Eleanor.’
Oh yes, they were comforting themselves.
But the uncles were reluctant to give up in view of what was involved, and negotiations went on. A gleam of hope came when Henry reduced the amount for which he was asking.
‘It is still too much,’ said the Count. ‘Even what he asks now is far beyond my means.’
‘He will come down further,’ Uncle Boniface assured him.
‘And I,’ replied the Count with dignity, ‘do not care for this bargaining over my daughter. She is a princess, not a piece of land to be bartered for. I tell you this, Boniface, grand as I am well aware this marriage is, I am beginning to have had enough of it.’
As far as he was concerned he would have put an end to the haggling, but the uncles were determined to continue with it.
Richard was amused by the prolonged arguments. Because he felt himself to have been the cause of the proposed marriage, he was eager to see it carried through. Eleanor was an unusual princess; he knew that his brother would be delighted with her; moreover she would be grateful to him and since he was often in disagreement with the King it could be good to have an ally in the Queen.
‘So the marriage plans hang fire,’ said Richard when he and his brother were alone together.
‘These matters always do.’
‘Not always. I believe the marriage between Eleanor’s sister and Louis suffered no such hindrance.’
‘It is my opinion that she should receive a reasonable dowry.’
‘You ask too much, Henry. The most beautiful girl in the world and her weight in gold!’
The most beautiful girl in the world! That had shaken him. The bride of the King of England should be the most beautiful girl in the world, of course – but also she should bring a dowry worthy of her bridegroom.
‘I think they will give me what I want,’ said Henry.
‘My dear brother, you do not know the poverty of Provence.’
‘You have always spoken in such glowing terms of the Court there.’
‘It is a matter of culture, not extravagance. You should understand that, Henry.’
‘I do. I respect the Count for his devotion to music and literature. But I cannot believe in this plea of poverty and I think that possibly having three daughters to place in the world he does not want to give the eldest her share but to save it to buy good marriages for the others. I want him to realise that what his daughter is being offered is no ordinary alliance.’
‘He will value the alliance for what it is worth. But he is not a worldly man.’
‘What do you mean by that?’
‘He would consider his daughter’s happiness before her advancement. What I mean is, brother, that he would rather see her a happy countess than an unhappy queen.’
‘There is no reason why she should not be a happy queen.’
‘He might think there is. You see, in these negotiations you have revealed yourself as a somewhat mercenary man. You have the opportunity of marrying this unusual girl and you barter. Messengers go back and forth and there is no satisfaction. Remember I have met this Count. I have seen him in his own home. He will resent this insult to his daughter.’
‘But I mean no insult. How could I insult my own Queen!’
‘Yet you do, Henry, by weighing up what she will bring to you. Romantic Louis said of her sister: I want her. She will suffice.’
Richard could see that his strategy was working. ‘What did the Count say to you in his last message?’ he went on.
‘That he could not afford what I asked even though I had reduced it.’
‘I mean in what manner did he say it? That is important.’
‘I will show you his last communication.’
Richard read what the Count had written and nodded slowly.
‘I understand well. He is a very proud man. His pride is wounded. He shows here quite clearly that he will soon put an end to this haggling. How go the negotiations with Ponthieu? Me-thinks if you have not stopped them …’
‘You know full well they have stopped.’
‘Open them
Oh yes, they were comforting themselves.
But the uncles were reluctant to give up in view of what was involved, and negotiations went on. A gleam of hope came when Henry reduced the amount for which he was asking.
‘It is still too much,’ said the Count. ‘Even what he asks now is far beyond my means.’
‘He will come down further,’ Uncle Boniface assured him.
‘And I,’ replied the Count with dignity, ‘do not care for this bargaining over my daughter. She is a princess, not a piece of land to be bartered for. I tell you this, Boniface, grand as I am well aware this marriage is, I am beginning to have had enough of it.’
As far as he was concerned he would have put an end to the haggling, but the uncles were determined to continue with it.
Richard was amused by the prolonged arguments. Because he felt himself to have been the cause of the proposed marriage, he was eager to see it carried through. Eleanor was an unusual princess; he knew that his brother would be delighted with her; moreover she would be grateful to him and since he was often in disagreement with the King it could be good to have an ally in the Queen.
‘So the marriage plans hang fire,’ said Richard when he and his brother were alone together.
‘These matters always do.’
‘Not always. I believe the marriage between Eleanor’s sister and Louis suffered no such hindrance.’
‘It is my opinion that she should receive a reasonable dowry.’
‘You ask too much, Henry. The most beautiful girl in the world and her weight in gold!’
The most beautiful girl in the world! That had shaken him. The bride of the King of England should be the most beautiful girl in the world, of course – but also she should bring a dowry worthy of her bridegroom.
‘I think they will give me what I want,’ said Henry.
‘My dear brother, you do not know the poverty of Provence.’
‘You have always spoken in such glowing terms of the Court there.’
‘It is a matter of culture, not extravagance. You should understand that, Henry.’
‘I do. I respect the Count for his devotion to music and literature. But I cannot believe in this plea of poverty and I think that possibly having three daughters to place in the world he does not want to give the eldest her share but to save it to buy good marriages for the others. I want him to realise that what his daughter is being offered is no ordinary alliance.’
‘He will value the alliance for what it is worth. But he is not a worldly man.’
‘What do you mean by that?’
‘He would consider his daughter’s happiness before her advancement. What I mean is, brother, that he would rather see her a happy countess than an unhappy queen.’
‘There is no reason why she should not be a happy queen.’
‘He might think there is. You see, in these negotiations you have revealed yourself as a somewhat mercenary man. You have the opportunity of marrying this unusual girl and you barter. Messengers go back and forth and there is no satisfaction. Remember I have met this Count. I have seen him in his own home. He will resent this insult to his daughter.’
‘But I mean no insult. How could I insult my own Queen!’
‘Yet you do, Henry, by weighing up what she will bring to you. Romantic Louis said of her sister: I want her. She will suffice.’
Richard could see that his strategy was working. ‘What did the Count say to you in his last message?’ he went on.
‘That he could not afford what I asked even though I had reduced it.’
‘I mean in what manner did he say it? That is important.’
‘I will show you his last communication.’
Richard read what the Count had written and nodded slowly.
‘I understand well. He is a very proud man. His pride is wounded. He shows here quite clearly that he will soon put an end to this haggling. How go the negotiations with Ponthieu? Me-thinks if you have not stopped them …’
‘You know full well they have stopped.’
‘Open them
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