Twice Royal Lady Read online

  As soon as they had broken their fast next morning she sat down with Robert and Adeliza to make plans.

  Robert began. ‘As far as we know, Stephen is still heading for Corfe, but as soon as word gets out that you are here, as it must, he will turn round and come to confront you. By then, I must be in Bristol.’

  ‘Bristol?’ Adeliza queried. ‘Surely you will stay here and give your protection to Lady Matilda.’

  He shook his head. ‘I must join up with my main force in Bristol. All our friends are in the west and it is from there that the war against Stephen must be waged.’

  ‘Then let me come with you,’ Matilda said. ‘If it is as you say, I must be there too.’

  ‘No. It is too dangerous for you to travel with such a small escort as we have with us. You must stay here with Adeliza until I am able to fetch you.’

  ‘But how will you get to Bristol? As you say, Stephen will be heading this way. You might meet him on the road.’

  ‘I shall take the small lanes and tracks which only the local people use. Stephen will be on the high road, to make the best speed. I shall take my own men with me and we will ride fast. With luck, we shall be in Bristol before he realizes I am not still here with you.’

  ‘And us?’ Adeliza asked. ‘What are we supposed to do?’

  ‘Your husband supports Stephen, I know. Is he with him now?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘If he returns and orders you to hand over the castle, will you defy him?’

  She swallowed, but nodded. ‘I will. He knows that I stand with Matilda. She is here at my invitation. I will not give her up.’

  ‘Well said! And if it should come to siege?’

  ‘The castle is well provisioned, and not easy to attack.’

  ‘Then if necessary you must hold out until I am able to raise sufficient forces to rescue you.’ He got to his feet. ‘I must be on my way. The longer I delay, the greater the danger for all of us.’

  They watched him ride out with his most trusted knights. Adeliza turned to her. ‘Will he get to Bristol?’

  ‘We must pray that he does. If he is taken our cause is lost.’

  ‘What do we do now?’

  ‘Post sentries to watch the road, arrange the disposition of our men in the event of an attack, check the provisions – and then we wait. It will not be long, I imagine.’

  She was proved correct. Two days later a sentry shouted down from the roof of the keep. ‘Horsemen on the road!’

  She ran up the twisting staircase that led to the roof, Adeliza behind her. Henry’s widow spoke the truth when she said the castle was not easy to attack. It was set on rising ground, protected on one side by the river and surrounded on the other three by flat, marshy land criss-crossed by small streams. The one road leading from the edge of the forest to the massive stone gateway in the outer fortifications was built as a causeway over the marsh. Looking north they saw a company of horsemen ride out of the forest and come to a halt. Behind them came a close formation of knights, at the centre of which flew Stephen’s banner. As they watched, a single horseman rode forward and drew rein in front of the army. He was wearing a hauberk but no helmet and even at this distance she recognized him.

  ‘So, there he is, the usurper!’

  Stephen sat on his horse for a few moments, staring towards them, then turned and rode back to his knights. Orders were given and the men spread out along the edge of the rising ground and began to pitch tents. She turned to look towards the river and saw that two ships were already moving in to blockade it.

  ‘Is there any way through the marshes?’

  ‘No. The only way in or out is either the road or the river.’

  ‘So, the ground is too soft for cavalry, or to bring up siege engines, and the distance is too great for archers or mangonels to be effective. Stephen’s only hope is to starve us out. The question is, how long is he prepared to wait?’

  There was a stir among the men on the road and three knights rode forward, one of them carrying a lance from which a white banner streamed. ‘Ah, there is the answer. He is hoping to persuade you to give me up.’

  By the time the three emissaries entered the great hall she was seated beside Adeliza on the dais at the far end. She recognized the leader, a stocky man with grizzled hair and a scar on one cheek, from her time at her father’s court. His name was Gilbert de Clare.

  He bowed to Adeliza. ‘My lady, I bring greetings from King Stephen.’

  Adeliza replied, ‘Greetings to you, my lord. What business has Stephen with me?’

