‘All of your children dead, I hear,’ Henry said, speaking over me to the earl. ‘Even those not at Pengraic. No wonder you are so anxious to get yourself a new heir. Losing … what was it … five sons if we count the one dead with Adelie? Such bad luck.’
The hairs were rising on the back of my neck. There was an under-conversation going on here. I could sense it, but could not understand what it might be.
‘From five heirs to none in the space of a few weeks,’ Summersete added from the other side of Pengraic. ‘The lordship of Pengraic itself hangs by the thread of a single heartbeat.’
Suddenly I realised the true purpose of this conversation, and of Henry and Summersete’s visit. Pengraic was a very wealthy man, controlling vast estates, here in the Marches as well as elsewhere in England. It was not just that he was a powerful nobleman, but a powerful Marcher Lord, almost independent of the king, controlling his own lands as if he were their king — Edmond had little power over Pengraic’s lands and wealth. It was possible, then, that Henry and Summersete had detoured to Pengraic to see what Pengraic was doing.
Or, more probably, to seize the castle and perhaps the Marcher Lordship if Pengraic had perished in the plague, too.
So much power to be seized had Pengraic been dead. The lordship could have been anyone’s. Henry’s most like, if it had reverted to the Crown.
By God, they, and perhaps even Edmond, must be whetting their lips with anticipation knowing all of Pengraic’s heirs were dead!
What disappointment Henry and Summersete must have felt, then, to see Pengraic striding about so obviously well.
I wondered what they thought of this marriage. The matter of who I was, a low-ranked woman who formerly had been grateful for her modest place in the household, was of little concern. What must be of concern was that Pengraic appeared to be set on the business of acquiring a new heir as soon as possible.
Henry had been watching my face. ‘Ah, mistress, you have just realised how important your womb is. By Jesu, all you are, truly, is a womb with limbs and a pretty face attached. No wonder the gift of the girdle, given it frames your womb perfectly. Its filling is all Pengraic cares for. When did you say the marriage was to be, Pengraic?’
It was a hateful little speech and I was mortified by it, not in the least because I suspected it held more than a grain of truth. Wasn’t that what Pengraic himself had said? You owe me a family, and you shall deliver me a new one.
‘Edmond wants you back at court, Pengraic,’ Summersete said. ‘You left Elesberie without his permission in order to return here. Now might be politic to regain your king’s favour. Marriage and bedding can wait.’
Everything about the entire night had changed. By now I was staring down at my lap (and trying not to notice that the way the girdle was tied did, as Henry had said, frame my womb perfectly). The noise of music and conversation and dogs barking from the body of the hall was strangely muted, as if it were miles away. There was only Prince Henry, Summersete, Pengraic and myself, enclosed in a sphere of hostility.
For better or worse, Saint-Valery had said, my position within the Pengraic household would draw me into the dealings of court. Now, on the eve of marriage to Pengraic, I was at the heart of it, and wishing I was anywhere but here.
‘’Tis most uncourtly of you, my Lord Henry, to treat Mistress Maeb with such ungraciousness,’ Pengraic said, his tone mild. ‘If you wish to land a blow on me, then land it honourably, my lord. Do not use the body of an innocent woman to shield yourself.’
‘My apologies, Mistress Maeb,’ Henry said. ‘What must I do to make amends?’
‘This castle is still wrapped in grief, my lord,’ I said. ‘All of us are easily wounded. Be a gentle lord, if you might.’
‘Your reprimand is received, mistress, and taken to heart. I have treated you poorly. You must have witnessed such horrors during the time of the plague.’
‘Indeed, my lord. It was truly dreadful.’
‘Yet you managed to escape the plague?’
‘No, my lord. It gripped me, too, but somehow I survived.’
‘Then you are truly remarkable, mistress! I am sure your betrothed hopes you pass your strength to your children. Tell me of Lord Stephen’s death and that of the other children. Did you witness those?’
Sweet Jesu, where was he going with this? ‘I did, my lord.’
‘The burning must have torn at your heart, as it must continue to tear at my Lord Pengraic’s.’
