Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine (reading an ebook TXT) 📕

from the bed and came to squat near her, his fingers held out to the blaze. "We were at Rouen for Easter. John had been drinking. We all had! He decided he was going to interrogate the prisoners and he sent for Arthur. The boy stood there arrogantly and refused to recognize his uncle as king. John flew into a rage and went for him. But, God damn it, if the boy had had any spirit at all ... He just stood there and allowed John to put his hands around his neck and shake him. We all had to swear on Christ's sacred bones we would tell no one of his death. The king wanted him alive. " William stood up, rubbing his own neck ruefully. "He had given orders that the boy be blinded and gelded and kept a harmless hostage by Hubert de Burgh at Falaise, and Hubert refused like a whey-faced woman. It was Hubert's fault. The boy would have been a useful pawn, damn it!" He paused, his back to Matilda.

"I helped them tie the stones to the body and we heaved it over into the river, but as ill luck would have it, a fisherman found the wretched corpse some days later. Luckily by then it was unrecognizable. Nobody could be sure. But some guessed. "

Matilda listened in silence, horrified, picturing John's sudden drunken rage and his assault on the frightened, lonely boy, remembering the night when he had put those same hands around her throat.

Why had William not lifted one finger to help him? Why had he not tried to restrain the king at least? She looked at her husband and shuddered.

William was incredulous. "The boy was a traitor! He deserved to die! It was only John's goodness that had kept him alive at all—"

"John has no goodness, William. He did what would have been best for his own cause—until he got drunk and lost his temper. It was Hubert among all of you, from what you say, who had goodness and compassion. "

She climbed up into the bed, keeping her gown wrapped tightly around her. "Call the servants, William. Let them make up the fire and put out the sconces. "

William crossed to the bed and laid a tentative hand on his wife's shoulder, but, clutching the fur even closer to her, she rolled away from him, her eyes closed, and William, shrugging, turned back to the fire.

He did not mention Arthur again, but the next morning he called for his clerks and stewards, and after several hours closeted with them before piles of parchments he sent for the prior from St. John's at Brecknock. "I intend to build you a fine new church on your hill, Father Prior, " he said when the old man arrived, mudstained from his furious gallop at the heels of William's messenger.

When the astonished man, speechless with surprise and gratitude, had bowed his way out of the room, William sat back at the table and smiled at Matilda, who had been summoned with peremptory haste to the meeting.

"Do you remember, years ago I planned this, Moll? A beautiful new church, to the glory of God? It will be the greatest church in the land when I've finished. " He swaggered across the room and poured himself a cup of wine. "People will remember me for hundreds of years for the beauty of the building, and my piety and generosity in paying for it. " He sat down again, smiling. Matilda could see he was already very drunk.

Wearily she rubbed her hand across her eyes. She had slept little, the image of the boy prince in his terror and loneliness rising before her every time she had tried to sleep. She forced herself to give her husband a wan smile. Did William really think that he could atone for his complicity in the murder of a child by building a church? Watching him drink the last dregs from the goblet and turn once more to the parchment on his table, she realized that indeed he did.

Chapter 32

Judy opened the door and stared. "So, it's you. How was New York?"

Nick followed her to the studio. "Very hot. " He walked over to her easel and looked at the sketch she had pinned there. "Would I be right in thinking you had been seeing something of Pete Leveson while I've been away?" Turning back toward her, he surveyed her grimly.

Judy looked defiant. "Is there any reason why I shouldn't?"

"None at all. " He was tight-lipped. "I should say you were made for each other. Your idea of loyalty is strange, to say the least, Judy. " Folding his arms, he waited for the outburst he knew would come. He was not disappointed.

Judy narrowed her eyes. "I owe you no loyalty, Nick. Nor allegiance! I'm not part of your jolly little charade. It is you and Sam and Tim. So fight it out between you. I've joined the spectators. Have you seen your brother yet?" she added suddenly.

Nick shook his head. "I'm on my way back to the apartment now. "

"Well, he's been busy while you've been away, and he's damn lucky he's not in prison. He came here, drunk, and smashed up my studio. So I called the police and the bloody fool took a swing at one of them. "

"Christ!" Nick stared at her. "What happened?"

"Your friend Alistair got him off with a fine and being bound over. But I'll tell you something right now. If you come here making trouble, you'll get the same treatment. I really was fond of you, Nick, do you know that? You and I could have been great together, but not now. I think you're mad, all of you. Jo's welcome to whichever one of you wins. If she's alive to find out!"

She walked across to the window and slammed it down, cutting out the noise of the traffic.

"What do you mean, if she's alive?" Nick's voice was sharp.

"Sam