  ‘The King wishes you to hand over to my custody the oath-breaker and rebel Robert of Gloucester, whom you are sheltering in your castle.’

  Matilda suppressed a smile of elation and relief. Robert must be safe in Bristol.

  Adeliza’s expression was defiant but a faint tremor in her voice betrayed her nervousness. ‘Earl Robert is no longer here.’

  Gilbert’s eyes narrowed. ‘Not here? I require proof of that.’

  Matilda cut in. ‘My lord, your manners do not match your station. You are in the presence of two queens. It behoves you to act with more humility.’

  He glanced sideways at her. ‘Lady Adeliza was indeed queen while King Henry was alive …’

  ‘And King Henry being dead I am now your queen, as his only rightful heir. I require you to treat me as such.’

  He returned his gaze to Adeliza. ‘King Stephen also requires that you relinquish the Lady Matilda into his custody.’

  The tremor was more pronounced as she answered, ‘Lady Matilda is here as my guest and at my invitation. We have long been friends and it is natural that I should offer her hospitality. Stephen has no right to demand that I hand her over to him.’

  Matilda looked him in the eye and when she spoke her voice was icy. ‘You have your answer, my lord.’

  He looked from her to Adeliza with contempt. ‘You may have cause to regret this defiance, madam.’ And he turned to walk out of the hall.

  Her voice stopped him in his tracks. ‘You have not been given leave to go, my lord. You do not leave the royal presence until given permission.’

  He hesitated, then turned back. She rose to her feet. ‘I am an empress and your rightful queen. You will pay me due deference or you may live to regret it.’

  She saw him calculating the possibilities. In the end he bowed stiffly. ‘Madam.’

  ‘Tell the usurper Stephen that I am come to claim the crown which is mine by right and in accordance with the oaths given to me by all the lords of England and Normandy – including you, Lord Gilbert.’ She extended her hand, palm down, and he had no option but to kneel and kiss it. ‘Now you may go.’

  He glared at her, then turned on his heel and stalked out of the hall, followed by his two companions.

  Adeliza turned to her. ‘You are magnificent. I have never had your courage.’

  She squeezed her hand. ‘You did well enough. You might have given me over to him. I thank you for your loyalty.’

  ‘What will Stephen do now, do you think?’

  ‘He knows now that Robert must be in Bristol. He will not want to waste time besieging us while Robert makes himself stronger in the West Country. I think we shall see another embassy before long.’

  Once again, she was proved correct. Next day another group of men rode up to the gate under a flag of truce. This time, the identity of the leader took her by surprise.

  ‘My lord bishop! I did not expect to see you here.’

  Henry of Winchester’s manner was as smooth and urbane as if he were making a normal courtesy call. ‘Madam, I am delighted to see you well. It seems that Lord Gilbert did not deliver my brother the King’s message very tactfully. I am here to assure you that he means you no ill.’

  ‘Then he will have no objection to my remaining here with the Lady Adeliza. And he will withdraw the force with which he has, for some unknown reason, attempted to surround us.’

  Bishop Henry smiled and glanced behind him at his esc
ort. ‘These matters are best settled quietly between friends. Can we speak privately?’

  Adeliza conducted them into the solar and sent a page for wine. Matilda turned to confront the bishop. ‘It was by your instigation that I am here. What do you intend now?’

  He made a reassuring gesture. ‘Let me explain. Shall we sit?’

  When they were seated and the wine had been poured, Adeliza dismissed the page and Henry said, ‘I beg you to trust me, my lady. I have your best interests at heart. Am I not right in thinking that rather than being cooped up here, grateful as I know you are for the Lady Adeliza’s hospitality, you would much prefer to be with Lord Robert in Bristol?’

  She gave a brief, mirthless laugh. ‘Indeed, but what I should prefer and what is possible are two different things.’

  ‘Suppose it were possible?’

  ‘How? Why should Stephen let that happen?’

