Lady of the English - By Elizabeth Chadwick Page 0,96

I suspect he will stick to his oath to Stephen, and if he becomes lord of Arundel, that could be difficult for us.” Matilda gnawed her lip. From her slight acquaintance with him she knew William D’Albini was good-natured and amenable. Despite his size and strength, he was agile and light on his feet and had a delicate touch at mixing wine. Women liked him. He exuded an earthy, wholesome virility, but seemed not to notice it himself or use it consciously, and thus it was not a threat. Even so, it was difficult to imagine the ethereal Adeliza sharing a marriage bed with him. “How good a strategist is he?”

Robert shook his head. “I doubt he has ever been tried beyond bringing the Albini men to the king to perform feudal service, but that only tells us he is inexperienced—it does not mean incompetent. He is an unknown quantity and that could be dangerous.”

Matilda sighed. “I will keep writing to Adeliza. Whether she marries D’Albini or not, she has no love for Stephen. She will do what she believes is right.”

“Well then, have a care what you do write,” Geoffrey said.

“We cannot afford to have our plans brought to naught by women’s gossip.”

Matilda glared at him. “Do not worry, my lord,” she snapped. “I intend any ‘gossip’ I exchange with Adeliza to be of benefit. You do not understand how much the wheels of your endeavour are greased by such exchanges. Deal with your campaigns and your men, but leave this matter to me. I know my stepmother as you do not.”

He exhaled down his nose with irritation. “Do as you will,” he conceded, “but be cautious.”

“I know my business,” she retorted. “Do yours and leave me to mine.”

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Robert clapped his hands together and rubbed them. “We still have much to plan,” he said. “This is only the beginning.” He flicked his gaze between Matilda and Geoffrey. “The first thing I propose is a lasting truce.”

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Twenty-eight

Wilton, Wiltshire, August 1138

A deliza took the letters she had just read and carefully fed them to the fire in her chamber. She watched them until they were ash and then turned away, hugging herself. Outside it was a hot August afternoon, but the chill was in her soul, not her bones.

Matilda wrote that she was preparing to come to England and challenge Stephen for his crown. The plans were still in the making but, when the time came, she wanted Adeliza to admit her to Arundel. Adeliza bit her lip. Matilda was the rightful queen and little Henry the heir to the throne.

Adeliza would not dream of turning down the request, but she was frightened of what such a stand might cost. She was still struggling to come to terms with the recent happenings at Shrewsbury. The castellan there had risen against Stephen, who had marched to put down the revolt and hanged every last member of the garrison. There had been no leniency. She knew such things happened in warfare, but Shrewsbury was her town, given to her in dowry when she had married. To know she had been unable to intervene and save lives filled her with a terrible burden of guilt. There had been other uprisings round the country too, all stamped out like small bonfires, but still new areas kept flaring up. A Scottish army had invaded LadyofEnglish.indd 240

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and been defeated in a fierce battle at Northallerton. King David had narrowly escaped with his household guard. She had known him well when she was queen and had counted him a good friend. One of his scribes had written a history of Henry’s reign for her. To think of him now as the enemy made her feel sick.

The last of the parchment flaked into ash. Adeliza left the hearth and, drawing a deep breath, went to look out of the door that faced on to a courtyard with covered walkways and benches surrounding a grassy area with a cherry tree planted at the centre. Juliana and Melisande sat on a bench, talking to each other as they worked on chemises to go in the clothing chest for the leper hostel.

She heard young Adam’s voice raised in bright chatter, and a moment later the boy hurtled round the corner, attached by a lead to a large adolescent dog galumphing at full speed. A little behind boy and