‘They did not —’ I stopped, appalled.
‘They did not burn?’
Everything about the prince now focused intently on me: his eyes, his manner, his body.
His questions.
Pengraic made to say something, but Henry held up a hand, silencing him.
‘Mistress Maeb,’ Henry said, ‘I can understand that maybe one among them may have died of heart failure before the flames consumed him or her, but all of them? That speaks for the weakness of the Pengraic heart, surely, or of, how may I put this courteously, some intercession to ensure they died more peacefully?’
He knew. He knew.
Henry was staring at me, his eyes intense, his tongue hovering about his lips, as if he knew his prey was trapped.
‘The plague as it found its way into Pengraic, was a variant form,’ Owain said, from further down the table.
My heart pounded so violently I could barely hear him.
‘Many of its victims died before they could burn,’ Owain continued. ‘How fortunate for them,’ Henry said softly, his eyes still riveted on me. I could not look at him, but was staring at my hands clasped white-knuckled in my lap.
He had likely seen those, too. ‘What part did you have in those deaths, Maeb?’ Henry said, softly. ‘I —’
‘Enough, Henry!’ Pengraic said. ‘I say again, why torment Maeb when your issue is with me?’
Henry’s eyes still had not moved from me. ‘Because I think I have found a delicious morsel to take back to court with me,’ he whispered, so low I do not think Pengraic could hear him.
But I did. I did.
Henry leaned back, waving a hand as if all this talk were nothing. ‘My father is displeased, Pengraic. He wants to know when you return to his side. He has uses for you, yet you are not there to achieve them.’
‘Edmond well knew my reason for riding back to Pengraic,’ the earl said. ‘I cannot think he has forgot it so quickly. I will return once the castle and the lands surrounding it are secured. I have yet to hear news of Madog and while the garrison here remains under-manned, I will not move. The Welsh upstart remains a threat. Do you want Welsh rebels flooding into England? If not, then may I suggest I serve Edmond’s best interests by remaining here to secure his western door.’
‘You serve your best interests,’ Summersete muttered. ‘In this instance,’ Pengraic snapped, ‘both my and the king’s interests marry.’
‘Speaking of which,’ Henry said, ‘Summersete and I might as well stay for the marriage mass. You surely cannot be thinking of tarrying over the matter?’
If Pengraic was thinking anything even remotely similar to what I was, he’d be planning the marriage mass for tomorrow morning, if it meant he’d be rid of these two.
‘Within the week, I think,’ Pengraic said, ‘now that Maeb makes good recovery from her illness.’
‘That is well,’ Henry said, picking up his napkin and dabbing at his lips. ‘I am sure you can organise entertainments enough for us in the meantime. Now, I have had enough of this feast, even though it turned out even more pleasurable than I anticipated.’
He glanced at me as he said this last, and I knew he had not forgot his ‘delicious morsel’.
Henry stood up, and with that, the feast was over.
Sir Gilbert Ghent escorted the Earl of Summersete to the northern keep, where Summersete would be quartered, but Pengraic led myself, the prince and Evelyn back up the stairwell into the solar. Here, the prince said his goodnights pleasantly enough, and disappeared in
to the privy chamber, which Pengraic had given over to him. Pengraic nodded to Evelyn that she should go through to the chamber we shared in the female dormitory, then Pengraic pulled me aside for a quiet word.
‘My lord,’ I said, desperate to forestall what I assumed would be angry words. ‘I am sorry for what I said before Henry. I did not think. And now …’
‘Now he has something he thinks he might use against me,’ Pengraic said. ‘Be wary of him, Maeb. He will not use this yet, but should we return to court, expect a dark rumour to surface sooner or later, when Henry thinks to wound me.’
‘I am sorry, my lord.’
He gave a little shrug. ‘If not that, then he would have found something else with which to bark at my heels. Tell me, have you given confession to Owain?’
I nodded.
‘Then all you need say is that your conscience is clear. Maeb,’ he looked back toward the door to the privy chamber, checking it was shut, ‘there is something else you need to be most wary of. Did you understand the thrust of Henry’s remarks about needing an heir?’