  ‘Consider his position. He cannot contemplate an attack on the castle. For one thing, it is impregnable, except by undertaking a long siege. And for another, you and Adeliza are ladies of high rank and honour, and moreover you are his cousin. An attack on you would be seen by all men – and by the Church – as against all the laws of honourable behaviour. I have convinced him that it is Earl Robert who is his chief opponent and it is in the west that he must concentrate his forces. I have suggested that, rather than leave you here, where you may draw any malcontents to support your cause, it would be better for him if you were with Earl Robert, thus concentrating all the opposition in one place. He has listened to my arguments and as a result he is prepared to offer you a safe conduct and an escort to take you to Bristol.’

  ‘And as soon as I leave here, he will be able to renege on the agreement and take me prisoner.’

  ‘No. For two reasons. One is that he has no wish to keep you as a prisoner. I repeat, any attack on your person would only serve to alienate all men of goodwill and draw more supporters to your side. The second is that I myself will accompany you, until such time as you can be handed over to Earl Robert or his representative.’

  Adeliza reached out to grasp her hand. ‘It is a trap. It must be. Stay here with me, where you are safe.’

  She released herself gently. ‘If I stay here, I may be safe but I can be of no help to Robert or the rest of our friends. There is nothing I can do shut up in this castle. I trust Bishop Henry. I do not believe he will betray me.’

  Henry said, ‘It may help to convince you if I tell you that I know for a fact that Earl Robert is safe in Bristol. I met with him on his way there.’

  ‘You met with him? How? He was planning to travel secretly by little used roads.’

  ‘As I guessed he would. But I knew he would have to pass through my lands, so I set watchers on all the tracks. Their reports enabled me to intercept him. We spoke only briefly, but I was able to assure him of my continued support and to promise him that I would do all in my power to bring you to him.’

  She drew a deep breath. ‘Very well, my lord bishop. If you can, indeed, persuade Stephen to give me a safe conduct, I accept. And I thank you for your intervention on my behalf.’

  ‘I act not only on your behalf, but on my own and on the behalf of the Holy Church, which my brother has unjustly attacked in arresting my fellow bishops.’ He stood up. ‘I will return now to make the necessary arrangements. Can you be ready to leave tomorrow?’

  ‘I can.’

  Early next morning a company of armoured knights clattered up the road to the castle gate. At their head were two men. Bishop Henry was one. With surprise Matilda recognized the second as Waleran of Meulan. Stephen had sent one of his most trusted commanders to escort her. He brought with him a milk-white mare, richly caparisoned, for her to ride. She embraced a tearful Adeliza and mounted. Horses had been found for her small band of knights and they took their places behind her. They rode down the causeway into the forest, where Stephen’s army was already striking tents and packing wagons with equipment. No one attempted to challenge them and soon they were on the high road leading west.

  They passed the first night of the journey at Wolvesley Castle, Bishop Henry’s palace in Winchester. At Calne, Waleran turned back but Henry stayed with her until they reached the borders of Robert’s lands. Here they found Robert waiting for her with knights of his own household. He greeted her ceremonially, kneeling to hail her as queen. Henry declined the invitation to continue to Bristol as Robert’s guest and rode back towards Winchester.

  The following evening they came into view of Robert’s castle in the protective embrace of the Rivers Frome and Avon. He had spent a great deal of money and energy in rendering it one of the greatest fortresses in the country. The stone blocks for the curtain walls and the keep with its four towers were brought by ship from Caen and unloaded at a dock protected by a water gate. A second well-defended gate gave access from the road. Within the walls of the bailey were kitchens and bakehouses, smiths’ forges, stables for the horses, gardens full of vegetables and fruit trees and houses for the men and women who served him. To reach the keep it was necessary to pass through a second gatehouse in another wall. In places the walls were so thick that three men could lie end to end on top of them. It was easy to see why Stephen had concentrated on taking over outlying castles but had never attempted Bristol itself.

  As they dismounted in the inner courtyard, two women came out of the main entrance to the keep. The elder was thickset, with greying hair and a strong, bony face. The younger had Robert’s dark hair and a pretty, dimpled face. Robert greeted them both with obvious affection and then turned to her.

