‘He is softer than you are, father. And if he persists in assisting the whore who calls herself a Princess of Frankia, then God’s countenance will turn from him, too. Which will leave me as a dutiful servant of our Lord. And as the heir to your throne.’
Charles slammed the door behind him and strode furiously down the gallery towards the stables. He would hunt. Take some of his friends with him and seek out some wild boar. Find some worthy adversary while he planned what to do about his harlot of a sister.
And, as recompense for all the times Baldwin laughed when Gaston’s soldiers knocked him on his arse in the practice yard, her presumptuous bastard of a husband!
***
Chapter 114
The weeks passed pleasantly at Lotha’s court, and Judith found she adored waking up clasped in the arms of her husband, gazing at the slice of bright blue sky she could see from her window. The smell of apples, lavender and freshly-cut grass tickled her nose whenever she walked in the garden, marvelling at the blooms and flowering shrubs which flourished in this part of Frankia. She couldn’t help but compare this idyllic palace set among the green countryside to the grey, mud-spattered and bare stone castles she had occupied in Wessex.
Every day Baldwin relentlessly trained the soldiers who had joined them. He and Gozfrid spent hours explaining, then demonstrating, what he required, until all the young men were as skilled as he wanted them to be. Even Adal assisted with the close-combat practice, and showed them the moves that could be achieved using only one arm to strike blow after blow, dodging their opponent rather than relying on the use of a shield.
Baldwin acceded to Judith’s request for training with a dagger, and her other ladies joined the lesson, although none showed her single-minded intent to learn all they could. She was determined never to be vulnerable again, and continued to drill long after Ghislaine had lost interest and Alys had been overcome by embarrassment. Elin practiced diligently, but Judith was obsessed.
Baldwin showed her how to hold the dagger low down her side, hidden in the folds of her skirt. He taught her to thrust it underhand, rather than the over-hand stabbing motion she had expected to learn.
‘Come to stab me,’ he commanded the first time she had trained, and Judith stepped up and brought her hand downwards, the wooden dagger clasped tightly in her fist. Baldwin grabbed her wrist and stopped the blow. Their soldiers, seated around in a rough circle to observe and hopefully learn, applauded his move.
‘You signal your intent, Princess.’ His tone was formal in front of the others. ‘To get to this position, you will have had to withdraw your dagger from your belt,’ he mimed the action, ‘then wield the blade into the air before bringing it down. You might even have had to change its position in your hand.’ He showed her the stroke slowly, and she understood what he meant. The knife was the wrong way round for the stabbing motion she had employed.
‘But if you keep it low,’ he moved behind her, tucking the dagger into her belt. He took her hand in his, withdrew the imitation blade and held it down by her thigh. ‘Then it is often unobserved.’ She felt him look up and flick his head so Gozfrid appeared in front of her. Baldwin clasped his hand around hers as she gripped the blade. Then he brought their hands upwards, thrusting the knife towards his friend.
‘If you are quick enough, the blade will be in their flesh before they realise it is in your hand. But don’t try and thrust through bone, Princess. You are not strong enough, and even hard muscle may prove your undoing.’ He touched the wooden tip to Gozfrid’s chest over his heart, and then to his ribs, shaking his head, and Judith saw the smile in Gozfrid’s eyes.
‘But the soft bits,’ Gozfrid changed his stance as if he were armed with a seax, raising his arm away from his body as though to strike. Baldwin again tapped his friend as he spoke, showing her the parts of a man that weren’t protected by the leather of a jerkin. ‘Armpit, groin, throat, eyes. They will all incapacitate, and may kill.’ He clasped his hand more firmly over hers, making her tighten her own grip on the wooden handle, then jerked forward.
‘Thrust and then pull up to rip the flesh. Wherever you strike, remember that. You might not kill, but the pain and the blood, not to mention the shock, will stop your attacker, perhaps long enough for you to escape.’
He stood back from her and moved around so he took Gozfrid’s place. ‘Now, Princess, replace the knife in your belt and come at me again.’
