Passage to Pontefract

by Виктория Холт

  John bowed his head. He was not averse to the adventure and it was true that legitimate sons could not stand aside and allow bastards to triumph. It was a dangerous precedent.

  Blanche was apprehensive when he told her he must prepare to leave, but as the Queen pointed out to her women in their positions must learn to accept these separations.

  Bravely Blanche said her farewells. ‘And when you come back,’ she added, ‘I trust I shall have a fine son to show you.’

  ‘We’ll have him yet,’ replied John. ‘Never fear. Isolda swears it and she is a wise woman.’

  So he left her and sailed for Brittany and when he reached the shores of that country, a message awaited him from his brother.

  ‘On the morning of Twelfth Day Joan bore me another son. The child was born in the Abbey of Bordeaux. A boy. God be praised. A brother for little Edward. Truly I am pleased in my marriage. There is great rejoicing here at the coming of Richard of Bordeaux.’

  John ground his teeth in envy. Another boy. Another to stand between him and the throne.

  Whatever Isolda said fate was mocking him.

  * * *

  Blanche had decided that her child should be born in the Lancastrian castle of Bolingbroke. This had been one of her father’s castles which was now in the hands of her husband. She had always had a fancy for the place although many of the servants believed that it was haunted. A very strange kind of ghost was this one. It was said to be the spirit of some tormented soul which took the shape of a hare which had been seen running through the castle and some swore they had been thrown by it as it passed swiftly between their legs.

  Blanche remembered her father’s telling how a pantler of the castle who had once tripped while carrying wine had blamed the hare, but it seemed more likely that he had been indulging too freely in the cellars.

  There was an old story that once some bold spirits had gathered together a pack of hounds to hunt the hare. They had pursued it through the rooms of the castle down the spiral staircases to the cellars. Then the hounds had come dashing out, mad to escape, their hair on end, their eyes wild and none of them would enter the castle again.

  In all her sojourns at the castle Blanche had never seen the hare and as the fancy had come to her to visit Bolingbroke, hither she had come and decided that it should be the birthplace of her child.

  Here she awaited the event and thought constantly of John, praying to God and the saints to bring him safely through the battle.

  She sent for Isolda who was a great comfort to her, for she believed that Isolda had some rare gift of looking into the future. Isolda was sure that her beloved John was coming home safely. She was sure too that this time there was going to be a healthy boy.

  So while the winter days grew a little longer and the signs of spring increased with passing time, Blanche waited at the Castle of Bolingbroke for the birth of her child.

  * * *

  On the battle field of Nájara the Black Prince with his brother John of Gaunt was ready to fight the cause of Pedro of Castile.

  Against them was the army of Henry of Trastamare. ‘This day,’ the Prince had said to Pedro, ‘we shall decide whether or not you are to have your throne.’

  He had begun to doubt Pedro. Henry of Trastamare had written to him in a manner which seemed frank and plausible. Pedro was known throughout Castile as The Cruel. He had shed much innocent blood. Legitimate he might be but Castile suffered under him and the people of Castile would be overjoyed to see him deposed. The great Black Prince had no notion of the man he was dealing with. If he really knew Pedro the Cruel he would recognise him as a false friend.

  ‘Ha,’ said the Prince, ‘it is clear that Bastard Henry has no stomach for the conflict. The battle is as good as won.’

  So they rode forward and there was not a man in Henry of Trastamare’s ranks who was not aware that that military legend the Black Prince came against them and in their hearts they knew that the hero of Crécy and Poitiers was undefeatable.

  They saw him there, at the head of his army, his black armour making him easily identifiable.

  From the moment they heard his shout: ‘Advance, banner in the name of God and St George. And God defend our right!’ the result was a foregone conclusion. All knew that the Black Prince was the greatest soldier in the world next to his father and his great-grandfather; and the former was growing old and the latter was dead. He had gathered under his banner the flower of English chivalry and there was not a man who did not regard it as the greatest honour to serve under him.

  The battle was over. Henry of Trastamare had fled the field. The Black Prince had given Pedro the Cruel his kingdom. He had shown the world that even for a King of questionable worth he would fight rather than a bastard should usurp his right.

  They rode back to Bordeaux. The Black Prince looked weary as John had never seen him look before. There was a faint yellowish tinge in his usually fresh-coloured face.

  ‘You are unwell, Edward,’ said John.

  ‘I confess to certain disorders,’ admitted Edward. ‘Of late I have been aware of them. I pray you do not mention this to Joan. She would have me in bed and be acting the nurse to me.’

  John nodded but he thought, Joan will have only to look at you, brother, to see that all is not well.

  When they reached the castle, there were letters from England.

  Great waves of exultation swept over John.

  Blanche had been safely delivered of a son.

  She had christened him Henry. ‘Henry of Bolingbroke, they are calling him, for, my husband, I decided that he should be born in our castle of that name. He is well formed, lusty, perfect in every way. I long to show him to you.’

  A son, Henry of Bolingbroke! Born three months after Richard of Bordeaux.

  It was the greater victory.

  At last … a son.

