soberly, “I will defend myself when someone strikes at me, and I
take pleasure in it, I admit, but I do not think it a good thing to stir up
real war. That will not be my intention.”
She sighed. “I beg your pardon. You are right, of course. If
our marriage can be of help to the king, I should be glad, not spiteful. But…but
I am used only to being a private person, not one whose doings affect the world
at large.”
“It is not easy, dearling,” William said gravely. “I know it
well. I struggled for years to avoid it—but that was wrong. Very wrong. I
regret my selfishness. Every person who is called to such a place must accept
the burden. It is a man’s duty to serve God and man as best he can, and a woman’s
duty to support her menfolk in that service.”
“Yes, Papa.” She put her hand out to Raymond. “Forgive me. I
will make no further trouble, if I can only master my unruly tongue.”
“No, love, say what you like,” Raymond urged. “You are right
to protest what seems wrong to you. It never hurts a man to think twice over a
plan, or to put his reasons for a thing into clear words. Only good can come of
that, so long as you listen to reason, and I see that you do. I will always be
eager to hear what you have to say.”
“Even when it is silly?” Alys asked, her lips beginning to
curve into a smile.
“Especially when it is silly,” Raymond assured her, “because
then I can kiss you for being a woman.”
He suited the deed to the word, and Alys returned the salute
good and hearty before she said she would see to his clothes and a bath, and
went away. Sir William looked after his daughter for a moment before he turned
his full attention to what Raymond was saying about the areas in which it would
be best to have a grant of land. William had seen that Alys’s eyes did not
reflect the smile she had given Raymond when she left them. Do not be a dog
in the manger , William told himself. It is right that she should fear for
the man she loves. But it had not sounded like that kind of fear. William could
not give his mind to the matter then. What Raymond was saying was of greater
importance.
That night, however, he mentioned the scene to Elizabeth in
pillow talk and noted that she did not answer him at once. “Do you think I am
jealous of her love for him?” William asked.
“No—well, a little, dear heart,” Elizabeth replied softly. “It
would not be possible to feel nothing when you see her—whose whole heart and
mind were always yours—begin to look to another. But that cannot be what is
troubling you now. No, I have seen that Alys is not easy, and love her though I
do, I am certainly not jealous.”
“You do not think she has changed her heart and will marry
him only to keep her word? I would never—”
“Now that is jealousy, William,” Elizabeth
interrupted, “or rather, your reluctance to lose her. You saw how she looked at
Raymond at suppertime, and later, when they sat together, how she reached to
touch him when there was no need. No, she loves him, and loves him dear. Let it
be, love. It may be some maiden fancy that troubles her. When we have a little
peace together, I will try to speak to her and uncover her uneasiness.”
That peace was not long in coming. Raymond and William were
in such quick agreement on the terms of the marriage contract that they rode
out only two days later to propose their notions to Richard of Cornwall, who
was fortunately at Wallingford. If he approved, they told Alys and Elizabeth,
they would go on to set the proposal before King Henry. And, the day after they
left, a messenger arrived to say that Richard was so enthusiastic about the
idea that he was going with them to Henry.
“It is settled then,” Elizabeth said. “We had better give
all our attention to finishing your clothing and preparing the linen and
furniture you will be taking. I have a feeling that the king will seize at this
like a drowning man reaches for a log. He will want
take pleasure in it, I admit, but I do not think it a good thing to stir up
real war. That will not be my intention.”
She sighed. “I beg your pardon. You are right, of course. If
our marriage can be of help to the king, I should be glad, not spiteful. But…but
I am used only to being a private person, not one whose doings affect the world
at large.”
“It is not easy, dearling,” William said gravely. “I know it
well. I struggled for years to avoid it—but that was wrong. Very wrong. I
regret my selfishness. Every person who is called to such a place must accept
the burden. It is a man’s duty to serve God and man as best he can, and a woman’s
duty to support her menfolk in that service.”
“Yes, Papa.” She put her hand out to Raymond. “Forgive me. I
will make no further trouble, if I can only master my unruly tongue.”
“No, love, say what you like,” Raymond urged. “You are right
to protest what seems wrong to you. It never hurts a man to think twice over a
plan, or to put his reasons for a thing into clear words. Only good can come of
that, so long as you listen to reason, and I see that you do. I will always be
eager to hear what you have to say.”
“Even when it is silly?” Alys asked, her lips beginning to
curve into a smile.
“Especially when it is silly,” Raymond assured her, “because
then I can kiss you for being a woman.”
He suited the deed to the word, and Alys returned the salute
good and hearty before she said she would see to his clothes and a bath, and
went away. Sir William looked after his daughter for a moment before he turned
his full attention to what Raymond was saying about the areas in which it would
be best to have a grant of land. William had seen that Alys’s eyes did not
reflect the smile she had given Raymond when she left them. Do not be a dog
in the manger , William told himself. It is right that she should fear for
the man she loves. But it had not sounded like that kind of fear. William could
not give his mind to the matter then. What Raymond was saying was of greater
importance.
That night, however, he mentioned the scene to Elizabeth in
pillow talk and noted that she did not answer him at once. “Do you think I am
jealous of her love for him?” William asked.
“No—well, a little, dear heart,” Elizabeth replied softly. “It
would not be possible to feel nothing when you see her—whose whole heart and
mind were always yours—begin to look to another. But that cannot be what is
troubling you now. No, I have seen that Alys is not easy, and love her though I
do, I am certainly not jealous.”
“You do not think she has changed her heart and will marry
him only to keep her word? I would never—”
“Now that is jealousy, William,” Elizabeth
interrupted, “or rather, your reluctance to lose her. You saw how she looked at
Raymond at suppertime, and later, when they sat together, how she reached to
touch him when there was no need. No, she loves him, and loves him dear. Let it
be, love. It may be some maiden fancy that troubles her. When we have a little
peace together, I will try to speak to her and uncover her uneasiness.”
That peace was not long in coming. Raymond and William were
in such quick agreement on the terms of the marriage contract that they rode
out only two days later to propose their notions to Richard of Cornwall, who
was fortunately at Wallingford. If he approved, they told Alys and Elizabeth,
they would go on to set the proposal before King Henry. And, the day after they
left, a messenger arrived to say that Richard was so enthusiastic about the
idea that he was going with them to Henry.
“It is settled then,” Elizabeth said. “We had better give
all our attention to finishing your clothing and preparing the linen and
furniture you will be taking. I have a feeling that the king will seize at this
like a drowning man reaches for a log. He will want
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