”
“Certainly not. Only a madman would consent to be treated the way I have been treated, being told whom I can have around my own court. Do you think for an instant my father would have tolerated this? I did a short while, but 'tis past.” He glanced at his seething young wife. “But there is no need for you to hurry, as you may join us at York at your leisure. We shall travel slowly too, for we must stop at Wallingford and bring my niece Margaret with us. Traveling with a pregnant woman will slow us down, but Piers will like to see his child, and Margaret is of hardy stock. Piers's old nurse, Agnes, and Lady Despenser shall go with her.”
“You take my own lady now, without informing me?”
“I am informing you now, Isabella, and is it not
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