So while the soldiers practiced their shield walls and hand-to-hand combat, Judith practiced drawing her knife and lunging at a straw-stuffed shirt and breeches hanging from a tree-branch until she could sweep, thrust, plunge and rip in one fluid motion.
She could defend herself to the death, if necessary, and she was satisfied.
***
Chapter 115
Several weeks into their stay, Judith felt inexplicably tired and chose to sit beneath a shady tree and watch the morning practice. King Lotha was excitedly applauding the participants, as Baldwin had organised a competition between some of the King’s soldiers and his own, so they became used to different styles of combat. They could defeat one another because they were used to their own way of fighting, and he had explained that he intended to use King Lotha’s troops to demonstrate a different approach.
Lady Waldrada lowered her cumbersome girth onto the stone bench beside Judith and smiled at her, nodding her head to Ghislaine and Alys, both watching the mock battle and shrieking their support, while Elin stitched beneath the shade of another tree.
‘You are very kind to your ladies, Princess, allowing them time for themselves. You treat them like your family and they rely on you for so much.’ Waldrada smoothed her gown over the mound of her belly and shifted slightly to make herself more comfortable. Judith shook her head with a chuckle.
‘We all rely on Baldwin, Lady Waldrada. He is our Lord.’ Judith said the word with pride as she gazed at her husband, sweating in the courtyard. Waldrada raised a sceptical eyebrow.
‘No, I don’t think that is quite true. He relies on you, mark my words. You can see it when he watches you, and he watches you very often.’ She laughed, and shook her head disbelievingly. ‘You are a very charitable person, Princess. You are even kind to that loud, giggly girl.’ Waldrada tipped her head at Ghislaine, who was squealing in delight as Gozfrid landed a blow on one of the opposing shields that took the combatant to his knees.
Judith smiled at Ghislaine’s boisterous cheering. ‘I am very fond of her, Lady Waldrada. I do try and teach her some gentility,’ as another loud shriek split the air and made Judith wryly purse her lips, ‘but she grew up without a mother, and her brother had to accompany his King on pilgrimage. The ladies who took her under their wing did not teach her appropriately, so now Ghislaine knows far too much, and yet not enough.’ Judith gazed at Ghislaine affectionately, and Waldrada patted her hand.
‘You will make a good mother, Princess. You have much patience, I think.’ Waldrada smiled at Judith and nodded, and Judith returned the smile brightly.
‘One day, I hope, Lady.’ Judith watched the combat for a while, until she became aware of Waldrada’s gaze. She turned and raised curious brows at the older woman.
‘Do you not know, Princess, or are you not sure?’ Waldrada’s eyes were questioning, but Judith couldn’t fathom their meaning. She shook her head.
‘I don’t understand, Lady.’
Waldrada laughed, and patted Judith’s hand again. ‘Why, you are with child, my dear.’ Judith gaped at her incredulously as she spoke again, chuckling. ‘Trust me. This is my sixth, and I know the signs.’
‘But how would you know? I don’t even know myself. I have no idea how to know.’ Judith’s breathless tone held bewilderment, and Waldrada nodded knowingly.
‘You are with child, of that I am sure, my dear. Your skin has a bloom, your face a roundness that it didn’t have before. Your bosom is fuller. You tire easily, and are more emotional, perhaps?’ Waldrada gave her a wistful smile. ‘And as a mother, I hope your petition to the Pope is successful. We pray constantly that the Pope will allow our eldest son to inherit, as the King has no other heir.’
Judith smiled at Waldrada and nodded absently. Her mind was alive with the possibility that she might be carrying a child. She had felt a little odd of late, and so very tired, but other than an increase in appetite and a positive longing for the taste of honey and apples, she didn’t feel any different. Although now she thought about it, her silk shifts felt tight across her breasts, and her skin often felt a little more sensitive when Baldwin touched her. She remembered she hadn’t responded to Waldrada’s last statement, distracted by her own thoughts.
