Lady of the English - By Elizabeth Chadwick Page 0,72

set her free hand on his shoulder. “I will make you an earl when I am queen. This I swear to you, but I have a boon to ask of you now.”

“Name it and it is yours,” he replied, his expression fierce with eagerness, chagrin, and youth.

“I need you to go back to Rouen,” she said, and then she told him why.

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Geoffrey sat Henry on his knee and bounced him up and down.

“Ride!” Henry yelled. “Ride a horse!” 179

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“We have to take Domfront, Montauban, Exemes, and Argentan now, and swiftly,” Geoffrey said. “We dare not delay.” Matilda felt light-headed with exhaustion, but she couldn’t lie down or rest. There were still letters to write, allies to muster, lists to tally, strategies to devise, and baggage to pack.

Reynald had already left on his errand, taking the swiftest courser in the stables. “I agree,” she said, “but what if they refuse to open their gates?”

Geoffrey paused to bounce Henry again and make him laugh, then he said, “They will acknowledge you because they are too close to the borders of Anjou and they do not want a hostile army under their walls. You have your father’s ring, and if we move swiftly, there will be no time for our enemies to send a countermand to the constables. Warrin Algason has overall responsibility for those castles and he is predisposed towards us anyway.”

She made herself concentrate. Geoffrey was speaking sense.

There were times when she hated him with every fibre of her being, but he had become an astute battle commander and skilful strategist. He had been as dismayed as she was about what had happened at her father’s deathbed, but he had not been surprised. “The house of Blois was always going to have plans,” he said. “And so will others. There will be more schemes abounding just now than lumps of gristle in siege-time soup.”

“My father would not absolve men of an oath he had made them swear three times,” she said, her eyes dark with anger.

“It does not alter the fact that the lords of Normandy and England are prepared to go along with the lie for the moment.”

“Henry and I have to go to Argentan alone.” He arched one tawny eyebrow.

“I am their liege lady. If I arrive at their gates with an Angevin army led by you, what does it say? You must follow on with the troops but only after they have given their allegiance to 180

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me. That is the best policy.” She steeled herself to argue, but Geoffrey merely looked thoughtful.

“You are right,” he said. “And there is no point us being together when split up we can do more. You take the homage of Argentan, Montauban, Domfront, and Exemes. I will ride as far as Alençon with you, then go on to Mayenne and enlist the support of the lord Juhel, and join you later.” He fixed her with a clear blue-green stare. “Our differences often run deep and wide, but we have a common purpose in this that binds us beyond our quarrels. If our son is to have Normandy and England when he is a grown man, it is up to us to obtain it for him.”

She gave him a hard look. “They will be mine, first.” Geoffrey’s expression filled with exasperated amusement. “As you will, but you have to win them, and you cannot do that without my help. If you are to rule England and Normandy, you will need an able deputy and, whether you like it or not, you will have to delegate. Normandy does not come with a crown, but it is the key to unlock everything else.” He gestured to the bench at his side. “Christ, sit down before you fall down, woman. There is nothing more you can do until the morning.” She remained upright. “Yes there is,” she said. “I must pray for my father’s soul.”

Geoffrey curled his lip. “Your father’s soul may need all the prayers it can garner, but you will be no use to yourself or anyone else if you do not take some respite.” She did not answer him, but left the room and made her way to the chapel. Geoffrey was right, but she was stubborn and this was her duty. The December night was cold and she shivered as she prostrated herself before the altar. The only source of heat in the chapel was from the candles burning on the altar