The Heart of the Lion Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: Jean Plaidy
man.’
‘Ah,’ said the old nurse. ‘I remember him. A fine gentleman, an honourable man. His father respected him, and his father was King Henry I.’
‘I know my grandfather Robert was one of his natural sons.’
‘And the King loved him dearly. He was the great champion of the King’s daughter Matilda in her fight against Stephen.’
‘She was a difficult woman but he believed her cause was the right one and I know that he was partly responsible for helping Henry II to the throne.’
‘You know your family history, my child. That is good. It helps you to bear your lot.’
‘Why should it, nurse?’
‘To talk to those who are long ago dead and to remember that troubles beset them makes you feel your own are not so important.’
‘You think I have troubles?’
‘You, my love! About to be married to a handsome prince!’
‘I trust he will like me.’
‘He’ll not be able to help himself,’ the nurse assured her.
If only it were true, thought Hadwisa. She knew she was not beautiful. Her sisters – all married now – had been far more attractive than she was. She was not a fool. She knew that her father was one of the richest men in the kingdom and it was for this reason that she had been affianced to the King’s brother.
Now she could see the riders in the distance. There was the royal standard and at the head of the band would be her bridegroom.
Her mother was at the door.
‘Hadwisa, are you ready? You must be at the gates to greet the Prince.’ She noticed her daughter’s anxious looks and thought: It’s a pity the poor child is so plain. Nervously Hadwisa went out to greet her bridegroom.
He was of medium height and like all the sons of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine he had some claim to good looks. But although he was young yet and his character had not yet drawn lines on his face there was that about it to strike a note of warning in the heart of his bride.
Cruelty peeped out of those eyes; the mouth was hard yet weak; to some extent he disguised his true nature but it could not be altogether concealed. Lust, envy, greed – yes, every one of the notorious seven sins could be detected there.
He took her hand and kissed it. His eyes gloated but not on her. The richest lands in England! When they were his he would have possession of a goodly part of that country.
‘Come,’ he cried. ‘Let us get the marriage done with. My bride and I will need a little time together before I go to my brother’s coronation.’
‘My lord,’ said her father, ‘a banquet is prepared. We had thought tomorrow might be the best day for the marriage ceremony.’
‘Nay,’ cried John. ‘We’ll have it tonight.’ He took Hadwisa’s hand and pressed it firmly. ‘I declare that having seen my bride . . . in her home . . . I cannot wait.’
So they prepared her and her mother came to her and she asked that they might be alone together.
‘Come,’ said her mother, when the attendants had gone, ‘all is well. Every bride is nervous on her wedding day.’
‘This is so quick.’
‘My child you have been betrothed to the Prince for years.’
‘But I never thought . . .’
‘You are of a marriageable age now and so is he.’
‘Mother, it is not meet that we should marry. We are third cousins.’
‘It is because you have royal blood in your veins that you are a worthy bride for the King’s brother.’
‘But we are third cousins.’
‘It is a slender link.’
‘King Henry I was my great-grandfather. He was also John’s.’
‘Do not fret over such things.’
‘I believe the Church might not sanction our marriage. There should be a special dispensation.’
‘My dear child, do you realise that the King has given his consent to the marriage?’
‘The King is not the Church.’
‘What would you have us do?’
‘Wait,’ cried Hadwisa. ‘Wait!’
‘Can you imagine the wrath of your bridegroom if we suggested such a thing! What do you think he would do?’
Ah, there was
‘Ah,’ said the old nurse. ‘I remember him. A fine gentleman, an honourable man. His father respected him, and his father was King Henry I.’
‘I know my grandfather Robert was one of his natural sons.’
‘And the King loved him dearly. He was the great champion of the King’s daughter Matilda in her fight against Stephen.’
‘She was a difficult woman but he believed her cause was the right one and I know that he was partly responsible for helping Henry II to the throne.’
‘You know your family history, my child. That is good. It helps you to bear your lot.’
‘Why should it, nurse?’
‘To talk to those who are long ago dead and to remember that troubles beset them makes you feel your own are not so important.’
‘You think I have troubles?’
‘You, my love! About to be married to a handsome prince!’
‘I trust he will like me.’
‘He’ll not be able to help himself,’ the nurse assured her.
If only it were true, thought Hadwisa. She knew she was not beautiful. Her sisters – all married now – had been far more attractive than she was. She was not a fool. She knew that her father was one of the richest men in the kingdom and it was for this reason that she had been affianced to the King’s brother.
Now she could see the riders in the distance. There was the royal standard and at the head of the band would be her bridegroom.
Her mother was at the door.
‘Hadwisa, are you ready? You must be at the gates to greet the Prince.’ She noticed her daughter’s anxious looks and thought: It’s a pity the poor child is so plain. Nervously Hadwisa went out to greet her bridegroom.
He was of medium height and like all the sons of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine he had some claim to good looks. But although he was young yet and his character had not yet drawn lines on his face there was that about it to strike a note of warning in the heart of his bride.
Cruelty peeped out of those eyes; the mouth was hard yet weak; to some extent he disguised his true nature but it could not be altogether concealed. Lust, envy, greed – yes, every one of the notorious seven sins could be detected there.
He took her hand and kissed it. His eyes gloated but not on her. The richest lands in England! When they were his he would have possession of a goodly part of that country.
‘Come,’ he cried. ‘Let us get the marriage done with. My bride and I will need a little time together before I go to my brother’s coronation.’
‘My lord,’ said her father, ‘a banquet is prepared. We had thought tomorrow might be the best day for the marriage ceremony.’
‘Nay,’ cried John. ‘We’ll have it tonight.’ He took Hadwisa’s hand and pressed it firmly. ‘I declare that having seen my bride . . . in her home . . . I cannot wait.’
So they prepared her and her mother came to her and she asked that they might be alone together.
‘Come,’ said her mother, when the attendants had gone, ‘all is well. Every bride is nervous on her wedding day.’
‘This is so quick.’
‘My child you have been betrothed to the Prince for years.’
‘But I never thought . . .’
‘You are of a marriageable age now and so is he.’
‘Mother, it is not meet that we should marry. We are third cousins.’
‘It is because you have royal blood in your veins that you are a worthy bride for the King’s brother.’
‘But we are third cousins.’
‘It is a slender link.’
‘King Henry I was my great-grandfather. He was also John’s.’
‘Do not fret over such things.’
‘I believe the Church might not sanction our marriage. There should be a special dispensation.’
‘My dear child, do you realise that the King has given his consent to the marriage?’
‘The King is not the Church.’
‘What would you have us do?’
‘Wait,’ cried Hadwisa. ‘Wait!’
‘Can you imagine the wrath of your bridegroom if we suggested such a thing! What do you think he would do?’
Ah, there was