  Chapter II

  CATHERINE SWYNFORD

  Queen Philippa, suffering as she was from a dropsical complaint, was scarcely able to move. Her women helped her from her bed to her chair where she would sit with her needlework and dream of the past.

  She was always delighted to see members of her family, and that included her daughter-in-law Blanche of Lancaster who contrived to spend much time with her.

  During this year the Queen had come to Windsor Castle, one of her favourite residences and there she found it expedient to remain for the progress from palace to palace was too exhausting to be undertaken unless there was some important reason why she should do so.

  In spite of her sufferings she was amiable and was always interested in the activities of those around her, ready to share in their triumphs and commiserate in their tribulations.

  Blanche was a great favourite with her. There was a similarity in their characters. They were both capable of deep affection; and ready to forget themselves in their service to the loved one. Neither of them was of a complaining nature. They did mention however when their husbands were absent that they missed them, but both of them accepted these partings philosophically and the similarity of their lives was an added factor which drew them closer together.

  Philippa would sit with her women at one end of the apartment stitching at garments for the poor or working on an altar cloth while Blanche sat close beside her where they could talk intimately. Philippa’s hands would be busy and so would Blanche’s. The Queen had never approved of idleness.

  It pleased her very much to know that Blanche was pregnant once more.

  ‘It is good that John is home again,’ she said. ‘I trust my dear that it will be long ere he has to go to war again. I’ll swear you are hoping for another boy.’

  ‘It is what John wants.’

  ‘Your young Henry is a rascal I’ll be bound.’

  Blanche’s face betrayed her pride and joy in her only son.

  ‘My lady, I know all mothers think their children are the best in the world, but Henry …’

  ‘Henry really is the most beautiful and clever child that
ever was born.’ The Queen smiled. ‘I understand, dear Blanche. I was so with mine. Every one of them filled me with wonder. If you could have seen Edward as a baby! Of course he was the first-born. And Lionel. He was big from the start. And dear John. Such an imperious young gentleman. Then Edmund and Thomas. And the girls of course. They were just as dear to me. I had my sadnesses. Death has taken its toll. But when I look at my fine sons I can rejoice. Oh Blanche, if you are as happy in your family as I am in mine you will be a fortunate woman. But we must remember that while God gives with one hand, He takes away with the other; and He has always his reason for doing so and that, dear daughter, we must accept.’

  Blanche bowed her head in agreement. She had lost the dear little boy she had borne, but now that she had her Henry she had ceased to grieve so deeply, although she believed she would never forget.

  She was sure Philippa would always remember those children she had lost. Her greatest blow had been the deaths of her two daughters some years before, Mary and Margaret who had died within a few weeks of each other. She had never been quite the same since.

  But she must not think of death now with the new life stirring within her.

  ‘This matter of Castile,’ the Queen was saying, ‘would seem to have been satisfactorily resolved. Pedro will have much to thank my sons for. He owes his crown to Edward and John.’

  ‘It was a glorious battle John tells me.’ Blanche frowned a little. Could any battle which meant death to many be called glorious? She did not think so and she knew Philippa would agree with her. If she mentioned this to John he would have smiled at her indulgently, amused at her woman’s sensibilities.

  ‘Aye,’ added Philippa. ‘Pedro the rightful King back on his throne. I hear news from Joan though that Edward returned from the battle in poor health. She is alarmed for him. She has changed since her marriage. She was such a flighty girl. Capable of any indiscretions I am sure. But she seems to be a good wife to Edward and they have those two dear boys.’

  ‘It is good for young Edward to have a little brother.’

  ‘It is always good for kings to have several sons, and Edward will of course be King of England one day. I always rejoiced because he was so worthy, right from the time of his boyhood. But in battle one never knows what may befall and it is good to have others who could step forward in case of disaster.’

  Blanche was thinking: John believed that. John had hoped … but his hopes had been dispersed because of the birth of those two boys to the Black Prince.

  As they were speaking a woman had entered the room. Blanche had seen her at court once or twice and had on each occasion been very much aware of her. She was tall and had a flamboyant somewhat coarse kind of good looks. There was a boldness about her which Blanche found decidedly unattractive.

  Instead of joining the women at the other end of the chamber she came to the Queen and bowing to her and to Blanche she took a seat beside them.

  Blanche was startled. Surely it was the duty of the woman first to wait until she was summoned to the Queen’s side and to sit only when she had been given permission to do so.

  She waited for the Queen to dismiss her but Philippa did no such thing.

  The woman took up the piece of needlework on which they were working.

  ‘It grows apace,’ she said. ‘My Lady Blanche is a rival to the Queen … with her needle.’

  ‘You like the colours, Alice?’ asked the Queen.

  ‘They are a little sombre, my lady.’

  ‘Ah, you like the bright colours.’

  ‘’Tis a weakness of mine. What thinks Lady Blanche?’

  Blanche was astounded. She could not understand why the Queen endured such insolence.

  She said coldly: ‘I like those well which the Queen has chosen.’

  She noticed that a ring of rubies and diamonds glittered on the woman’s hand. Who was she? wondered Blanche.

