Lady of the English - By Elizabeth Chadwick Page 0,183

the child end and the man begin?

“He has to be reined in and shown that we will not tolerate such recklessness. He cannot stay here in England. We do not have enough resources to support ourselves, let alone provide him with protection and a household.” Robert’s voice rose a notch. “Who is paying for the soldiers he has brought with him, if you say Geoffrey has no notion?”

“He is bound to come to Devizes,” she said, “and we will speak to him then.”

ttt

The next morning she sat in the window embrasure in her chamber, reading various pieces of correspondence. As yet there was no more news of Henry’s exploits. A letter had come from Adeliza saying she had been safely delivered of a son named Henry in memory of a glorious king and in salute to another who would surely follow in his grandfather’s footsteps.

That made Matilda smile but saddened her too. It was eight years since she had seen Adeliza, and of the six children, only the first had been born. Letters, while they warmed the soul, only served to point up the long separation.

She was pondering what to send as a christening gift when her chamberlain, Humphrey de Bohun, interrupted her.

“Domina, the lord Henry and his men have ridden in with the marshal.”

She was immediately filled with relief and apprehension.

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What was Henry doing in the company of her marshal?

“Very well,” she said in a neutral tone. “Put him in the solar and tell him I will be with him soon, but bring the marshal to me first.”

While she straightened her gown and added a few rings to her fingers, she considered what she was going to say.

Her marshal John FitzGilbert was swift to arrive, rapping briskly on the door with his rod of office and entering with a decisive tread. As always his manner was controlled and courtly, but she could sense an atmosphere around him—a simmer of anger like a heat haze on a hot day.

“I am told you rode in with my son,” she said.

He fixed her with a hard stare from his undamaged eye.

“Domina, I discovered him fleeing an unsuccessful attempt to take the castle at Cricklade, using my equipment and horses, purloined from my keep at Marlborough in my absence.” He spoke with clipped control. “I thought it best to escort him here where he would be less of a danger to all, including himself.” Matilda could now understand the reason for her marshal’s anger if Henry had been helping himself to his equipment behind his back.

“Cricklade,” she said.

“Apparently Purton was a similar disaster.”

“Thank you, my lord,” she said sharply. “I am aware.”

“His mercenaries are mostly untried youths and men down on their luck. I am astonished they have come so far with so few injuries.”

The word “injuries” made her recoil. “The lord Henry?”

“Domina, he is well and in good spirits.” There was an irritated edge to her marshal’s voice. He shook his head. “He is courageous but foolhardy.”

“You are a man of similar traits yourself,” she said.

“Ah no, domina.” He gave her an astute look. “I always 454

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know the odds and I wager accordingly. What may look foolhardy to others has only been my road when I have had no alternative. I always weigh the odds.”

“Sometimes you have to take a road even when the odds are against you.”

“Indeed, but never without being aware of where you might tread.”

“My son knows his destiny,” she snapped. “He will be king.” He bowed to her, the hint of a dour smile on his lips.

“Indeed,” he said. “I believe he will.” Her marshal dismissed, Matilda heaved a sigh and went to talk to her scapegrace golden son. Entering the solar attached to the hall she found him pacing the room like a caged lion and stopped in shock. In her mind’s eye, she had been seeing the image of the toothy eleven-year-old to whom she had bidden farewell three years ago, but here was an adolescent on the cusp of manhood. He had a fledgling coppery beard and his limbs had lengthened and grown strong. He was as tall as her and he had his grandfather’s eyes, clear grey with a flash of Geoffrey’s aquamarine in their depths. She could feel the energy whirling around him like a fresh breeze. His cloak was pinned high on his shoulder with a round gold brooch and he wore a sword at his hip, even though he was not