  ‘Madam, I present my wife Mabel and my youngest daughter, who is named after her mother.’

  Both women curtsied and the elder said, ‘My lady, you are most welcome. We have waited long to greet you as our rightful queen.’

  The younger one blushed and managed only to murmur, ‘My lady.’

  Robert’s wife led her into the great hall, where the household was assembled to greet her, and then took her up to a chamber in one of the towers. Two waiting women followed, one plump and comfortable, the other little more than a girl. They were introduced to her as Berthe and Hawise.

  ‘I do not doubt that you are tired after your long journey, madam,’ Mabel said. ‘There is warm water here for you to wash and your chest will be brought up to you directly. There is wine and fruit for you to refresh yourself, but when you have rested we shall offer you something more substantial. I will leave you now, but if there is anything you require Berthe or Hawise will get it for you.’

  There was something brisk and overbearing about her hostess’s manner that she found annoying. She was obviously accustomed to giving orders. It was not hard to see why Robert had been prepared to leave her in charge of his castle and his lands while he was in Normandy.

  Robert had laid on a great feast to welcome her and there were minstrels and jongleurs to entertain them, but she was too tired after the long ride to want anything more than a bed where she could relax in safety. Very soon there would be more dangers to face, greater perhaps than any she had yet known, but for now she could sleep in peace.

  Next morning she had just finished dressing when a page appeared with a request from Robert to meet him in the great hall. She found him in the company of two men, and at the sight of one of them her heart gave a jolt. It was Brian fitz Count, who told her stories and sang her love songs to lighten her mood on the way to her betrothal to Geoffrey, twelve long years ago. Robert sent him away, she remembered, and on her last, brief visit to England, when she left Geoffrey, he was absent on his estates in Wales, so they had not met since. His curly hair was cut closer now and his face was leaner; there were hollows in his cheeks that suggested he did not eat enough; but his hazel eyes were as bright as she remembered them. He came forward quickly and dropped to one knee.

  ‘Gracious lady, I have dreamed of this moment. All I am and all I have are yours to command.’

  She gave him her hand to kiss and
found her voice a little husky as she replied, ‘Dear Sir Brian, I am glad to see you again. I thank you for your loyalty.’

  ‘In that, madam,’ he said as he rose, ‘I have never wavered. I have no doubt that you are the only true heir to your father’s crown. That a woman may inherit is established in Holy Writ. In the book of Numbers it is written that the Lord decreed that the daughters of Zelophehad had the right to inherit their father’s land. In the same spirit I swore to uphold your right, and I will never be forsworn.’

  Robert chuckled softly. ‘You see, sister? Our friend has become a scholar in the years since you last met.’

  ‘I would never have doubted his learning,’ she replied, ‘whether it be Holy Writ or the songs of the troubadours.’ She caught Brian’s eye in sign that she had not forgotten.

  Robert turned to the second man. ‘I believe you have not met Miles Fitzwalter. Miles is sheriff of Gloucester and castellan of Gloucester Castle.’

  Miles was older than Brian, a solid oak of a man with broad shoulders and a mane of grey hair. Robert said, ‘Brian and I are oath sworn to you already. Miles wishes to do homage also. Shall we proceed?’

  ‘I shall be happy to accept his fealty,’ she answered.

  A chair was set for her and Miles knelt and placed his hands between hers and swore to be her liege-man of life and limb and to protect her against all enemies. Looking into his eyes she sensed that once sworn, he would maintain his faith to the last breath.

  The ceremony over Robert called for wine and they retired to the solar to sit in council.

  ‘We can do nothing until we know Stephen’s next move,’ Robert said. ‘I do not think he will attempt to confront us here, but Harptree and the other outlying castles are at risk. Meanwhile, we must make sure of as many allies as we can.’

  ‘Trowbridge is ours,’ Miles said. ‘My son-in-law Humphrey de Bohun will see to that. And Pain Fitzjohn, who is sheriff of Shropshire and Herefordshire, is married to my other daughter Cecily. Between us we hold all the marcher country between here and Wales.’