to call upon. She ran his household well and provided a refuge from the steely sharpness of the court. Here life was predictable and grounded; he did not have to listen to and measure every single word.
He told her about Waleran, and that he was to be kept at Wallingford until the king deemed him safe to release. “I have told William to see to the ordering of a suitable door with bars and locks. He’s to be kept under strict house arrest until the king decrees otherwise.”
She looked at him in surprise, but without trepidation.
“What a shame,” she said. “Why do men fight over things that do not matter? When the hens stop laying or there is murrain among the sheep that is far greater cause for concern than who 44
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sits on the throne. I remember Waleran de Meulan when he was a foolish boy too young to grow a beard.”
“Now he is a foolish man,” Brian said curtly. “He should not have dabbled in rebellion, and now he is reaping the consequences.”
Maude tutted and, with a shake of her head, passed a scrap of meat under the table to Rascal.
As evening fell, Maude leaned towards him and laid her capable, alewife’s hand on his sleeve. “Husband, will you come to bed?” There was no seduction in her voice; the request, although spoken in a low voice for privacy, was matter of fact.
“Yes, in a moment,” he said with a sinking heart. “I have a few charters to look over first.”
“Good, then I will expect you. I will take the dogs out while I wait.” She left, calling her entourage of canines to heel and bidding a servant bring her cloak.
Brian retreated to his chamber. Sitting down in his chair he massaged his temples where a slow headache had begun to pound. It had been a long day. Eventually he picked up his quill and, drawing a sheet of parchment under his hand, wrote to the abbot of Bec, and then to the bishop of Bath. The motion of the quill across the parchment soothed him, as did the intellectual flow of his thoughts. He sometimes wondered what would have happened if his father had dedicated him to the Church instead of giving him to the king to be raised at court. Would he have found religious vows hard to keep?
Perhaps, but then many clerics made a mockery of such, and lived in the lap of luxury and power with their mistresses and offspring—witness Roger of Salisbury and his castle at Devizes and his palace at Salisbury.
His work completed, he went to open the shutters and look out. He could hear Maude calling to the dogs, jollying them along in her brisk, deep voice. She would have been a fine 45
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Elizabeth Chadwick
mother to a brace of sons, he thought, and felt a surge of melan-choly. Even while she irritated him, he appreciated that their marriage was not one she would have chosen for herself had the decision been in her hands, because he no more measured up to her standards than she did to his
ttt
Still red-cheeked and glowing from her walk, Maude looked at Brian expectantly. The servants had made up the great bed for the night and been dismissed, taking the dog pack with them.
“If we do not have an heir now, it will be too late,” she said.
“My fluxes barely come at all these days and you are returning to court within the week.” She jutted her fleshy jaw. “I am entitled to claim the marital debt from you. I know you have no desire for me, but this is not about desire, it is about procreation.”
Brian bit his lip. If the situation had not been so appalling, he would have laughed. Besides, it was no laughing matter, because if he did not pay that debt, then he was violating his oath of marriage. She removed her wimple and gown. Reluctantly he took off his tunic and his shirt, but it was she who approached him. Her chemise was plain but clean. The smell of lye soap mingled with that of fresh sweat from her recent exercise. She rubbed her hands together to warm them and,
He told her about Waleran, and that he was to be kept at Wallingford until the king deemed him safe to release. “I have told William to see to the ordering of a suitable door with bars and locks. He’s to be kept under strict house arrest until the king decrees otherwise.”
She looked at him in surprise, but without trepidation.
“What a shame,” she said. “Why do men fight over things that do not matter? When the hens stop laying or there is murrain among the sheep that is far greater cause for concern than who 44
LadyofEnglish.indd 44
6/9/11 5:35 PM
Lady of the English
sits on the throne. I remember Waleran de Meulan when he was a foolish boy too young to grow a beard.”
“Now he is a foolish man,” Brian said curtly. “He should not have dabbled in rebellion, and now he is reaping the consequences.”
Maude tutted and, with a shake of her head, passed a scrap of meat under the table to Rascal.
As evening fell, Maude leaned towards him and laid her capable, alewife’s hand on his sleeve. “Husband, will you come to bed?” There was no seduction in her voice; the request, although spoken in a low voice for privacy, was matter of fact.
“Yes, in a moment,” he said with a sinking heart. “I have a few charters to look over first.”
“Good, then I will expect you. I will take the dogs out while I wait.” She left, calling her entourage of canines to heel and bidding a servant bring her cloak.
Brian retreated to his chamber. Sitting down in his chair he massaged his temples where a slow headache had begun to pound. It had been a long day. Eventually he picked up his quill and, drawing a sheet of parchment under his hand, wrote to the abbot of Bec, and then to the bishop of Bath. The motion of the quill across the parchment soothed him, as did the intellectual flow of his thoughts. He sometimes wondered what would have happened if his father had dedicated him to the Church instead of giving him to the king to be raised at court. Would he have found religious vows hard to keep?
Perhaps, but then many clerics made a mockery of such, and lived in the lap of luxury and power with their mistresses and offspring—witness Roger of Salisbury and his castle at Devizes and his palace at Salisbury.
His work completed, he went to open the shutters and look out. He could hear Maude calling to the dogs, jollying them along in her brisk, deep voice. She would have been a fine 45
LadyofEnglish.indd 45
6/9/11 5:35 PM
Elizabeth Chadwick
mother to a brace of sons, he thought, and felt a surge of melan-choly. Even while she irritated him, he appreciated that their marriage was not one she would have chosen for herself had the decision been in her hands, because he no more measured up to her standards than she did to his
ttt
Still red-cheeked and glowing from her walk, Maude looked at Brian expectantly. The servants had made up the great bed for the night and been dismissed, taking the dog pack with them.
“If we do not have an heir now, it will be too late,” she said.
“My fluxes barely come at all these days and you are returning to court within the week.” She jutted her fleshy jaw. “I am entitled to claim the marital debt from you. I know you have no desire for me, but this is not about desire, it is about procreation.”
Brian bit his lip. If the situation had not been so appalling, he would have laughed. Besides, it was no laughing matter, because if he did not pay that debt, then he was violating his oath of marriage. She removed her wimple and gown. Reluctantly he took off his tunic and his shirt, but it was she who approached him. Her chemise was plain but clean. The smell of lye soap mingled with that of fresh sweat from her recent exercise. She rubbed her hands together to warm them and,
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