Виктория Холт - The Hammer of the Scots

* * *

Meanwhile Edward had begun the Welsh invasion and was at Chester when one of his men-at-arms came to tell him that a messenger from the Welsh was asking to see him.

‘I will see this man,’ said Edward.

The man hesitated. He was obviously thinking of another occasion when Edward had received a messenger in his tent in the Holy Land.

Edward acknowledged the man’s concern and gave him a friendly nod. ‘Bring him in,’ he said.

He stood before the King, a tall proud figure.

Edward knew him at once; he had been a prominent member of the Welsh party at a meeting when a truce had been made between the English and the Welsh.

‘Davydd ab Gruffydd,’ he said. ‘What brings you to me?’

‘I have come to offer my services to you.’

The King narrowed his eyes. He did not like traitors and that Llewellyn’s brother should come to him thus aroused his suspicions. He knew that there was conflict between the brothers. He knew that the elder brother Owain had with Davydd fought against Llewellyn and it was because Llewellyn had been victorious that he was looked upon as the ruler of the principality. It was one matter for Welshmen to fight against Welshmen but to fight on the side of the English against the Welsh was quite another.

Of course there was a long record of treachery among these people. All the more reason, thought Edward, not to trust him. Still, if he was well watched he could be an asset. It would be good for those who believed in Merlin’s prophecy to know that even Llewellyn’s brother was fighting with the English against him.

Edward said, ‘I accept your offer.’

‘I will show you how to conquer my false brother. I know his weaknesses.’

‘I know them too,’ said Edward. ‘Well, Davydd ab Gruffyd, you shall be my ally. If you work with me, then I shall reward you. If you play the traitor to me I will make it so that you wish you had never been born rather than have to face what I shall inflict on you.’

‘My lord, I will serve you faithfully, until such time as you see fit to reward me.’

Davydd was smiling triumphantly. This would show Llewellyn that brother though he might be he was ready to go to the enemy rather than submit to a minor role in Welsh affairs.

When Llewellyn heard that his brother had gone to the English he was very melancholy. It seemed that he was being persecuted from all sides. He believed that had his Demoiselle been brought safely to him it would have been a sign that Heaven was on his side, and all his followers would have seen it as such. Superstitious as they were they had already begun to doubt Merlin’s prophecy and he knew how dangerous that was. He had appealed to the Pope to take the English to task for capturing and imprisoning his bride, but the Pope was not likely to support an unimportant prince against the growing might of the King of England. He had had his success in those skirmishes but they were not serious war and now great Edward himself had come to march against him. With the King was his brother, Edmund of Lancaster, returning from France with his new bride Blanche, daughter of Robert of Artois, De Lacy, Roger Mortimer, the Earl of Hereford and all the flower of Edward’s army. Clearly he had come up this time to conquer.

Llewellyn knew that his real ally was the mountainous country, and but for that he would be a beaten man.

He wondered if she were thinking of him now, if she often remembered that day when they had been betrothed and had believed that before long they would marry. If he failed now, what would become of her? Would they find a new husband for her? After all she was the King’s cousin. Dear Demoiselle, so gentle, so beautiful. He knew that she would be thinking of him, praying for him. It must come to pass that they marry. There must be truth in Merlin’s prophecy.

Even then news was brought to him of a debacle in South Wales where Edmund of Lancaster was advancing and there was nothing left for Llewellyn to do but protect what was left to him.

The ships from the Cinque Ports were now in the Menai Straits; Anglesey was cut off from Snowdon. It would be a simple matter to starve out the Welsh. That this was Edward’s intention became clear for instead of advancing and thereby running the risk of losing some of his men in battle, he set about consolidating his position and strengthening those castles he had captured. With fury Llewellyn learned that he was not only working on the fortifications but beautifying them, as though he already owned them.

Those were dreary months. There was Llewellyn with those of his followers who were faithful and continued to believe in Merlin’s prophecies, knowing full well that they would have to give up in time because the King’s intentions were to starve them until they surrendered.

Llewellyn spoke to his men.

‘Rest assured the prophecy will come true. Llewellyn shall reign over all England and then he will not forget his faithful friends. But it may well be that the time has not yet come. We must perforce suffer long and fight for this great prize.’

To fight was well enough. To starve was different.

There came a message from Edward. He would have Llewellyn know that he wished him no ill. All he wanted from him was his loyalty. He must indeed do homage for the lands of Wales, and he would be left to rule over them in peace as long as he did nothing to offend the laws of the King of England. Edward was ready to come to some agreement with Llewellyn. He would restore his bride to him, for he had no wish to hold her against her will and that of Llewellyn. All Llewellyn had to do was swear allegiance to the King of England and accept him as his sovereign lord.

It was a great deal to ask, but there was so much to be gained.

The outcome was that they met at Conway – that great fortress on which Edward had already set his men to work.

Edward was strong, stern, but not without a certain benignity. He had no wish to continue in a war which Llewellyn knew full well he had already lost. Nor did he wish to be unduly harsh. Because of this he had sent for the Demoiselle to come to Worcester and there if Llewellyn agreed to his terms they should all meet to sign the treaty after which the marriage would be solemnised.

