The Dragon and the Jewel Read Free Page A

barons had
invited
the French in to overthrow my father. The French held every castle from Winchester to Lincoln, and I can count on one hand the men who were loyal to me.” He stuck up his thumb. “William Marshal.” He stuck up a finger. “Hubert de Burgh.” A second finger followed. “Ranulf de Blundeville, Earl of Chester.” He pointed to his third finger. “Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester.” The last and final finger went up. “Falkes de Bréauté, the mercenary.”
    Richard had heard it all before and knew Henry was obsessed.
    “It took these loyal men four years to rid England of the French. Marshal, de Burgh, and Chester paid for it out of their own pockets because I didn’t have one gold piece. I swore that when I came into my majority I would make up for it. I’m the bloody King of England! When I throw a banquet it will be a great feast where the greatest men of the realm wear their finest robes and glittering jewels.”
    Richard threw an affectionate arm about his shoulders. “Then you’ll have to do what every other intelligent man does, marry an heiress. Take a page from Hubert de Burgh’s book, I certainly intend to. Look at the wealth and lands Avisa brought him and the moment she was measured for a shroud, he was wooing little Princess Margaret of Scotland who was put in his safekeeping. And to make absolutely certain he got her, he fucked her until he got her with child.”
    “Which royally screwed me! I was negotiating for her sister, Princess Marion, until my council objected on the grounds that Hubert de Burgh would be my brother-in-law. They’re just jealousthat he was acting regent through my minority and I chose to honor him by making him Earl of Kent. The people love Hubert and so do I.”
    “And so does Hubert.” Richard laughed. When he saw Henry’s face twist with anger, he laughed again. “A joke, brother. You know how much I owe to Hubert. He took me under his wing and made a soldier of me. He and William Marshal made it possible for me and you to slip from the clerical leading strings of the Bishop of Winchester.”
    Henry said, “Peter des Roches made a wonderful tutor. He is one of the most enlightened men of this or any other century.”
    Richard made a rude noise. “Well, he certainly gained ascendancy over your mind while he installed his relatives and creatures in all the important posts of the household.”
    “Well, he isn’t in control any longer. Hubert and the bishop are at each other’s throats. I think it’s a wise policy to split my ambitious ministers into two camps. And if either think they can keep me on a leash once I reach my majority, they are in for a rude awakening.” He drained his winecup. “Now all I need is money. As soon as negotiations are completed with the Count of Brittany for his lovely Austrian princess, I shall be rolling in it.”
    Richard, firmly placing his tongue in his cheek, said, “Not when she gets my letter telling her you’re squint-eyed and impotent.”
    Henry took off after Richard and his attendants hurried after him with the magnificent new crown he had just designed for himself.

2

    A s Princess Eleanor was led toward the altar in the chapel at Westminster, she was almost dizzy from happiness. She was gowned in pristine white velvet, her tiny train trimmed with ermine; upon her cloud of dark hair sat a coronet of snowdrops, and she held a small white Bible.
    As she reached the marshal’s side, he looked down at her with a grave smile. Her dark-blue eyes sparkled like sapphires as she gazed up at him with adoration. He was the handsomest, bravest, strongest man in the realm. When he smiled his eyes crinkled boyishly and her heart turned over. She opened her mouth to speak his name, but he gave her a little frown of warning to remind her to keep silent until she repeated the vows. She obediently followed his lead and sank to her knees and bowed her head while the bishop droned a Latin prayer over their