Hearts and Crowns Read Online Free PDF Page A

Bretagne, or Anjou for that matter. According to James, King Henry had decreed that royal roads must be wide enough to allow two wagons to pass each other, or to accommodate sixteen knights riding abreast.
    Sir Valentin de Soucie had turned out to be an aged knight who rarely left his bed. His men-at-arms, Normans all, were disdainful of the Angevin women they escorted. James was the exception. Peri suspected the young squire relished getting away from his ancient master for a few days.
    They arrived at the Palace after midnight where they waited in a draughty hallway for long minutes. There were no chairs. Peri swayed, beyond exhaustion. Alys slumped to the floor, her back against the wall. Peri did not have the energy to reprimand her.
    Eventually they were led to a small chamber by a servant who eyed them curiously, then rattled off a list of instructions for the morrow that Peri barely understood.
    Her chamber-mate was already asleep and did not stir as Alys helped Peri undress. She crawled between the ice cold musty linens of her tiny bed, feeling like an old woman. Her maidservant curled up on the floor and within moments was snoring loudly.
    ~~~
    It was still dark when Alys shook Peri awake. Had she slept? Yawning, she looked over to the other bed.
    “Already gone,” her maid explained. “She left some water in the ewer. Seems nice.”
    Peri’s spirits lifted as she stretched her arms above her head. This was high praise indeed from the forthright Alys.
    She had longed for a bath, but had to be content with sponging her body with the water remaining in the ewer, while Alys worked frantically to make the wrinkled gown presentable for her first day as lady-in-waiting.
    Already exhausted after struggling into the gown and having her hair braided tightly, she left in search of the chamber where she was to receive instruction in her duties.
    Confused by the endless labyrinth of hallways at Westminster, she soon got lost. Two people gave her directions that led to the wrong places. A third ignored her desperate request for help, no doubt thinking a madwoman had accosted them.
    At last, exasperated, she stumbled upon the chamber, a few minutes late. She heard the faint crowing of a cock. Breathless, she muttered her apology to the richly dressed matron who stood with arms folded, tapping her foot. Three young women were lined up in front of her, heads bowed, studying their feet.
    Apparently, Peri was not the only new recruit.
    She held her arms rigid at her sides, fisting her fingers into the fabric of her olive green gown.
    “I assume you are Peridotte de Pontrouge—the Angevin,” the doyenne declared loudly, her elaborate lyre-shaped wimple teetering alarmingly.
    “ Oui , milady ,” Peri murmured, stifling an urge to yawn at this ungodly hour.
    The woman harrumphed, her eyes raking Peri from head to toe, and back. “I am Lady Ermintrude de Calumette, senior lady-in-waiting. You will address me as Milady Ermintrude.”
    “ Oui , Milady Ermintrude,” Peri parroted, mortified to be the centre of attention in such a manner. It was a poor beginning.
    Lady Ermintrude looked down her long nose. “I have already assigned these punctual young women, Norman women I might add, to their duties. Since you are late, you will be chambermaid to The Empress.”
    Elation flooded Peri’s heart. Despite her tardy arrival she was to be allowed to serve the Empress in her bedchamber, a high honor indeed. Ignoring the titters of the other girls, she straightened her shoulders. “ Merci , Milady Ermintrude.”
    The dragon lady droned on and on about court etiquette, enumerating rules concerning this and that. Peri’s mind wandered as her gaze fixed on the ornate embellishments of the chamber’s ceiling. Her legs seemed to think she was still on horseback.
    The repeated snapping together of a finger and thumb jolted her attention back to Lady Ermintrude, who glowered at her, then suddenly turned on her heel, bidding the girls to