‘You have a poor habit of speaking your mind, mistress,’ the earl snapped. ‘It is not pleasing, nor will it ease your path in life.’
‘I have not spoken all I could,’ I snapped back at him, so angry and hurt that I cared not what I said. ‘As well you know, my lord.’
The countess looked at her husband, an eyebrow raised.
‘I will not accept Saint-Valery’s offer,’ I said, still looking at the earl, ‘unless you force my hand.’
Lady Adelie sighed, but the earl held my gaze steadily. I was playing a dangerous game here, for he knew that I was threatening to break my silence about last night.
‘No wonder your father did not manage to marry you away,’ Pengraic said softly, ‘for you have the temper and petulance of a harridan. What man could possibly want you for a wife? You would curdle the milk in the dairy as soon as you laid eyes on it.’
‘Raife,’ Lady Adelie murmured.
‘I will tell Saint-Valery that the matter will be settled once the threat of the plague has passed,’ Pengraic continued. ‘Until then, mistress, you will endeavour to keep your tongue still in that waspish mouth of yours until you are well clear of this court and on your way home to Pengraic. You will not refuse Saint-Valery outright; the matter can remain in abeyance for the time being. Madam,’ he turned to Lady Adelie, ‘you have a long journey to the Marches in which you can instil some manners into this girl. God help us all if she behaves like this at court!’
With that, he was off, slamming the door behind him.
I fell to my knees before Lady Adelie, my tears now spilling over. ‘Madam,’ I said, ‘I am truly sorry for what I said. It was fear that spoke.’
‘You must surely loathe the idea of marriage to Saint-Valery,’ she said. ‘But, girl, do you expect to choose your own husband? It will never be. I was not allowed to choose my husband, nor did I have any say in who that husband might be. Saint-Valery is not a bad man, and he is of a far better rank and of greater wealth and estates than you could ever have hoped!’
‘But it shall be a sham so that the king can —’
‘The king’s fancy will last but a season,’ Lady Adelie said, ‘and in the meantime you will have won for yourself a position in society that but a few weeks ago was as far beyond you as are the stars in the firmament. The marriage will be no sham; it will be honoured by Saint-Valery, who will receive the king’s favour for it. It is an advantageous marriage to you and to this household.’
Ah, the nub of it. Both the earl and the countess saw this match as a means of placing their own factor in the court and bed of the king, while Saint-Valery was likely anticipating yet more favours from the king for doing his will.
‘Maeb,’ the countess said, her tone kindly, ‘you have come from a simple and uncomplicated world and in a short time have been hurled into such … events. It is overwhelming.’
‘You and the earl are asking me to forsake my vows of marriage,’ I said, unable to believe the devout countess could overlook this small detail.
‘Sometimes,’ she said, ‘in worldly matters, one has to bend with the wind.’
‘Would you have done so, madam?’
Again I risked her anger, but I was still upset and more than a little angry myself.
‘For what favour and advantage it would bring to my family,’ she said, ‘yes, I would. Oh, Maeb. It is but a man. They are simple creatures and so easily sated. You have such a wit and spirit about you …’ She paused, sighing softly. ‘My dear, such an alliance can purchase you influence; wealth, if that is what you desire, or offices and favours for your children. Marriage among our rank is not merely affection between a man and a woman, but a power-building exercise, a constant accumulation of rank and privilege and estates and offices for ourselves, but more so for our children. It is a game, Maeb, and one you do not wish to lose.
‘Now, come with me to chapel, and let us say our prayers. Remember, always in life there is a priest to whom you can confess, and wash away your sins.’
Later that morning, when we had returned to Lady Adelie’s chamber, she noticed that the earl had left behind his gloves.
‘Oh,’ she said, ‘he will be cross, but no doubt is too busy to return for them. Maeb, will you take them to him? He will not be far — ask any of the king’s servants or men-at-arms and they will tell you.’
It was not a task I felt happy about, but I could surely leave them with a servant somewhere to hand to the earl.
I made for the main quarters of the king, where I knew he met with his advisers and nobles. I would not be allowed in, so I felt sure that I could safely leave the offending gloves with a guard.
But the earl was not there.
‘He has just left,’ said one of the guards. ‘He and his son are heading for the chapel.’
My heart sank, because now I would need to speak to the earl, stand face to face with him, meet his eye, and I did not think I was quite courageous for that yet, not after our morning’s confrontation. Already I was regretting pushing him so far, for I did not think now he would treat me kindly in future dealings.
I hurried for the chapel, crossing the main courtyard, and saw the distinctive figure of the earl in the distance, Stephen to one side of him, and another man to his other, to whom I did not pay attention. I wanted only to hand these damned gloves to the earl and then return to my lady, with whom I had much mending of fences to accomplish.
I hurried as fast as I dared over the cobbles, slippery from a recent shower of rain, but even as I drew close the men started to run lightly up the steps toward the open door of the chapel.
The last thing I wanted was to be forced into sidling up to the earl at his devotions.
‘My lord!’ I cried.
All three stopped, and turned, as one.
A ray of sunshine suddenly broke through the low clouds and illumed the three of them: Stephen, Pengraic … and the king, Edmond.
I couldn’t move. I was frozen by the vision on the steps. They all had their gaze on me. Stephen’s face was creased in a wide, open grin. Whatever the earl felt was locked away tight behind his impassive façade. The king … Edmond looked at me with a warm regard, and it suddenly struck me that what I feared in the proposed marriage to Saint-Valery was not Edmond, or what he asked, but Saint-Valery and a lifetime of regret at his side.
The sun’s ray bathed the three men in a golden, ethereal light, and I knew God had handed me this moment. It caught me in the thrall of premonition, and I realised then, in that instant, that my life would be bounded by the knight, the earl and the king, and no other.
What I did not know then was that this was the last time I would ever see these three men together.
‘Mistress Maeb?’ said the earl, and somehow I freed myself from my thrall, and walked up the steps toward him.
‘Your gloves, my lord,’ I said, handing them over, then I dipped in courtesy toward Edmond, nodded at Stephen, and turned my back on them and walked away.
I walked easy, for somehow, in a manner I could yet not discern, my entire life was settled in that one golden moment.
Whatever happened now was in fate’s hands, and no manner of struggling would change a thing.
Chapter Ten
The next day Evelyn woke me. She’d been up early to go down to the kitchens, returning one of the bowls I had used for a poultice. ‘Maeb! Maeb!’
I opened my eyes grudgingly. Mistress Yvette was back tending our lady this morning, and I’d been allowed to sleep until Evelyn and I joined them in chapel for our morning prayers.
‘Maeb! I have heard news — of a plague. Everyone is talking of it.’
I sat up, wondering what I should say.
‘I have heard such terrible things. Sweet Mother Mary, Maeb, is this what you had heard in the solar?’
I nodded. No point in trying to deny it now.
‘And why we are fleeing back to Pengraic?’
I nodded again.
Evelyn was white, and she sat down on the bed as I rose, washed my face and dressed.