Lady of the English - By Elizabeth Chadwick Page 0,146

tendrils through her window. She ought to be buoyed up, but everything seemed such a struggle and she felt as if she could sleep for a week. Forcing herself to focus, she began to read the correspondence awaiting her attention, one of the items being a letter from Adeliza, who wrote that her husband was keeping to his lands and recovering from Lincoln, which had laid him very low. He had not ridden to join Stephen’s queen, but neither was he disposed to swear for Matilda, although she believed in time he might come round.

For the moment they were concentrating on their family and their religious foundations because in these times, there was need of charity and compassion for the suffering people.

Matilda made a face as she put the letter to one side. Adeliza was doing her best, she knew, but it did not alter the fact that there would be no help coming from that quarter beyond prayer and she had hoped for so much more. With prayer in mind 362

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herself, she summoned her ladies and went to the castle chapel, hoping to find God in a receptive mood to her entreaties.

Brian FitzCount was already there, kneeling before the altar, his head bent on his clasped fists, and his lips moving in an impassioned whisper. She hesitated, wondering whether to leave, but he raised his head as he sensed her presence.

“Domina,” he said. His voice was hoarse and his eyes were suspiciously wet. “I should leave.”

“No.” She made a swift gesture. “I have interrupted your prayers, and the house of God is for everyone.” She touched his arm. He hesitated for a moment, but as she sank to her knees before the altar, he bowed his head once more. She wondered what had brought him to such a pass of emotion, but knew she could not ask, and suspected he would not speak of his own accord.

Eventually she rose and went to light a candle. He followed her example, and for a moment they stood side by side, linked by flame as he lit his from hers. His hand shook slightly and wax dripped in small clear circles that swiftly cooled and turned opaque on the iron surface of the stand.

“I have heard from Adeliza,” she said. “D’Albini refuses to come over to us, but she thinks she can keep him neutral for the time being.”

Brian grimaced. “I could have taken him prisoner, but I did not count him a threat.”

“The ransom would have come in useful,” she said with a frown.

“Perhaps, but there had been enough fighting and bloodshed that day.” His expression grew bleak.

“I—”

They both turned at the sound of rapid footsteps. Moments later, Robert strode into the chapel with Miles of Gloucester and John FitzGilbert hard on his heels. Her heart began to 363

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pound because she could tell before anyone spoke that the news was bad.

“It’s Winchester,” Miles said grimly. “The bishop has turned on us and is besieging the castle.” She stared at him in consternation and as the words took on meaning, her anger began to burn. The bishop of Winchester had handed the castle over to her not three months ago, promising her his loyal support and that she would be queen. “How dare he!”

“He never had any intention of yielding to you unless you made him the power behind your throne,” Robert growled.

“I know what he is about. He is trying to take the castle to use as a bargaining piece to buy himself back into favour with Stephen’s wife.”

“Then we must go to Winchester and stop him,” she said, urgency mingling with her rage. “Go and muster everyone you can and make haste.”

Robert departed to issue orders to the men. Brian swept her a bow before departing with the marshal, and Matilda returned to the hall so that she could be at the centre of the hub as preparations were made to ride on the city and deal with the perfidious bishop.

ttt

Arriving in Winchester, Matilda discovered that the bishop’s troops had drawn off and shut themselves inside his palace beside the cathedral. Whether Bishop Henry was there or not was another matter. Matilda hoped he was, but suspected he had pulled back to better safety. What was evident was that he had reinforced his palace extensively since March and turned it into a fortress. With grim determination, Robert settled down to besiege the new stronghold and Matilda took up residence in