Read Online The Red Rose of Anjou by Jean Plaidy - Free Book Online

Queen.
    ‘Agnès is perhaps...different.’
    ‘Oh yes,’ said the Queen, ‘quite different. In fact one might say the King no longer has mistresses. He has a mistress.’
    ‘Agnès is a good girl, Marie, do you agree?’
    ‘I do.’
    ‘And you, Marie...you are her friend.’
    Marie smiled. ‘I know what you are thinking, my lady mother. You decided that Agnès should be at Court when you saw he was taken by her. And you are wondering what I his wife think of my mother who should introduce him to such a mistress. Do not forget, my dear mother, that it was you who brought me up. Life was wretched before. You know how we lived when his father gave Katherine to the King of England and promised that King his throne on his death. Charles was cast out. Even after his father’s death he was just the Dauphin when he was in truth the King. We had no money...nothing. I had to sell jewels to provide us with food. And he did not care...He went whichever way he was guided. It was humiliating. And then the Maid came. We both believed in her, did we not, and we made him believe and he did. She saved Orléans and had him crowned at Rheims and even after that he was still listless. He has never really forgiven himself for letting her be burned as a witch.’
    ‘Poor, poor Charles, he needs looking after.’
    ‘He has someone to look after him. He has his queen...his mother-in-law...and most of all his mistress.’
    ‘Ah, I knew Agnès would be good for him.’
    ‘He loves her, my lady. I never thought he could rouse himself from his lethargy to love. But he loves Agnès. She is a good woman. I think he had to persuade her rather forcibly to share his bed and bear his children. She loves him too. In spite of his looks there is something lovable about Charles.’
    Yolande agreed with that. She loved him herself. She said ‘Then it was right not to take Agnès away.’
    ‘Agnès has done more for him than anyone. He roused himself to gain her good opinion. She changed him and in doing that changed France. Dear Mother, ease your conscience. I am his wife but I rejoice in Agnès.’
    Yolande’s conscience was now clear on that point. She sent for Agnès.
    Agnès came and stood before her. How beautiful she is! thought Yolande. Even more so than when she was a maiden in Isabelle’s household. She has gained with maturity.
    Agnès guessed that Yolande wished to speak to her about her relationship with the King and since Yolande was the mother of his wife, she expected some reproaches.
    Yolande bade her sit.
    ‘You have changed since I last saw you, Agnès,’ she said, ‘but you are more beautiful than ever. And happy, I trust.’
    ‘Yes, my lady, I am happy as any can be in these troublous times.’
    ‘Growing less troublesome though since the King roused himself and decided to be a King.’
    Agnès did not answer; she lowered her head but Yolande caught the smile of satisfaction.
    ‘Agnès, I hear Charles has built a Château for you in the forest near Loches. The Château de la Guerche I believe.’
    ‘That is so, my lady. The King has been very kind to me.’
    ‘I believe you have been very kind to him.’
    The delicate colour in Agnès’s cheeks deepened slightly.
    ‘My lady, I did not wish to find myself in this position.’
    ‘I know, I know. He fell in love with you and you wished to escape from him. You had no ambition to be a King’s mistress. I believe that, Agnès, so would all who knew you. But you were at his Court and he would not let you go. You were not a young girl who would fall in love for love’s sake. Charles was hardly the sort, to inspire that, was he? You resisted him and you told him that he was indolent, that he was destroying his country, that you could not admire a King who behaved as he did. Is that so, Agnès?’
    ‘Perhaps I implied that. A maid of honour to the Queen could scarcely be so bold to the King.’
    ‘But you were bold, Agnès, because you had this effect on him. He changed his