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Authors: Elizabeth Chadwick
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siring.’
Alienor grimaced. ‘I know little of the mother, nor do I wish to, but I have been told she was with him before he wed me, and that she was English.’
‘A boyhood paramour then.’ The Empress gave a dismissive wave. ‘What do you want to ask me?’
Alienor played with a beautiful pearl ring the Empress had given her, turning it right and left on her finger. ‘Henry has taken responsibility for the child. I will do nothing to harm him, nor will I be hostile towards an innocent whatever the circumstances of his birth, but I will not permit him to undermine my own children in any way.’
The Empress handed the baby to the wet nurse. ‘Henry’s father sired Emma and Hamelin on his mistress. She died in childbirth and Geoffrey had them raised in his household. They were of no concern to me; I was fighting for a crown, and had little time to worry about such things. Besides, my own bastard-born half-brothers were the absolute backbone of my cause. Without them, Henry would not have his throne. I expected from the outset that Hamelin would grow up to support Henry, and indeed he is more help to him than Geoffrey or William will ever be. Hamelin depends on Henry for his position. You need not fear that this child will usurp your sons. Raise him to his duty and he will be an asset.’
‘It is the way Henry looks at him,’ Alienor said and could not prevent her lip from curling. ‘And now Will is dead and our little Henry still an infant…’ She closed her hands into fists. ‘I desire to have my own children recognised and ranked as first in their father’s heart.’ She felt miserable as she spoke, for she could not make such a thing happen for the willing of it.
‘Then what do you want from me?’
Alienor leaned forward. ‘I ask you to take him into your household to raise and educate. I know it would be for Henry to decide, but the boy is your grandson.’ It meant he would not have to be under her roof, a constant reminder of the son she had lost, but still suitably placed within the family. ‘Would you consider doing so?’
The Empress looked thoughtful, and then slowly nodded. ‘Yes, I would be willing to think about it.’
More than willing, Alienor thought, seeing the gleam that lit in the older woman’s eyes.
The Empress turned in her seat and beckoned the nurse to bring little Jeoffrey over to them.
The boy knelt respectfully when prompted by his nurse, and then rose and faced Alienor and his grandmother with his legs set apart in a pose exactly like Henry’s. There was no fear in his blue gaze, but he was wary.
‘Can you say the Lord’s Prayer, child?’ the Empress asked.
Jeoffrey nodded and did so, with barely a stumble, his Latin fluent.
‘Good,’ she said and dismissed him, having first made him kneel again, while she patted his hair in blessing and gave him a small honey cake from the tray at her side.
‘He has the aptitude,’ she said to Alienor once he had gone. ‘If his father agrees I will take him.’
‘Thank you, madam.’ Alienor was unable to conceal her relief.
The Empress gave her a wintry smile. ‘If I can ease your burden I will. You have a heavy load to bear and it will grow no lighter with time. I do not say this to discourage you, but it is always best to confront the truth.’
Alienor forced a smile. At least her mother-by-marriage was honest. There was never any dissembling with the Empress. Having resolved what she was going to do with young Jeoffrey FitzRoy she could now focus on dealing with Henry.
Alienor was two miles from Saumur when she met an entourage travelling in the opposite direction. The sun blazed in a sky of naked blue as the first strong heat of summer struck the Angevin heartlands like the beat of a hammer on a new anvil. Drawing rein, Alienor waited for the approaching troop to pull aside and give her right of way in respect of her rank. The other party halted in the road too, refusing to give ground, pale dust sifting around
Alienor grimaced. ‘I know little of the mother, nor do I wish to, but I have been told she was with him before he wed me, and that she was English.’
‘A boyhood paramour then.’ The Empress gave a dismissive wave. ‘What do you want to ask me?’
Alienor played with a beautiful pearl ring the Empress had given her, turning it right and left on her finger. ‘Henry has taken responsibility for the child. I will do nothing to harm him, nor will I be hostile towards an innocent whatever the circumstances of his birth, but I will not permit him to undermine my own children in any way.’
The Empress handed the baby to the wet nurse. ‘Henry’s father sired Emma and Hamelin on his mistress. She died in childbirth and Geoffrey had them raised in his household. They were of no concern to me; I was fighting for a crown, and had little time to worry about such things. Besides, my own bastard-born half-brothers were the absolute backbone of my cause. Without them, Henry would not have his throne. I expected from the outset that Hamelin would grow up to support Henry, and indeed he is more help to him than Geoffrey or William will ever be. Hamelin depends on Henry for his position. You need not fear that this child will usurp your sons. Raise him to his duty and he will be an asset.’
‘It is the way Henry looks at him,’ Alienor said and could not prevent her lip from curling. ‘And now Will is dead and our little Henry still an infant…’ She closed her hands into fists. ‘I desire to have my own children recognised and ranked as first in their father’s heart.’ She felt miserable as she spoke, for she could not make such a thing happen for the willing of it.
‘Then what do you want from me?’
Alienor leaned forward. ‘I ask you to take him into your household to raise and educate. I know it would be for Henry to decide, but the boy is your grandson.’ It meant he would not have to be under her roof, a constant reminder of the son she had lost, but still suitably placed within the family. ‘Would you consider doing so?’
The Empress looked thoughtful, and then slowly nodded. ‘Yes, I would be willing to think about it.’
More than willing, Alienor thought, seeing the gleam that lit in the older woman’s eyes.
The Empress turned in her seat and beckoned the nurse to bring little Jeoffrey over to them.
The boy knelt respectfully when prompted by his nurse, and then rose and faced Alienor and his grandmother with his legs set apart in a pose exactly like Henry’s. There was no fear in his blue gaze, but he was wary.
‘Can you say the Lord’s Prayer, child?’ the Empress asked.
Jeoffrey nodded and did so, with barely a stumble, his Latin fluent.
‘Good,’ she said and dismissed him, having first made him kneel again, while she patted his hair in blessing and gave him a small honey cake from the tray at her side.
‘He has the aptitude,’ she said to Alienor once he had gone. ‘If his father agrees I will take him.’
‘Thank you, madam.’ Alienor was unable to conceal her relief.
The Empress gave her a wintry smile. ‘If I can ease your burden I will. You have a heavy load to bear and it will grow no lighter with time. I do not say this to discourage you, but it is always best to confront the truth.’
Alienor forced a smile. At least her mother-by-marriage was honest. There was never any dissembling with the Empress. Having resolved what she was going to do with young Jeoffrey FitzRoy she could now focus on dealing with Henry.
Alienor was two miles from Saumur when she met an entourage travelling in the opposite direction. The sun blazed in a sky of naked blue as the first strong heat of summer struck the Angevin heartlands like the beat of a hammer on a new anvil. Drawing rein, Alienor waited for the approaching troop to pull aside and give her right of way in respect of her rank. The other party halted in the road too, refusing to give ground, pale dust sifting around
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