The Traitor's Wife (33 page)

“And do you not like him?”

“I do not know him. Oh, Hugh has always been fond of me, and I know he would not choose a disagreeable man. And since I did not take a vow of chastity like my older sister Aline did after her husband died, I suppose I should have expected this. After all, I have been a widow for nigh on five years now.”

Ralph frowned. He was of an age with Bella's father—fifty-five—and had first met Bella when she was quite a child, at about the time she had married into the Clare family via her first husband. It had never occurred to him to eye her the way he might eye a woman who was a stranger to him, and now that he did so, he was struck with several revelations. The first was that Bella was pretty and slender, with what surely must be small, firm, high breasts, and Ralph was a great admirer of small, firm, high breasts. The second was that although Bella's hair was bound and modestly covered, it would likely reach to her hips when loosened, and Ralph was suddenly overcome with an urge to see that hair loosened, preferably with the aforesaid breasts peeking out from beneath it. The third was that he had been very foolish to confine his acquaintanceship with Lady Hastings to games of chess. Keeping his voice level, he said, “That's true, you never did take a vow of chastity. I suppose, then, you were never averse to remarriage?”

Bella shrugged. “At first, but after a few years, it got rather lonely. Perhaps marriage to Peter de Ovedale will not be so bad after all.”

“Tell me, Lady Hastings, what qualities would you choose in a husband, if you were to pick one yourself?”

He thought the question might border on impertinence, but Lady Hastings answered readily enough. “Well, he would have to be good-natured, first and foremost. I cannot bear an ill-tempered man.”

“Indeed, no.”

“Handsome, but not so handsome that other women would always be throwing themselves at him. Intelligent, but not so much that he made me feel like a dolt. Brave, but not foolhardy. And above all, he must like to laugh.”

“Those sound like fine qualities. And do you know what, Lady Hastings? I happen to possess all of them.”

Bella's eyes widened.

“But, of course, I am about twice your age. But you will find that I am young enough in other ways.”

“Other ways?”

“Like this, Lady Hastings.”

He kissed her, and it was a very long time before they drew apart, breathless. A servant came in, saw them together, and slipped out, entirely unnoticed. He kissed her again, and this time he pulled at her headdress with one hand, then at the fastenings of her hair. It was even longer than he had thought, and very soon it was entangling him and Lady Hastings as they lay naked in her bed.

The next morning, Ralph was all set to make love to Lady Hastings again when she pushed him away. “Not yet, Lord Monthermer. I am much troubled in my mind.”

“Lord Monthermer? I thought we were well past the 'my lord' and 'my lady' stage myself.” He caressed a breast, as high and firm as he had hoped. “Dearest, I promised last night that we would wed today, and I keep my promises. It will be a great pleasure to keep this one—in a couple of hours, please.”

“You do not understand, Lord—Ralph. Hugh did write and ask me if I would marry Peter de Ovedale. But I would never have agreed to marry him—or anyone—without first trying to get you to marry me.”

“Bella. You are telling me that when I came into your chamber last evening, you had every hope that I would ask you to be my wife, and that you have manipulated me shamelessly?”

“I could hardly ask you to marry me, could I?” She sighed. “For well-nigh on two years I have been hoping to wed you. You are so agreeable, so handsome, so kind. Every time you came to play chess, I thought it might end in an offer of marriage. I am no beauty, like your first wife, but I am not ugly either, and we do get on well.”

“Ugly! I think not!”

“So when I got my brother's letter, I knew that if I ever had a hope of marrying you, it was now. And you reacted exactly as I hoped you would, Ralph. It was much like our games of chess, but—rather more pleasant. But I am feeling a little guilty now.”

Ralph laughed. “So you beat me after all, you little minx.” He kissed her, and they settled back among the pillows together. “I have always been a good loser, Bella. You know that.”

“Have you had a letter from Bella, Eleanor?”

Eleanor shook her head. “No, Hugh, didn't you?”

“For this I thought she might have written you too. It appears that our little Bella has gotten married, without the king's license and without a word of warning.”

“
Bella?
”

“Aye, here's her letter. She graciously informs me that she is honored to have been in my thoughts, and she is certain that Peter de Ovedale is a fine man, but not for her, as she has only just made a marriage to a man she has long esteemed and admired, who will do the family credit.” Hugh paused. “Naturally, one wonders who the man is, but Bella being Bella, she apologizes for several more lines before we finally learn his identity. Well, who do you think he is, my dear?”

