Lady of the English - By Elizabeth Chadwick Page 0,182

looked towards the door where Juliana was conducting an urgent whispered conversation with Adeliza’s brother.

“Joscelin?” Adeliza struggled upright again. “What is it?” Juliana stepped aside and he entered the chamber, his expression sombre. “I do not want to trouble you,” he said. “I will talk to my lord outside.”

Will started to rise.

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“No,” Adeliza lifted her hand. “If the matter is urgent enough to bring you to my confinement chamber, I will hear what you have to say. I will only fret more if something is wrong and you will not tell me.”

Joscelin grimaced. “Henry FitzEmpress has landed a large invasion force of ships and men at Wareham.” Adeliza gasped.

“What?” Will stared at him. “Who told you that?”

“A horse-trader. He says he heard it from a customer who saw them disembarking. One of them made a point of telling him they were here in full force and would be needing good mounts.”

“Who is leading them?” Will demanded. “Surely not the Count of Anjou?”

Joscelin shook his head. “No, Henry FitzEmpress, as I told you.”

“But he’s barely fourteen years old!”

“That is all I have heard. If it is true, the king will be calling for support.” Joscelin turned to the bed and opened his hands.

“I am sorry.”

“It is a good thing our son is being named Henry,” Adeliza said faintly.

Will grunted. “Whether he’s arrived at the head of an invasion fleet or not, it means nothing. No one is going to heed a boy. I doubt he has that many with him. To entrust an entire expedition to a child is madness and whatever Geoffrey of Anjou may be, he is not mad.” He gestured. “I cannot see hordes of seasoned fighting men flocking to a boy’s banner—

nor to his mother’s. In the end it will make no difference save to cause more destruction.”

“It will make a difference because he is here,” Adeliza contradicted, summoning her strength. “He is but fourteen as you say, and Stephen is forty years older. Experience may hold the day for now, but youth will eventually triumph, so who 451

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truly has the advantage in this?” The men looked at her, plainly startled. “You may not agree with me,” she said as she closed her eyes, “but you should consider.” ttt

Matilda watched her brother pace her chamber at Devizes Castle, his temper evident in his hard footfall and the deep frown lines scored between his brows.

“Henry is a young fool,” he growled. “No good can come of this idiotic scheme.”

“Indeed, but he has shown initiative and courage,” Matilda defended her son. News had arrived of Henry’s “fleet” landing at Wareham, from where he had marched inland and made an attempt on a castle at Purton and been beaten off by the garrison. She was anxious and cross, but unlike Robert she was also proud and amused by her eldest son’s escapade. He had energy and daring.

“He is a danger to himself and others. If he comes to grief, then what of our future plans? What does it say to the opposition when they see his inept attempts at warfare?” Robert snapped. “They must be laughing up their sleeves.”

“Or they may be watching with interest. Robert, he is born of lions. Do not expect him to be a mouse.”

“I do not.” He shot her an angry look. “I saw to his tutoring and training when he was here before. I know his abilities, but I also know that he wants to run before he can walk. We cannot condone this!”

“It concerns me as much as it does you,” she retorted.

“But it is not a disaster, and you should not act as if it were.” She frowned at him. His second son Philip had recently let him down. The young man had been forced to surrender the strategic keep of Farndon of which he was constable, which had caused the first rift between father and son. Following a fierce argument, Philip had gone over to Stephen, and then 452

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abandoned everything to go on crusade. She knew Robert had been deeply upset by his son’s actions, and his health and his temper had suffered as a result.

“Do you think his father had a hand in this?” Matilda gave a vehement shake of her head. “Geoffrey would never allow Henry to do something so foolhardy.” She felt slightly sick as she thought that at Henry’s age, Geoffrey had been preparing for his betrothal to her. Where did