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Authors: Jean Plaidy
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daughter she will be an Eleanor too.’
The Queen Mother was gratified but anxious immediately. ‘My darling, I hope there will be no more. You suffered too much when David was born. If you girls only knew what I go through when you have your children you would vow never to have any more. I wait for the messengers … and they are always so tardy.’
‘Oh, my dearest mother,’ cried Margaret, ‘you must remember that we are no longer children.’
Edward was drawn into this family circle in spite of himself. They had all had a wonderful childhood, so different from most royal children. He must always remember – however exasperated he became by his mother’s fecklessness – that they had enjoyed a happy family circle.
Edward whispered to Margaret, ‘I have something of importance to discuss with our mother.’
‘I will take Beatrice with me to your lady wife,’ said Margaret. ‘She will want to hear about the baby.’
‘Yes, do,’ said Edward.
When he was alone with his mother he assumed a grave manner.
‘I have had a complaint, my lady,’ he told her, ‘from the citizens of London.’
‘Those tiresome people! How dare they complain at the time of your coronation! Have they not been given so much … free wine, banquets …’
‘Free wine and banquets will not repair London Bridge, my lady.’
‘London Bridge! What has that to do with the coronation?’
‘If it were to collapse it would be remembered as the outstanding event of this coronation for years to come.’
‘Collapse! Why should it?’
‘Because it is in need of repairs and the dues collected partly for that purpose have been used for other things.’
‘What things?’
‘You know that better than I for you have had them and misspent this money.’
‘I never heard such nonsense. In your father’s day …’
‘My lady, this is not my father’s day. It is mine, and I would have you know that I will not have money which is meant to repair my bridge spent on other things.’
‘Your father gave me the custody of the bridge for six years …’
‘And since that time the bridge has become a danger to the public. Will you never learn? Did the rising of the barons mean nothing to you?’
‘The barons have been defeated.’
‘The barons will never be defeated, my lady, while they represent the will of the people, and only when that is in his favour can a king rule.’
‘Your father did very well without it.’
‘That is not the verdict of the world, alas. My father tried to rule without it, and because of this only the greatest good luck kept him his crown and you will remember well, my mother, that he came within a very short distance of losing it. Have you forgotten those days when he and I were the prisoners of Simon de Montfort and you went to France as a begger to your sister’s court and tried to raise money for an army to free us?’
The Queen Mother wiped her eyes. ‘Do you think I shall ever forget the saddest time of my life when I and your father were separated?’
‘I trust you never will and that you will remember how easily it came about. The people would not brook your extravagance, your spending of money raised in taxation on yourself and your friends and relations.’
‘Edward! How dare you! And you my son! Whose side are you on? That of the crown or the rebel barons?’
‘There must be no sides, my lady. I am on the side of justice. I am going to see wrong put right. I am going to bring this country back to prosperity and belief in its sovereign. And I am going to begin by repairing London Bridge and taking the custody of it out of your hands.’
‘Edward … how can you do this to me!’
He went to her and laid his hands on her shoulders, for he loved her dearly and there were so many memories that stayed with him of childhood days when she had been his comfort and his solace and to be with her and his father had been the greatest treat of his childhood. ‘I can because I must. Dear Mother,
The Queen Mother was gratified but anxious immediately. ‘My darling, I hope there will be no more. You suffered too much when David was born. If you girls only knew what I go through when you have your children you would vow never to have any more. I wait for the messengers … and they are always so tardy.’
‘Oh, my dearest mother,’ cried Margaret, ‘you must remember that we are no longer children.’
Edward was drawn into this family circle in spite of himself. They had all had a wonderful childhood, so different from most royal children. He must always remember – however exasperated he became by his mother’s fecklessness – that they had enjoyed a happy family circle.
Edward whispered to Margaret, ‘I have something of importance to discuss with our mother.’
‘I will take Beatrice with me to your lady wife,’ said Margaret. ‘She will want to hear about the baby.’
‘Yes, do,’ said Edward.
When he was alone with his mother he assumed a grave manner.
‘I have had a complaint, my lady,’ he told her, ‘from the citizens of London.’
‘Those tiresome people! How dare they complain at the time of your coronation! Have they not been given so much … free wine, banquets …’
‘Free wine and banquets will not repair London Bridge, my lady.’
‘London Bridge! What has that to do with the coronation?’
‘If it were to collapse it would be remembered as the outstanding event of this coronation for years to come.’
‘Collapse! Why should it?’
‘Because it is in need of repairs and the dues collected partly for that purpose have been used for other things.’
‘What things?’
‘You know that better than I for you have had them and misspent this money.’
‘I never heard such nonsense. In your father’s day …’
‘My lady, this is not my father’s day. It is mine, and I would have you know that I will not have money which is meant to repair my bridge spent on other things.’
‘Your father gave me the custody of the bridge for six years …’
‘And since that time the bridge has become a danger to the public. Will you never learn? Did the rising of the barons mean nothing to you?’
‘The barons have been defeated.’
‘The barons will never be defeated, my lady, while they represent the will of the people, and only when that is in his favour can a king rule.’
‘Your father did very well without it.’
‘That is not the verdict of the world, alas. My father tried to rule without it, and because of this only the greatest good luck kept him his crown and you will remember well, my mother, that he came within a very short distance of losing it. Have you forgotten those days when he and I were the prisoners of Simon de Montfort and you went to France as a begger to your sister’s court and tried to raise money for an army to free us?’
The Queen Mother wiped her eyes. ‘Do you think I shall ever forget the saddest time of my life when I and your father were separated?’
‘I trust you never will and that you will remember how easily it came about. The people would not brook your extravagance, your spending of money raised in taxation on yourself and your friends and relations.’
‘Edward! How dare you! And you my son! Whose side are you on? That of the crown or the rebel barons?’
‘There must be no sides, my lady. I am on the side of justice. I am going to see wrong put right. I am going to bring this country back to prosperity and belief in its sovereign. And I am going to begin by repairing London Bridge and taking the custody of it out of your hands.’
‘Edward … how can you do this to me!’
He went to her and laid his hands on her shoulders, for he loved her dearly and there were so many memories that stayed with him of childhood days when she had been his comfort and his solace and to be with her and his father had been the greatest treat of his childhood. ‘I can because I must. Dear Mother,
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