‘Edmond distrusts your power, and the power of this castle and the lands it commands. He would not hesitate to seize it if he could. I am sure Edmond would prefer not to see you sire an heir.’
‘Very good, Maeb. Your perception pleases me, although I think it is more Henry’s ambition than Edmond’s we need to fear. Henry is the danger, not his father — Henry is using his father as a front for his own purposes. You think perhaps that I am in danger, but Henry and his factors will not move against me so openly. Not yet. The danger is against you.’
‘My lord?’
‘Maeb, Henry will waste no opportunity to ensure that there might be every doubt about the paternity of any child you conceived within the next few weeks. It would be in his best interests that there be doubt.’
It took me a long moment to realise what he meant. I think I must have gone very pale, because Pengraic took my arm, as if to steady me.
‘I will be putting a guard outside the door to your sleeping chamber,’ Pengraic said. ‘A senior man, one who will not be intimidated by Henry and against whom Henry would be reluctant to draw sword.’
‘My lord, he would not dare … surely?’
‘Aye, he would dare. During the day, if you are not in your chamber, Maeb, then you walk escorted. Do not be lax in this regard. You must be wary.’
I nodded, unable to speak for fear. ‘Send word to me if you wish to walk abroad, and I will send an escort if I cannot come myself.’
Again I nodded.
Pengraic’s voice softened. ‘You did well tonight, Maeb. That table was littered with teeth.’
‘And I was bit. Hard. My lord, again I apologise for creating suspicion in Henry’s mind. It has left you vulnerable.’
‘Henry is a dangerous man, but he does not know what he truly faces if he thinks to tilt his ambitions my way.’
‘He does not seem his father’s son.’
‘Edmond can be a dangerous man, too, Maeb. Do not forget that. And … Maeb? Thank you for this purse. I do greatly value it.’
He smiled, surprising me with its apparent warmth, then escorted me to my chamber. As he said goodnight, d’Avranches appeared, nodding to me as he took up a position just down from my door.
‘Your safety for the night,’ Pengraic said.
As I turned to enter my chamber, the earl stopped me with a light touch to my arm.
‘Maeb … I like the way you have dressed your hair today. Wear it that way more often.’
Then, with a small bow, he was gone.
Chapter Eight
We married within ten days. I spent much of that time sequestered within my chamber, although each day I did take a walk outside, accompanied, if not by Pengraic himself, by d’Avranches or Taillebois or one of the senior knights as well as Evelyn.
I felt the most chaperoned woman in England.
I met Henry on several occasions during those walks and we passed pleasant, courteous words that said nothing. Always Henry had a look of sharp amusement in his eyes that sent shivers up my spine.
Sweet Jesu, he knew about Stephen and the children! Not the particulars perhaps, but he knew that I’d somehow had something to do with their ‘dying more peacefully’. I dreaded to think what he might do with that information.
The time spent in the chamber was, if somewhat confining, at least less dangerous than the outer world. Evelyn, Sewenna, Tilla and myself spent the time sewing. We made two new kirtles: another day kirtle of pale apple-green woollen cloth with embroideries rich enough to allow it to do duty at court, and a far richer silken kirtle of deep wine red that I would wear for the wedding. As well, we stitched ribbons, more chemises, a cloak from heavy wool, gloves and hose.
No one could say we were not industrious.
I only saw Pengraic on the few occasions he accompanied Evelyn and myself on our walks. Our conversations were brief, and touched only on trivial matters. His thoughts seemed to be elsewhere. I was most pleased, however, to note that whenever I saw him he wore my purse on his belt. I was so unsure of the earl that this simple gesture of his pleasure in something I had done for him reassured me extraordinarily.
We spoke of something deeper only once, when I asked him when he thought it would be necessary to return to Edmond’s court.
‘Necessary?’ he arched an eyebrow. ‘It is necessary now. Every day I delay my enemies will be trying to turn Edmond against me. I do not want to give them any more opportunity than I must.’
