out and I have seen many more. But years are of no matter. You would find me a very loving husband.’
‘But you have a Queen, my lord. Richard’s mother.’
‘Kings have been known to rid themselves of queens whom they do not love.’
‘Do you not then love the Queen?’
‘I hate the Queen, Alice. I hate her as much as I am beginning to love you.’
He watched her steadily. She was not frightened now. She was becoming excited. He tried to stem his rising desire. He could not. She was a child. She was betrothed to Richard and she was the daughter of the King of France. Even he could not sport with a king’s daughter as he would a kitchen wench. There had been girls as young as this one – though he had always had more pleasure from mature women. He did not know when he felt so delighted in anyone – not since he had first seen Rosamund. And she had not been much older than Alice. Rosamund had displeased him; she had failed him in a way that he had never expected she would.
‘Alice,’ he said, ‘if I loved you, do you think you could love me?’
‘I must,’ she said, ‘because you are Richard’s father and will be mine.’
‘Nay I meant not as a father.’
‘How so, my lord?’
Was that a little coquetry he saw in her eyes? If it were so, if this innocence was a little feigned his resolutions would crumble; he would act first and think after. Louis would much rather his daughter were Queen of England than Duchess of Aquitaine which was all she would be if she were married to Richard.
He put his face against hers and his hand was on her budding breast. ‘Does it please you to be so fondled?’
‘Why yes, my lord.’
‘And that I should be the fondler?’
‘Yes, my lord.’
‘I, rather than any other?’
She nodded.
‘Why so?’
‘Because you are the King and our lord and master.’
‘A right goodly answer,’ he said with a laugh. ‘And would you be ready to obey me in all things?’
‘Yes, my lord.’
‘And do all that I ask of you?’
‘But yes.’
‘Alice,’ he whispered, ‘methinks you are a wise little girl. You know something of the ways of the world, do you?’
‘A little, my lord.’
‘And would know more I warrant. Alice, I am going to be your tutor.’
When he had seduced her in a gentle and expert manner his conscience worried him a little. But he soon stilled it by reminding himself that he would look after the child. He would definitely see if he could divorce Eleanor and if he could he would make Alice his wife. Her innocence was delightful; it was not going to be difficult to make her adore him. He would teach her as he had taught Rosamund and if he married her – which he might well do – she need have no qualms about her sins. And if he did not, well then in due course she would go to Richard.
But he did not want to think of her belonging to anyone but himself.
He loved his little trusting Alice. She was just what he needed at this time; he could forget the ordeal which was awaiting him. He could forget frustrations, irritations and the anxiety which was beginning to grow within him about his sons.
‘My darling Alice,’ he whispered to her on parting, ‘this is our secret. Tell no one what has taken place between us. I trust you. And one day soon you shall be my Queen and I will put a crown on your head and we shall go everywhere together.’
She was ecstatic with wonder. He was so powerful, so clever. She had not liked what she had seen of Richard very much. But the King would save her from that marriage. Of course he would. He was going to marry her himself.
Chapter III
THE KING AND QUEEN
T he King set out for Normandy accompanied by his son who made little effort to disguise his displeasure. The boy was distinctly sullen, but his father’s thoughts were occupied with too many other matters to concern himself greatly with young Henry.
He could not stop thinking of the adorable Alice and what a pleasure it would be to get back to her. He
‘But you have a Queen, my lord. Richard’s mother.’
‘Kings have been known to rid themselves of queens whom they do not love.’
‘Do you not then love the Queen?’
‘I hate the Queen, Alice. I hate her as much as I am beginning to love you.’
He watched her steadily. She was not frightened now. She was becoming excited. He tried to stem his rising desire. He could not. She was a child. She was betrothed to Richard and she was the daughter of the King of France. Even he could not sport with a king’s daughter as he would a kitchen wench. There had been girls as young as this one – though he had always had more pleasure from mature women. He did not know when he felt so delighted in anyone – not since he had first seen Rosamund. And she had not been much older than Alice. Rosamund had displeased him; she had failed him in a way that he had never expected she would.
‘Alice,’ he said, ‘if I loved you, do you think you could love me?’
‘I must,’ she said, ‘because you are Richard’s father and will be mine.’
‘Nay I meant not as a father.’
‘How so, my lord?’
Was that a little coquetry he saw in her eyes? If it were so, if this innocence was a little feigned his resolutions would crumble; he would act first and think after. Louis would much rather his daughter were Queen of England than Duchess of Aquitaine which was all she would be if she were married to Richard.
He put his face against hers and his hand was on her budding breast. ‘Does it please you to be so fondled?’
‘Why yes, my lord.’
‘And that I should be the fondler?’
‘Yes, my lord.’
‘I, rather than any other?’
She nodded.
‘Why so?’
‘Because you are the King and our lord and master.’
‘A right goodly answer,’ he said with a laugh. ‘And would you be ready to obey me in all things?’
‘Yes, my lord.’
‘And do all that I ask of you?’
‘But yes.’
‘Alice,’ he whispered, ‘methinks you are a wise little girl. You know something of the ways of the world, do you?’
‘A little, my lord.’
‘And would know more I warrant. Alice, I am going to be your tutor.’
When he had seduced her in a gentle and expert manner his conscience worried him a little. But he soon stilled it by reminding himself that he would look after the child. He would definitely see if he could divorce Eleanor and if he could he would make Alice his wife. Her innocence was delightful; it was not going to be difficult to make her adore him. He would teach her as he had taught Rosamund and if he married her – which he might well do – she need have no qualms about her sins. And if he did not, well then in due course she would go to Richard.
But he did not want to think of her belonging to anyone but himself.
He loved his little trusting Alice. She was just what he needed at this time; he could forget the ordeal which was awaiting him. He could forget frustrations, irritations and the anxiety which was beginning to grow within him about his sons.
‘My darling Alice,’ he whispered to her on parting, ‘this is our secret. Tell no one what has taken place between us. I trust you. And one day soon you shall be my Queen and I will put a crown on your head and we shall go everywhere together.’
She was ecstatic with wonder. He was so powerful, so clever. She had not liked what she had seen of Richard very much. But the King would save her from that marriage. Of course he would. He was going to marry her himself.
Chapter III
THE KING AND QUEEN
T he King set out for Normandy accompanied by his son who made little effort to disguise his displeasure. The boy was distinctly sullen, but his father’s thoughts were occupied with too many other matters to concern himself greatly with young Henry.
He could not stop thinking of the adorable Alice and what a pleasure it would be to get back to her. He
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