‘We don’t have that difficulty, Lady. We are most definitely married, but there isn’t anything for our child to inherit. We simply need His Holiness to bless our union so Baldwin can go home.’
‘And you, my dear? Will wherever you go be your home?’
Judith gazed at Waldrada with a beatific countenance, unexpected tears pricking behind her eyes, and she placed her hand flat on her stomach.
‘Baldwin is my home.’
***
Chapter 116
Over the next few weeks after Waldrada’s pronouncement, Judith noticed her body begin to change, yet she couldn’t quite get up enough courage to tell Baldwin of her suspicions. Her breasts grew rounder and she noticed that her belly, once a flat plane between sharp hipbones, turned into a firm mound that pressed against the silk of her shift.
The days at Lotha’s court were filled with Baldwin’s training of his soldiers while Judith and her ladies played with Waldrada’s children. Ghislaine made cloth dolls with endless outfits for the two little girls while Adal fashioned wooden swords for the boys and took them through a few self-defence exercises that saw the young lads become proficient with their imitation weapons, even though they were very young.
Judith relished the opportunity to bathe properly again, in warm, lavender-scented water. Although she tried not to make more work for the servants heating the water, having the chance for clean skin and shining hair made her give in to the temptation to bathe as often as she felt able.
Gazing down at her full breasts as they rose from the soapy water, Judith pondered telling Baldwin about the child. She was surprised he hadn’t noticed her more voluptuous curves, but if he had, he hadn’t spoken about them.
‘When will you tell him, Princess?’
Elin’s words startled Judith out of her reverie and she gave the older woman a sharp glance.
‘What do you mean?’
Elin squeezed the wash cloth out and spread some soft fragrant soap on the rag, rubbing it gently on the skin across Judith’s shoulders. Her hair had been washed and was piled up on her head, swathed in a piece of unbleached linen, and Elin was now helping to soap her skin her while the others found clean garments for after her bath.
‘I have suspected for a while, Princess, but there is no mistaking now the fact that you are with child. So I wondered when you were going to tell Lord Baldwin.’
Judith leaned forward so Elin could wash her back, and she chewed her lip anxiously.
‘I know I must tell him, Elin. And I hope he will be pleased. It’s just……’ Judith’s words trailed away into a helpless shrug. How could she put into words her worries that, as her body changed and grew with the child inside her, she feared that Baldwin would no longer want her? That his hands on her body, his lips on hers, was often the image that overwhelmed her when she looked at him, and the thought that her swollen shape might repel him almost reduced her to tears.
‘He loves you, Princess. You have nothing to fear by telling him, and he will be so proud.’
Judith nodded, swallowing hard over the lump in her throat, and relaxed back into the water as Elin set a huge sheet of linen before the fire to warm for her when she got out of her bath. She would tell him, she resolved. The next time she saw him alone, she would confess.
***
Chapter 117
Baldwin wielded his long sword again, parrying the blow from Sigram, and then swung his shield around to shove the young man away. With a brief nod, he turned to the other soldiers, both his and those who served Lotha.
‘See, lads? The shield is just as much a weapon, if you allow it to be. The metal boss can break a man’s ribs if you shove him hard enough with it, and the rim can crush his windpipe with a jab. Now you try, but don’t kill each other, for Christ’s sake.’
He stepped back, allowing the men to begin the hand-to-hand combat they had been shown. Baldwin’s back and shoulders ached with sword practice, and he gazed longingly at the gleaming water of the lake across the grass. When they had finished the exercise, he promised himself a dip in the cool water before he had anything to eat.
But when he had his own land, his own castle, he would order a huge metal tub to be made, so he could have a hot bath. Big enough for two, so Judith could join him. His mouth quirked at the thought, wondering if she would be shocked by his suggestion.
By his side, Ralf Edric strode up and tipped his head to the sparring men in the courtyard, being cheered on by Gozfrid, Adal and the King’s small sons at the other side of the enclosure.
