Lady of the English - By Elizabeth Chadwick Page 0,145

supporters had changed their allegiance to her as a result of the machinations of Waleran and his brother Robert. For him to be here now was akin to having a live snake thrown into the middle of her private chamber.

She changed her everyday gown for a regal one of blue silk and bade her ladies arrange her flower crown over her veil. She called for her sceptre and adorned the middle finger of her left hand with her father’s ring. In the great hall, she took her place on the high dais in the great chair where she was accustomed to sit and render judgement. Bronze statues of lions stood on either side of her seat, and on the wall behind was a cloth of red samite embroidered with golden leopards. Only then did she bid the ushers admit de Meulan.

As he entered the hall, the atmosphere thickened with tension. He still walked with a swagger as if he owned the world. Matilda watched him with narrowed eyes and thought how easy it would be to ram her sceptre through his treacherous heart.

Standing at the side of her throne, de Mayenne muttered,

“He has no choice but to make his submission, domina. His lands in Normandy are about to be swallowed up by your lord husband.”

De Meulan knelt and Matilda felt vengeful triumph. “I see you have accepted the inevitable and come to yield to me,” she said haughtily, but after a moment gestured him to rise.

“Domina, I am here to tender my allegiance,” he replied but gave her a hard upward look out of light green eyes.

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“As you did before?” She gripped the armrests of her chair.

“Three times you swore your oath to me, and when my father died, you went back on your word. Why should I trust you now or treat well with you?”

“Because I will no longer oppose you in England. Because I will swear to be your vassal in Normandy and fight for your son’s cause.” He spoke in a carrying voice in which there was no submission. “Because I am a pragmatist. If I stay with the queen and with Stephen, I will lose all of my lands in Normandy and my English estates are not enough compensation, burned and harried as they are. My support in Normandy will be invaluable to you.”

“You are here because your position in England is untenable,” she said icily.

He did not give ground. “I am here to strike a bargain.

Whether you accept it is up to you, but even my enemies here will advise you to do so, although of course,” he added, his lip slightly curled in contempt, “you might not want to take their counsel.” His expression and body language suggested without words that he was referring to her contrariness.

“Why should being rid of you not be to my taste?” she retorted. “I can think of few things I would like better in this world, my lord. What of your brother? Where does he fit into your schemes?”

“He will stay in England and keep his allegiance to Stephen on his own lands.” De Meulan spread his hands. “It is a sensible division.”

Matilda would have liked to string him up but she recognised that de Meulan’s words were sensible. She was irritated that he had only come to tender his submission after Geoffrey had sent reinforcements. It might seem to some as if he respected Geoffrey’s authority above hers—which she suspected was his intention. Nevertheless, if she sorted this out now, it would 361

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leave her free to deal with the bishop of Winchester should it prove necessary. Waleran knew it too; she could see it in his eyes and disliked him even more because, whatever happened, he could not lose.

“Very well,” she said, “on those terms, I accept your submission. It is a great pity you did not bring your brother to submit too, but that would have been too much to expect.” Meulan bowed. “Indeed, domina,” he said archly, “it would.”

ttt

Once de Meulan had gone, Matilda retired to her chamber to remove her crown and change back into a less ornate dress.

She had not invited de Meulan to stay at court, but had let him depart in the teeth of a heavy thunderstorm. She hoped he got soaked to the skin and caught a chill.

She pressed her hands against her face for a moment.

Outside, the thunder was growling away towards the west and fresh green smells curled