The Lion of Justice - Plaidy Jean (список книг txt) 📗

That prophecy should be fulfilled, Henry promised himself.

Robert of Belleme had until recently confined his atrocities to Normandy but alas, a few years earlier, he had bought the English estates of the Montgomerys and thus many castles and other property in England had fallen into his hands.

By the payment of this sum—?3,000—he had become one of the most powerful men in England as well as Normandy; and of course he would be in conflict with Henry whose new laws were aimed against such as himself.

‘I shall be the one to destroy him,’ Henry promised himself, ‘and others of his kind. We do not want them here nor in Normandy.’

He did not admit to Matilda that his hopes were not only to remain King of England but to take Normandy as well.

They were uneasy weeks. The Norman invasion was coming. He must be ready for it.

And in the midst of these preparations Matilda was brought to bed.

* * * * *

Her happiness was great when she held her child in her arms...although perhaps not quite complete, for the son for which she and Henry had longed had been denied them and they had a daughter.

Henry disguised his disappointment thinking: she is young; she has quickly shown she is fruitful. We’ll get sons in time.

She watched him anxiously from her bed.

‘Is she not perfect, Henry?’

Henry agreed that she was.

‘I prophesy that she will be as great as any boy.’

He kissed her and said, ‘We will have boys. Never fear.’

‘Yes, boys and girls. I never guessed how wonderful life could be until this child was born.’

He smiled at her tenderly, thinking how strange that a woman who could be quite astute in matters of government could be quite simple in her knowledge of human nature.

They were at Winchester where it was fitting the royal child be born and Matilda was to rest there for a week or more.

It was necessary, said Henry. She must consider her health. He wanted her to be well that she might give him more children.

She talked a great deal about the child and never once did she ask about what was happening outside her lying-in chamber. He did not tell her that he hourly expected invasion and that more and more Norman barons were deserting England and that those who remained were of doubtful loyalty.

It seemed very likely that as bloody a battle as that of Senlac might soon be fought.

* * * * *

Henry left Matilda with stern injunctions that she was not to leave her bed until it was considered wise to do so, and he joined his troops at Pevensey. Here some thirty-six years before, William the Conqueror had landed without opposition. Matilda had said how different it might have been if Harold had been there to prevent the easy landing. Well, he would be on the spot to prevent Robert and his Normans having that advantage.

As he inspected his troops he thought of all the traitors who had turned against him and his suppressed anger almost choked him. Both his father and Rufus would have given way to a furious outburst. Not so Henry. He could take vengeance but in cold blood, which was so much more effective in the end.

It was sad that brother should fight brother. He thought of his mother—another Matilda—who had had to make a terrible decision between her son Robert and her husband.

His parents had been lovers all their married life. Theirs had been an ideal relationship, but it was never the same with them after Matilda helped her son Robert against his father. William never forgot it. It would have been one of the biggest blows of his life. But it had been a wonderful partnership. Could he hope for the same from his Matilda? Hardly. The Conqueror had never had time for any woman but his wife. He had been a faithful husband. Perhaps that was the secret of the great bond between them. If it were, he and Matilda could never be so close. He wondered what she would do when she knew of the hosts of mistresses with whom he had shared his life before he met her. He had not been faithful since the marriage. How could he be when he was away so much? It was against his nature. Women and the chase...they were necessary to him, and no matter what was at stake he could not give either of them up. That was his weakness. His calm judicial mind saw it clearly.

And Robert...Robert was a fool. Robert had been a fool throughout his life. Their father had been aware of it; that was why he and Robert had been enemies, mortal enemies. Robert should never have had Normandy. His father had known that too, but it was a long standing promise which he had made to their mother and so he fulfilled it. Robert was doomed to failure. He was unfit to govern. He had made mistakes everywhere. It was only that charm of his which saved him from utter disaster. It always came to the surface in crucial moments. He had friends who loved him and helped him. He had found a rich woman to marry that he might redeem Normandy. It had always been thus with Robert but that did not mean it always would be.

No matter how strongly he came against him, he was going to defeat him.

Robert was not going to be the King of England. That honour was reserved for Henry. And, God willing, Robert should not long retain Normandy, for that was to be Henry’s too. Their father would approve. What would he be thinking, looking down from heaven, of the terrible state of anarchy to which men like the Bellemes had reduced Normandy? He would approve of Henry’s rule in England; he was the king he himself would have instituted.

The spirit of my father will be with me today, thought Henry.

A messenger was brought to his tent. He was disordered and muddy and one look at his face showed that he had ill news to impart.

‘My lord King, the Duke of Normandy has landed.’

‘Where, by God!’

‘At Portsmouth. Piloted into the harbour by the fleet. They are marching to Winchester.’

* * * * *

Robert surveyed his troops as they re-formed after the landing. Ranulf Flambard, who had done much to organize the expedition, was beside him. He was exultant.

‘We cannot fail, my lord,’ said Ranulf. ‘We have completed without opposition the most difficult part of the operation. Our spies have done well. Henry is waiting to receive us at Pevensey. Now to Winchester.’

‘To Winchester! said Robert.

‘A rather amusing turn to affairs.’ murmured Ranulf. ‘The Queen is lying-in there. She has given birth to a daughter.’

‘A daughter! My niece!’ Robert smiled. ‘And lying-in at Winchester! Well, then we cannot march to Winchester.’

‘My lord?’

‘Nay.’ said Robert, ‘for if the Queen is lying-in she would be disturbed by soldiers in the town, Moreover it might be difficult to control them. What if they broke into her lying-in chamber?’

‘So much the better.’

Robert looked with distaste at Ranulf. He had to admit that the man was clever and he had been eager to make use of his services when he had arrived in Normandy. He had been of great use for he knew by first hand what was to be expected in England. Having served Rufus in such an intimate manner he was well acquainted with the state of affairs in England. He could not have had a better guide. When Ranulf had arrived in Normandy, slightly crippled by his fall from the rope when escaping, his hands swathed in bandages because when he slid down the rope the skin had been peeled from them, he had seemed the perfect minister. He had suffered much to come to Normandy; he must believe Robert’s cause was just to endure so much in his service, but now Robert clearly saw him as an insensitive oaf.

The fact was that Robert had been feeling more and more uneasy as he approached England. Brother against brother. It was not a situation he enjoyed. He had never been on good terms with Rufus, but he had always deplored it. And Henry was their younger brother, the one who had been left with very little. Their father had said that Henry would one day have more than either Robert or Rufus. He wondered what their mother would be thinking if she could know that they were preparing to go into battle against each other.