“I have no idea, Hugh. Bella seemed inclined to remain unmarried.”

“Your stepfather.”

Eleanor gasped, and then she started giggling. Hugh said a little testily, “Really, my dear, it is rather embarrassing, you know. I all but promised her to Peter. But who could have guessed about this long esteeming and admiring?”

“I know it is embarrassing for you, Hugh, but think how lonely she has been for these past few years. She is not like Aline, able to devote herself only to God. She needs a companion, and Ralph will be one for her. Now that I look back on it, they have always seemed quite friendly.” She laughed again. “My stepfather's wife. Does that make her my stepmother now?”

“Well, it cannot be undone. Of course, the king's standing council will want to seize their lands, as a salutary lesson for this rash marriage, but I daresay my father will make sure his darling wants for nothing. But poor Ovedale! I wonder if I can persuade Aline to abandon her vow of chastity.”

Soon afterward, in late October of 1318, Ralph dutifully obeyed the king's summons to the Parliament to be held at York. There, his marriage having slowly become known around the court, he was subject to the jokes a man married to a much younger wife could expect. Ralph bore them all good-naturedly, for he was as happy as he had been when Joan was alive.

Though the jesters had to be careful to hold their tongues when Bella's brother came into earshot, there was no need to look for Bella's father. Hugh the elder had not been included in the peace made with Lancaster; he had gone on pilgrimage to Santiago and was unaware of his new son-in-law. Warenne likewise avoided the Parliament of York.

The lords, however, soon stopped twitting Ralph about his bride and got to work. Hugh was confirmed as the king's chamberlain. Bartholomew Badlesmere became the king's steward, replacing Montacute, who was promoted to Seneschal of Gascony; Lancaster, who spent an entire month at Parliament, rather a novelty for him, forced Montacute, Damory, and Audley to pay him large sums in order to settle their differences with Lancaster. Despite this addition to his coffers, he was unhappy. He had not wanted Badlesmere to be steward, having recently conceived the notion that as hereditary steward of England, he had the right to appoint the steward of the king's household, and Edward seemed entirely too pleased with his new chamberlain for Lancaster's liking.

Hugh the younger was considerably more satisfied with the parliamentary proceedings. As chamberlain, he, along with Badlesmere, the Earl of Hereford, Roger Mortimer, and sundry other barons, bishops, and royal officials, had been appointed to reform the king's household. Hugh, whose head was already swimming with ideas of how the office of chamberlain might be refined and improved, set to this new task with alacrity—and, to his credit, no mean ability.

His Welsh business was proceeding nicely also. Edward, with the approval of Parliament, regranted him the lands of Dryslwyn and Cantrefmawr, which Hugh had not yet been able to enter; with Parliament's backing, his possession seemed more assured. Better yet, Edward had decreed that he would enjoy as full privileges over Glamorgan as Gilbert the Red had ever enjoyed, Gilbert himself having forfeited some of these during his disputes with the first Edward.

And there was the matter of Wentloog.

Although Hugh had officially resigned his claim to Wentloog, which had been taken into the king's hands, Audley's attempts to persuade its men to give him their homage and fealty had proven fruitless, and in December, he and Margaret conceded defeat and signed Newport, Wentloog, and Machen over to Hugh and Eleanor. The Audleys were not impoverished by any means— Audley had been granted two thousand marks in lieu of his claim to the earldom of Cornwall, which he had been coveting since his marriage, and Eleanor and Hugh had agreed to grant some of their English lands to the Audleys in exchange for the Welsh estates. Yet Eleanor was uncomfortable as she watched Hugh d'Audley and Margaret sign the necessary documents. Margaret signed her name so fiercely that she nearly tore a hole in the parchment, and when she had signed the first set of indentures, she turned on Eleanor. “Are you satisfied now, sister? Your beloved husband has another piece of Wales.”

“My lady, Eleanor had nothing to do with this,” said Hugh calmly. “She is signing in accordance with my wishes, as befits a wife. If you have any complaints, make them to me.”

“Margaret, love, this has been settled,” said Audley. “We have discussed this.”

“Oh, we have discussed it, all right. But I need not like it.”

She resumed signing. The room was silent but for the scratching of pens on parchment, the shuffling of paper, and the suppressed yawns of the clerk who was directing the proceedings. Eleanor sat with downcast eyes. In a moment or two, it was over. Hugh le Despenser was Lord of Newport, Wentloog, and Machen, and Eleanor was for all intents and purposes minus one sister.