  ‘Alice,’ said the Queen, ‘I wish you would join the ladies and tell them they are dismissed. I wish to be alone with the Duchess of Lancaster.’

  The woman nodded but made no haste to rise and it was some minutes before she sauntered to the other end of the room. There she laughed with the women for a while and Blanche noticed that they seemed somewhat sycophantish towards her. At length they went out together.

  Blanche said: ‘Who is that woman?’

  ‘She is one of the bedchamber women.’

  ‘She seems to give herself airs …’

  ‘Oh … that is her way.’

  Blanche was astonished. The Queen was friendly to those around her; she had never stressed her rank or behaved in an imperious manner but there had been a certain dignity about her which prevented people from abusing her gentleness. Blanche had never before seen her so subdued by one of her subjects.

  There were many questions which Blanche wanted to ask, but she could tell from the Queen’s manner that it was not a subject she wished discussed.

  That there was some mystery about this woman was clear. She would ask John if he knew what it was. The incident had been extremely unpleasant and Blanche felt faintly depressed. It had obviously had the same effect on the Queen and the intimacy between them had become clouded.

  Blanche took her leave soon afterwards and made her way to her own apartments in the castle. As she did so she heard the clatter of horses’ hoofs below and looking from a window she saw the King with a group of attendants in the courtyard below. Among them was John.

  The sight of the King shocked her a little. He had aged considerably since she had last seen him. But perhaps she was comparing him with John who looked so robust and well.

  The King had dismounted. He was standing in the courtyard saying something to one of the knights. He looked up suddenly. For a moment Blanche thought he was looking at her, but she soon realised that his gaze had gone beyond her. She saw the expression on his face. It alarmed her faintly. She could describe it as lustful.

  Then she heard the sound of laughter. A window had been opened and a woman was leaning out. She was obviously the one at whom the King had been looking.

  Some signal passed between them.

  Blanche understood a great deal in that moment, for the woman was that Alice of the Queen’s bedchamber whose insolence towards Philippa had been so thinly veiled.

  * * *

  When she was alone with John she could not stop herself from referring to what she had seen.

  ‘I know the woman of whom you speak,’ he said. ‘The whole court is talking of her. She has bewitched the King.’

  ‘It seems impossible!’ cried Blanche.

  John took her hands and smiled at her tenderly.

  ‘It is difficult for you to understand, my dearest,’ he said. ‘The King will always be devoted to the Queen.’

  ‘Yet he allows this woman to insult her!’

  ‘I am sure he would not allow that. But you see, my dear, the Queen can no longer be a wife to the King …’

  ‘She is his wife. She has been his wife for many years …’

  ‘She can no longer share his bed. That dropsical complaint of hers has immobilised her to such an extent that she can no longer live a normal life. This woman … you would not understand but she flaunts her sex at him … She is one of those women who …’

  He looked at her helplessly. ‘Dearest Blanche,’ he went on, ‘try not to think of this. It is unfortunate that the King should not have chosen a different mistress – if mistress he must have, and all worldly men and women would understand that, my love. It is unfortunate that this is the one who should appeal to him.’

  ‘So this bedchamber woman is his mistress.’

  ‘It would seem so.’

  ‘And for this reason she flaunts her position before the Queen. She was wearing a valuable ring.’

  ‘She is fond of fine things and the King delights to give them to her. I suppose he had to have a mistress but that it should be Alice Perrers …’

  ‘I could not bear it if I were the Queen.�
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  John put his arms about her and then releasing her held her face in his hands.’

  ‘I promise you,’ he said, ‘that you shall never find yourself in such a position. You and I will be faithful unto each other until death divides us.’

  She clung to him. ‘Oh John, dearest husband, do not talk of death. You cannot know how I suffer when you go away to war.’

  ‘Never fear. It will not be easy for my enemies to rid themselves of me. I shall continue to live for you, my Blanche, and our children. How is that young lion Henry faring today? And you look a little tired.’ He touched her stomach gently. ‘You must take care of that little one. He will soon be with us.’

  ‘I shall pray for a boy,’ said Blanche, ‘and that he shall be exactly like his father.’

  She felt a little better. The obvious devotion of her husband, so affectionately expressed, wiped away the unpleasantness which had been planted in her mind by Alice Perrers.

  * * *

  A few days later news came to Windsor which brought such sorrow to the King and the Queen that they were drawn very close together and it seemed that Alice Perrers would be like a meteor shooting across the sky – to startle everyone with its brilliance and then drop to oblivion. The King scarcely left the Queen’s side and the tragedy visibly aged them both.

  It was so unexpected.

  It was not so many years before when Lionel, their second son, had come back from Ireland – which he had inherited through his wife who had died some years before – declaring that he had enough of the place and would remain in England.

  Philippa who loved to have her family around her was delighted that he should be back with them. Easy-going Lionel who asked nothing more than that life should flow comfortably around him was a good companion. He was so pleasant to be with. He never asked for grants and lands and privileges. He was rich enough through his widow, of course; but he was unlike the rest of the family inasmuch as he lacked that overwhelming ambition which Philippa sensed strongest of all in her son John.