De Douai’s face relaxed a little and I realised that he — and the king — had held some concern I may not have accepted the clasp. We passed a little while in idle conversation, de Douai refusing an offer of wine, and then he made a gracious withdrawal.
Once he had left the solar, Alianor took a deep breath. ‘My Lady Maeb … that is an extraordinary gift.’ She paused. ‘It shows such uncommon favour …’ Again she paused. ‘Maeb, be careful. That gift will win you as many enemies as it will flatterers.’
‘Perhaps I should not wear it.’
‘Oh, you must wear it. Edmond will expect it. Besides, word of this will have already spread. The choice of de Douai as its bearer was a careful decision by Edmond. De Douai may be a favoured knight in the king’s retinue, but he is also known as an idle gossip. When Edmond wants word of something to spread, he uses de Douai. There are so many layers of meaning to this gift, Maeb.’
I stared at the clasp in my hands. After what Alianor said, I knew that this was not ‘only’ a gift of concern. It was also an amulet of powerful protection.
Harm her, it said, and you harm me.
Once de Douai had departed, Alianor and I ate lightly of a platter of fruit, nuts, bread and cheese that one of the servitors laid before us, and finally Alianor came to perhaps the real reason of her visit — apart from her genuine desire to discover how I was after my distress at court, of course.
‘My lord earl has told me you need another attending lady,’ she said.
I inclined my head, and wondered, who?
‘May I suggest a kinswoman?’ Alianor said. ‘I have spoken to the earl about her and he approves.’
What choice I, then?
‘Your kinswoman?’ I said.
‘Isouda de Lacy,’ Alianor said. ‘She is widowed now, and with no children. She is only a few years older than you, but versed in matters courtly, and,’ Alianor broke into a wide smile, ‘she is a most amiable woman. You shall adore her.’
Indeed I might, but I doubted I’d trust her.
‘She shall do well, then,’ I said. ‘Is she at court now?’
‘She is not far. She can be here within the week.’
Alianor phrased the last as a question, and I nodded, giving my assent. I wondered what Evelyn would make of her.
When Raife returned later that afternoon I told him of Alianor’s visit, and the offer of her kinswoman as my new attending lady.
‘She said you approved,’ I said.
He gave a noncommittal nod.
‘The de Lacys must be powerful allies,’ I said.
‘And so will you trust her as you do Evelyn?’
‘No.’
Raife nodded. ‘Good. The de Lacys are powerful allies. Having the Lady Isouda as your attending woman will be fine for that alliance. Nonetheless …’
‘Nonetheless,’ I said, and we were in agreement. ‘Raife,’ I went on, ‘Edmond sent me a gift today.’ I showed him the clasp.
Raife looked almost as shocked as Alianor had. ‘I remember this from Edmond’s mother’s mantle. Sweet saints, Maeb …’
‘It is a powerful gift.’
‘Beyond powerful.’ Raife handed it back to me, studying me carefully. ‘How shall you thank Edmond?’
‘Not by betraying you.’
Again, a long look, then he gave a nod, accepting it. ‘Maeb, I am going north for a few weeks. I need to visit my estates and lordships there, and this is the last chance I will get before the worst of winter.’
My face must have shown my complete dismay, for Raife suddenly laughed, and leaned forward to kiss me.
‘And that look did more than your words to reassure me that you will not betray me,’ he said.
He sat on the bench beside me. ‘Mae, do not worry. These weeks shall pass quickly, and then I will be back. I must be back, for Edmond will hold winter council and wants me here for it.’
‘I shall hide in this house.’
‘No. You must not do that. Attend court, several times a week if you can. Other times open up the hall here, that you may hold court in the afternoons and evenings. You have high rank now and, between them, Edmond and de Douai have made certain the knowledge of your favour in Edmond’s eyes. You need only sit, and be gracious, and let people come to you.’
‘I fear that I will unwittingly betray you, or embarrass you.’
‘The de Lacys, Alianor and Robert, will be at your side often, Lady Isouda almost continuously. But do not look past fitzErfast. I trust him completely, as few others, and he knows the court, its alliances and feuds, as also this city, like no other. He can get a message to me fast, if needed. Pembroke is also an ally, and will aid you if he can. And, as much as it pains me to say this, I think you can trust Edmond, too. At least some of the way.’
‘So long as I do nothing to threaten him.’
A slow smile. ‘You have learned fast, Maeb. You will do well enough while I am gone. Just be wary always of what you say and do.’
‘But where are you going? I know nothing of your northern estates. I cannot come?’
‘I will be riding fast and hard, Maeb. It will be no ride for you, and most certainly not in the north, where the autumn gales have already begun. As for where, to Eurvicscire first, where I have lands abutting those of the de Lacys. They are my most northern lands. Then on the ride south I go to Lincolescire and Sudfulc. Then back to you, and the delights of Edmond’s winter court.
‘Maeb, be careful always. Watch your every word, guard your every action.’ He leaned close, and kissed me. ‘Be here for me when I return.’
He kissed me again, deeper, cradling my head in his hand, and I wished desperately that he would not leave.
Chapter Eight
Raife took me back to court one more time before he left. This was not a formal visit: rather than dine, or pass the hour in idle (yet watchful) chatter in the lesser hall, we spent the day attending military and equestrian games in the fields to the west of the Conqueror’s Tower. It was a fine day, but cold, and we were chilled further by a persistent wind from the north, and thus I wore a thick mantle, secured by Edmond’s gift.
I saw Edmond only briefly, but I dipped graciously before him, touched the clasp, and said but two simple words: Thank you. I did not need to say further. They were enough. Edmond gave me a nod, we passed a few words, and then Raife and I took our seats on the large raised dais on which Edmond sat. We sat next to the Earl of Pembroke, Gilbert de Clare, and his wife Isabel. Raife had told me Pembroke was to be trusted — I had already met the earl and his wife during my dinner with the king — and both the earl and his countess went to some lengths to assure me that they would keep me good company while Raife was away. They also kept a London house, some distance from ours, and this day spent in their company gave me much confidence about the forthcoming weeks.
Gradually, I was building friendships at court.
I enjoyed the games, despite the shouting, the jostling, the violence, the blood and the single death. I thought it as if all the hidden intrigues of court had, for just one day, come to life on the green swath before me. The games were, indeed, a courtly dance — if enacted with drawn weapons — and by the end of them not a few lords had tripped over their own feet as they lost the beat of the discordant music.
As Alianor had predicted, on this day I saw two other women wearing their hair braided loosely and over the succeeding weeks I saw many others take up the fashion.
It was, indeed, a lesson in power.
The next day Raife left. I cried, even though I had not meant to, and now I was on my own.
The first week passed pleasantly enough. Lady Isouda de Lacy arrived and she was installed in my household as my attending lady.
Evelyn did not like her. I was not surprised. Evelyn’s and my friendship had cooled somewhat since I had become the countess; it cooled even further when she was joined by a woman of much higher rank than herself. Lady Isouda instantly became my senior companion, the one who had closest contact with me, who woke me in the mornings, who knelt at my side during prayer, and who kissed me goodnight at the end of the day. Evelyn was relegated to my low-ranking companion, who always walked behind, and who shouldered the burden of tedious tasks when, formerly, she had been my closest companion.