From despair Llewellyn was raised to hope. All he had to do was submit to Edward, declare himself his vassal, pay certain monies, give certain concessions and his Demoiselle would be his.

‘I will send to you’, wrote Edward, ‘your brother Davydd who had the good sense you lacked when he joined me. He will lay my terms before you and when all is settled we will proceed to Worcester for the signing and there your marriage shall take place.’

Receive Davydd, the traitor brother! How could he! Yet he understood Edward’s motive. Edward wanted peace … peace between the brothers as well as between England and Wales. Llewellyn had no alternative but to receive Davydd and he did so.

The two brothers regarded each other with reserve.

It was Davydd who spoke first. ‘I regret nothing that I have done,’ he said. ‘I went over to the King because I knew you were fighting a losing battle, and by working with Edward fewer of our castles would be ruined, less of our land desecrated. I have proved that I was right because you now are ready to come to terms with him.’

‘Perhaps those terms would not have been necessary if we had all stood together,’ said Llewellyn.

‘Perhaps we should have stood together if the land had been fairly divided. We brothers wanted some, Llewellyn, and there was not enough to go round.’

‘Can we trust Edward?’

‘He is a man who prides himself on honouring his word. He can be trusted better than most kings. Already he has fulfilled his promise to me. I have a wife now, you know, Llewellyn.’

‘Is that so?’

‘A rich wife provided by Edward. The daughter of the Earl of Derby is now my wife. She has brought me much joy … and riches. You fret for the Demoiselle. Make your terms and marry. A man is meant to get sons, not to spend his days in a damp and draughty tent.’

‘You are a satisfied man, Davydd.’

‘For the time,’ said Davydd.

Of course he was right, thought Llewellyn. A man was a fool who did not know when he was beaten. There was a time to stop fighting, to make peace so that he could live to fight another day.

And meanwhile the Demoiselle was beckoning him.

* * *

And there she was at Worcester. The King had sent for her and he gazed in delight as she came towards him. She had grown up since he had last seen her, become a graceful, gracious woman. Love shone from her eyes which were appealing, a little apprehensive, as though she feared she might not please him. He wanted to reassure her. It was not for her to falter. Did he please her? He was some ten years older than she was and a soldier led a hard life. Perhaps it left its mark.

He took her hand. He said: ‘My Demoiselle … my beautiful Demoiselle.’

‘Llewellyn.’ She spoke his name softly.

It was enough.

The King with the Queen beside him looked on benignly. Happily married themselves, they understood and showed their sympathy. There were tears in the Queen’s eyes; she was a good kind woman.

‘There need be no delay in the ceremony,’ said the King briskly. ‘Once all the terms are agreed to.’

All the terms. Edward was a man to drive a hard bargain. But he could be trusted. He had promised the Demoiselle and she was there.

Llewellyn had surrendered all his prisoners to the King of England and they included his eldest brother Owain whom he had held in captivity for more than ten years; he had given up his claims to South Wales and agreed to pay a fine of fifty thousand pounds. Anglesey was restored to him but he must pay a rent for it and if he died without heirs it was to be returned to the King. The barons of Wales would pay homage to Edward instead of to Llewellyn.

Yes, it was a hard bargain that Edward drove. Llewellyn’s territory was reduced to that around Snowdon one might say, and the King had freed Owain and rewarded him with lands and done the same for Davydd plus a rich wife. He was showing them how he rewarded those who worked against his enemies.

It was a sorry state of affairs, but Llewellyn was in love. And what mattered most was that he had his Demoiselle.

The reunion of Edward and his Queen resulted in two more pregnancies.

There was a certain anxiety during that bleak March at Windsor as the Queen’s time drew near. It was two years since the sad little Berengaria had made her brief appearance, and there was a general feeling that although the Queen was clearly fruitful her children were inclined to be weaklings.

Alfonso’s health had not really improved. He was now five years old, approaching the danger period. There were days, however, when he seemed to grow stronger and in the summer he would often appear to be quite a healthy little boy. But during the winter he deteriorated and they had just come through one. Hence this anxiety.

‘This one must be a boy,’ said the Queen Mother somewhat peremptorily as though she were ordering the Queen – or perhaps God – to behave with a little more consideration for them all this time.

Such talk made the Queen uneasy but she knew that the Queen Mother was right. It must be a boy.

‘If,’ went on the Queen Mother, ‘it should prove to be a girl then she must become a nun.’

‘That must be a matter for her to choose,’ said the Queen with a slight touch of firmness.

‘No, indeed, my dear,’ insisted the Queen Mother. ‘Heaven must know this child is to be dedicated to its service. Then perhaps God will relent and if He has already decided on a girl He might change the child for a boy.’

This seemed strange reasoning to the Queen but she did not contradict the Queen Mother. No one did – not even Edward, who usually smiled and listened to her advice and then went away and ignored it.

The Queen’s time came. She lay in her bed eagerly waiting, but in due course she heard the disappointing words: ‘Another girl.’

But this time it was a healthy one, quite different from the ill-fated Berengaria.

‘There is no doubt,’ said the Queen Mother, ‘that this child should become a nun. I have chosen Amesbury, where one day I shall retire myself … when the time comes and if the Pope will give me a dispensation which allows me to keep my dowry. I have no intention of giving it up for any convent on earth.’