‘They look well, Lord.’ Ralf’s voice was almost drowned out by the clang of metal and the grunts and shouts of the soldiers.
‘That they do, Ralf. They’ve worked hard this summer. You wouldn’t know they were the same useless lot we overcame at Senlis.’ Baldwin chuckled and Ralf shook his head in agreement.
‘And while we are alone, Lord, I would like to offer my congratulations.’ Ralf grinned at him knowingly and Baldwin’s forehead creased.
‘On the training of the troops?’ he asked, puzzled by Ralf’s phrasing.
‘No, Lord,’ laughed Ralf. ‘On the news of your expected child.’
Baldwin gaped at Ralf, whose expression changed to one of embarrassment and concern. ‘Forgive me, Lord. I was unaware you didn’t know.’
‘Did Elin tell you?’ Baldwin’s voice was flat. He was trying to control his breathing so he didn’t whoop with joy before the news was confirmed by Judith.
Ralf shook his head. ‘No, Lord. She wouldn’t break a confidence from the Princess. And perhaps I misunderstood, as I only overheard part of the conversation.’
Baldwin took a deep breath, feeling a pounding in his chest that had nothing to do with sword practice. ‘Whose conversation?’
Ralf gave Baldwin an awkward gaze. ‘King Lotha and Lady Waldrada, Lord. She was…. loudly berating…. him for the delay in his contacting a friend in Rome. She was telling him that you would want your marriage blessed before the child arrived, and that he should get on with organising your accommodations in Rome sooner rather than later. I thought the Princess had asked her to speak with him about it.’
Baldwin watched Ralf drop his eyes, evidently uncomfortable that he had not only eavesdropped on a conversation, but that he had spoken to Baldwin about the child before Judith had. He held out his sword to Ralf, hilt first.
‘Help Goz with the training, Ralf,’ he beamed, backing away with a hitch in his step, ‘while I speak to my wife.’ Baldwin grinned and turned, ready to rush away as fast as his long stride would allow, but then he twisted his head back.
‘Where is the Princess, Ralf?’ he called over his shoulder.
‘In her rooms, Lord. Bathing.’
Baldwin hared over the grass towards the door of their wing, banging the portal op
en and rushing up the stone stair to the gallery where his and Judith’s rooms were situated. He snatched the bedroom door open and stepped into the room. Judith was just rising from the tub, Elin holding out a piece of warmed linen with which to dry her.
The sight of his wife’s nude body, spattered with droplets of water as she stepped from her bath, made his breath catch in his throat. How had he not noticed her lush breasts, rounder and heavier than usual, the nipples darker, and her belly a distinct mound beneath her ribcage? He must have been blind.
Elin gasped at his sudden interruption and quickly swathed her Princess in the linen, hiding her flesh from his sight. Judith merely blinked silently at him with a small smile.
‘Thank you, Elin. You may go.’
Baldwin gazed speechlessly at his wife, then realised Elin was waiting for him to move from the doorway so she could exit the room. He stepped to one side, and the maid closed the door behind her as he strode towards Judith and clasped her, still swathed in damp linen, to himself.
‘Why didn’t you tell me, my love?’ he whispered into her ear. Her hair was still enfolded in the wet cloth around her head, and the whole of her lovely throat was exposed. Baldwin nuzzled gently as he waited for her reply. He felt the tension leave her shoulders and she relaxed against him.
‘At first I wasn’t sure, Baldwin, and then I didn’t know how to tell you.’ He tightened his grip, heedless that the moist fabric was soaking water into his own shirt. Baldwin swept her up in his arms and went over to the fire, seating himself in the huge chair there and settling Judith in his lap. He waited until she continued speaking, aware by her breathing that she was struggling for the words.
‘I didn’t want you to….no longer want me. Treat me differently because of the child. Not….not want to make love anymore.’ He heard the tightness in her throat, and her loud swallow before she spoke again. ‘Because I was… bigger… and you might not like that.’
Judith, Twice Queen of Wessex Page 37
