The Star of Lancaster - Plaidy Jean (бесплатные онлайн книги читаем полные TXT) 📗

Louis was pleased that Isabella had no wish for the match with Harry although of course if it had been expedient her feelings would not have been of paramount importance.

Louis's reply to Henry was that the King was at the moment suffering from one of his bouts of illness and it was impossible for the King's eldest daughter to be given away without consulting the King. Therefore no answer could be given at this time.

When Isabella heard she was grateful for a little respite; she believed that her father who had always been affectionate to her would listen to her pleas.

For some weeks after that Isabella lived quietly undisturbed by the visits of her would-be suitor. His father had decided that as Isabella felt so strongly about the marriage it was better to leave it for a while. In a few months it would be considered that she had reached a marriageable age and then it might be possible to perform the ceremony in spite of her objections. As yet it was too soon and Richard's death too recent.

The King of France came out of his madness as he had done on other occasions and as soon as his mental aberrations ceased he was quite normal again. His first thought was for his daughter and when he heard what was proposed for her and knew of her abhorrence for the match he decided to send the Count d'Albret with an embassy to England to see Henry and Isabella and discover what should be done. Isabella had gone to England with a magnificent dowry. If she returned to France that must come back with her and the King, like Louis of Orleans, felt that Henry's hold on the crown might not be very secure.

Isabella meanwhile had continued in some trepidation at Havering. Harry paid another visit during which she had remained cool towards him and avoided him as much as possible. He was however unabashed because he had thought that

Isabella would relent in time, but he was beginning to realize that what he had at first regarded as an amusing game was a more serious matter which might end in defeat for him, for Isabella truly hated him, and was amazingly loyal to Richard. There was no doubt that she was a person of determination and unless the French were very eager for the match it might well not take place.

When the Count d'Albret arrived in England and presented himself. King Henry entertained him lavishly at Eltham. The Count said that he wished to see the young Queen to which Henry replied: 'You will find her in a melancholy state. She mourns the late King. I should not wish you to speak of him when you see her.'

*How can that be avoided, my lord?'

*If she mentions him you must indeed answer, but I insist though that you must not introduce the subject, nor must you discuss his abdication and death with her. I would need your oath on this.'

The Count replied that he had not come here to talk of w^hat was past. It was the future with which he was concerned, and he gave his promise.

The King then sent one of his guards to Isabella to extract the same promise from her. *The King is allowing the Count d'Albret to visit you,' she was told, *on condition that you do not mention the late King to him.'

Isabella was aghast. 'How can I not speak of something that is in my thoughts night and day?'

The guard replied: 'Unless you give this promise the Count will not see you. He has given his promise to the King.'

Isabella was silent for a moment. She was a prisoner of the men she hated. There was nothing for her here—nothing but memories of her beloved Richard. She must go home. It was the only place where she could find peace of mind and escape from the odious attentions of Henry and his son.

She gave her promise.

The Count arrived at Havering where he was received by Isabella in the company of the Duchess of Ireland and a few other ladies.

Isabella plied the visitor with questions about her parents. Her father was well now, she was told; and so were Dauphin Louis and his two younger brothers and her sister.

'I long to see them,' said Isabella, her tone meaningful.

*It seems, my lady, that you will do so ere long,' was the answer.

It was an implication that the King was not eager to let his daughter marry into England.

The embassy returned to France but not until it had been made clear to Henry that there should be no marriage. The King of France wished to receive his daughter back at his Court. He would, of course, require that the jewels she had brought to England should be returned to France. She was young yet but at some time it might be necessary to provide another dowry for her. Charles wanted his daughter's valuable jewellery.

Henry was not very pleased by the turn of events but he wanted no trouble with France. Isabella was young. It might be better for her to return to France and a marriage between her and Harry could well be arranged at a later date. But what of the jewellery which must go with her? Henry had distributed that between the members of his family. He could only promise to return it and informed the French that he had commanded his children to send it to him. He intimated to them that he had not told the French that the jewellery would be returned but only that he had commanded it to be; and they were not to hurry to send it to him. In the meantime certain other items were put together—silver drinking cups and dishes and tapestries which she had brought with her— and these could be sent in her baggage. Now there was no doubt that Isabella was going to return to France.

It was a beautiful May morning when she set out on her way to Dover accompanied by the Duchess of Ireland and the Countesses of Hereford and March, Lady Mowbray and a few others of slightly lower rank. Isabella looked with some emotion at the countryside which was at its most beautiful now, alive with the promise of summer. The fields were so green and the banks blue and white with germander speedwell and ground-ivy, stitchwort and meadow-sweet. As she passed woods she caught a glimpse of misty bluebells waving under trees and she thought of the first day she had set foot on this land. She remembered her trepidation, her homesickness ... and then her first sight of Richard.

She must not go on thinking of him. But how could she help it, and she knew she would never be happy again.

Henry had determined that she should be treated with the

utmost honour and she was met on the way by the Bishops of Durham and Hereford and the Earl of Somerset, who was the King's half-brother, one of the Beaufort sons of John of Gaunt and Catherine Swynford.

Isabella was insensible of the honour. She was bemused. She did not want to stay in England, nor did she wish to go to France. All she wanted was to go back in time to the day when she had first come and seen Richard. I would protect him, she thought angrily and illogically. I would never have allowed him to be murdered. I should have been with him. But it was all such nonsense. He was dead and she was alone, floating in limbo not wanting to look forward, hating to stay where she was; all she could do was look back to the bliss she had shared with Richard.

At Hackney she was met by Prince Thomas, Harry's brother, who was a year younger than he was and loathed by her because he was the son of his father. But at least he did not pester her as his brother did. She received him coldly.

The Lord Mayor and the aldermen had come out of London to greet her and to guard her as she rode into the city. They did not forget that she was Queen and they were gracious to her and reminded her of the tumultuous w^elcome she had received when she had entered this city with Richard, but she despised them all. They had stood by and allowed Richard to be murdered; they had accepted the usurper and called him King.

She was lodged in the Tower of London and there she stayed for a few days before making the journey to the coast, and it was late June before she set out. In due course she reached Dover; and when she had crossed the Channel in the company of Sir Thomas Percy, a member of that family which had played such a big part in putting Henry on the throne, she was escorted to the little town of Leulinghen which was in between Boulogne and Calais and there she was ceremoniously handed over to the Count St Pol to be conducted to her father's Court.