I wondered how I could rephrase the question without him becoming irritated. ‘Then why do you delay, my lord?’
It was direct, but I hoped it would not anger him. Even though I was now betrothed to the man, I still stepped carefully and as delicately about him as I might.
‘The garrison needs to be fully manned,’ he said. ‘It will take several more weeks before enough knights and soldiers have come from my other estates. Thank Christ d’Avranches survived the plague, for I would be lost without him.’
‘And then to court?’
‘You seem most desirous to get to court as quickly as you might, mistress.’
‘I press only because I understand the danger posed by your enemies there, my lord.’
He stopped, and looked south as if he could see over the great keep. ‘I want to know where the plague got to,’ he muttered. ‘I want to know how far it travelled down this valley, and where it stopped, and why.’
Why do you need to know that, my lord? But I did not ask that question; I knew my limits. ‘You cannot send a party of men to discover?’
He gave a slight shake of his head. ‘They would need to travel deep into Welsh territory. I fear they might not return.’
‘And you do not wish to deplete Pengraic of a party large enough to travel safely.’
He looked at me then, a glint of amusement in his eyes. ‘Had you been a man, Maeb, you would have made a useful general.’
I laughed — the first time I had ever freely done so in his presence — and was rewarded by a deepening of the amusement in his eyes.
I tried to think of some witty remark to make to counter his, but my mind failed me, and we stood there a moment, the amusement fading to awkwardness. Eventually the earl gave a small bow and we parted.
As had my betrothal day, my wedding day dawned fine and clear. This was a far less formal occasion than my betrothal, which had seen the formal legalities signed, spoken, exchanged and witnessed, and there was to be only a short mass in the church, an afternoon meal to be taken in the solar with a few guests, and then the commencement of married life, with its adventures, worries and drudgeries.
While I had many fears and insecurities about marrying Pengraic, one of my most prominent thoughts was that I was glad this day had come if only because we would see the back of Henry and Summersete.
I dressed in the kirtle of wine-red silk that Evelyn, Sewenna, Tilla and I had stitched over the past week, wearing Pengraic’s golden
girdle and leaving my hair to flow free as indication of my virginity. Evelyn made a small circlet of flowers which she placed on my head. D’Avranches escorted me to the chapel where there was a group of witnesses waiting, Henry and Summersete among them. Pengraic was already there, standing before the altar with Owain. The earl was looking a little awkward and more than a little impatient. I dipped in courtesy to Henry and Summersete, then did the same to Pengraic as I stood by his side.
Owain conducted the ceremony and mass with remarkable brevity — possibly acting under instructions from Pengraic. Pengraic presented me with another gift, this time a lovely, delicate, twisted gold ring set with tiny pearls whereupon we kissed perfunctorily. Then Henry and Summersete stepped forward, said the modicum of polite phrases, and both kissed me briefly on the lips.
Everyone was back out in the sun before noon.
I had expected that Henry and Summersete would join us for the celebratory meal in the solar, but to my surprise — and delight — their horses and escort were waiting as we exited the chapel.
‘Do not forget that my father waits for you,’ Henry said to Pengraic. ‘It will go the worse for you the longer you delay.’
Then he gave me a smile. ‘My lady,’ he said, kissing my hand.
With that he was gone, Summersete’s goodbye consisting of a grunt that my husband (how strange it seemed to be thinking of him as such!) and I had to share.
The column clattered out the main gate without a backward glance.
‘For sweet Christ’s sake,’ Pengraic muttered to d’Avranches, ‘set a man atop the parapets to watch so he can reassure me they rode all the way out of the valley. And have the gates locked.’
We went to the solar where, with Owain, d’Avranches and two other of the senior knights, including Gilbert Ghent, we ate a light repast of cold meats, fruits and cheeses. Evelyn stood to one side, ready to attend me if needed. The air seemed thick with people muttering ‘my lady’. It was very strange, watching Evelyn hover beyond me, listening to others address me, trying to come to terms with the realisation I was now a countess and wed to one of the most powerful nobles in the realm.