The Courts of Love: The Story of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Jean Plaidy Page B

monk         .         .         .         prayers, austerity, discomfort         .         .         .         And suddenly to be snatched from that sequestered life and brought out into the activities of the Court         .         .         .         and not as an obscure member of it but as its future King. No wonder he looked bewildered half the time. If what I had heard of his father’s health was true, it would not be long before the crown rested on Louis’ head; and now he had to be a husband.
    I was not sure which would be giving him the greater qualms.
    But his shyness certainly endeared him to me and I was beginning to think that I liked him better the way he was than I should have if he had been a man of the world like Vermandois. I knew that gentleman’s type well. I had seen so many of them at my grandfather’s Court. They were exciting, true; but they were not to be trusted.
    So, on the whole, I was grateful for Louis. I would look after him as I looked after Petronilla. I would mold him to my way of thinking. I would make of him the husband best suited to myself.
             
    Our wedding day arrived. It had been decided that there was no point in delay.
    It was a hot July Sunday and Bordeaux was
en fte.
Even the smallest houses had banners hanging from them, and the people had been crowding into the streets since dawn. All over town bells were ringing.
    Louis and I rode through the streets amid the cheers of the people. They shouted for me. I was their Duchess. For Louis they had curious stares. He was the son of the King of France, but what was France to Aquitaine? Still, it was a good marriage. I was young and female and there should be strong men to protect Aquitaine now. They had to remember that France was the sovereign state and even prosperous Aquitaine was a vassal to its King.
    So we stood before Archbishop Lauroux and made our vows. The golden diadems were placed on our heads. We were Duke and Duchess of Aquitaine and heirs to the throne of France.
             
    As soon as the wedding banquet was over we left Bordeaux for our journey to Paris. At Taillebourg we were to spend the first night of our marriage.
    As a girl I had listened to many songs of such occasions, and this was perhaps an advantage for I was more prepared than Louis. I saw at once that it was I who must take charge and teach him. He was extremely nervous, having some garbled idea of what was expected of him, but he was in no way certain how he must go about it. I had to guide him.
    I was rather proud of the manner in which I was able to do this. The act of love came naturally to me. As I suspected, I was meant to enjoy it and I did. I knew at once that, even with my stumbling Louis, marriage suited me.
    Louis was extremely grateful. I had been tender and tactful. I was a year younger than he, but I might have been several years older and compared with him I was worldly. I think I had been born sophisticated. From the age of two I had been precocious, and of course those first five years in my grandfather’s Courts had made a deep impression on me.
    Louis changed overnight. He admired me. Not only was I beautiful beyond his imaginings, not only had I brought him rich Aquitaine, but I had made him see that marriage was not so fearful after all. There was even some enjoyment to be gleaned from it.
    The marriage was a success.
    We were in Poitiers for a few days, and there we were to be consecrated Duke and Duchess of Aquitaine at a very impressive ceremony.
    It was pleasant to be in that castle which—much as I had loved the Ombrire Palace at Bordeaux—had always been my home. Dangerosa was there and it was wonderful to go into the Maubergeonne Tower and talk to her. She wanted to hear all about the wedding and I was able to talk to her frankly about my relationship with Louis.
    She was amused. She said it was