Виктория Холт - The Heart of the Lion

Richard rose; he tottered slightly. It was as much with rage as with weakness.

‘The King of France must learn that one of the reasons for the fall of Jerusalem is the hostile treatment crusaders receive on their way to the Holy Land. I have subdued Isaac Comnenus who was no friend to the Christians though he ought to have been. It is my belief he accepted bribes from the Saracens to delay us all he could. Tell the King of France that he robbed my sailors, stole my stores and imprisoned my men. Does the King of France expect me to allow that to pass? Perhaps the King of France would. Perhaps that is why the Christians were short of provisions and weapons and the Saracens had the opportunity to take the Holy City.’

The messengers were taken aback and did not know what to say, but they felt that they had Philip’s authority to remind Richard that as Duke of Normandy, he must bow to the wishes of his suzerain.

‘We but repeat the orders of the King of France,’ they muttered.

‘Then return to him and tell him that the King of England does not receive orders from the King of France and that he will stay in Cyprus until that time when he feels the island to be completely subdued. Thus it will be a port of call for crusaders in days to come. Here they will rest in safety and comfort. They will be provided with the rich fruit of this island and we shall not have men arriving in Palestine emaciated and sick from a long sea voyage. Nor shall we lose them to the greed and villainy of rapacious islanders. Go now and tell this to the King of France. Tell him I shall join him in my own good time.’

When they had gone he lay on his bed exhausted.

He smiled slowly, contemplating Philip. Philip wanted him there. He knew he could not take Acre without him. If he had been able to he would have done so. Philip wanted the glory of victory. The man who restored the Holy City to Christianity would be received with acclaim everywhere in the Christian world – not excluding Heaven itself.

It was an honour all crusaders sought.

But it was more than that. Philip wanted to see him.

* * *

And he wanted to stand with Philip before the wall of Acre. Together they would take it, just as they had planned a long time ago, when he had been a hostage in Philip’s hands during the lifetime of his father – and they had gone everywhere together, riding, walking, playing, dreaming and lying in bed together talking of the glorious deeds they would perform when they went on their crusade.

Times had changed – they were no longer king and hostage; they were two kings of countries where rivalry was inevitable. Was it possible for the King of England to be friendly with the King of France? Normandy stood between them. Philip could never forget it. He would, like all the kings of France, for ever remember how the Norseman Rollo had ridden along by the Seine and taken possession of that strip of land which became known as Normandy. Richard was of Norman stock. This stood between them now and it always would.

They were natural enemies and yet they were beloved friends. They yearned to be together but they must constantly seek ways of scoring over each other.

It was an exciting relationship.

And now Philip was commanding him to leave Cyprus, and for that reason he would stay longer than he had intended.

He talked the matter over with Guy who had become his constant companion. Philip would be jealous of Guy. The thought amused Richard. Philip had already set himself against Guy by offering his support to another candidate for the crown of Jerusalem when that city should be brought back to Christianity: Conrad de Montferrat. Why was Philip supporting him? Because he thought it would be to the advantage of France to do so. Always Philip thought of the good of France. Richard thought very little of the good of England. He was pleased to leave the governing of that country in his mother’s capable hands.

‘Guy,’ he said, ‘this island is now in our hands. Isaac is in his silver chains. His daughter is with the two Queens; the people like to live in peace and get on with their daily lives. We shall have no trouble here while Isaac is in captivity. It is merely a matter of appointing regents to hold the island in my absence.’

‘That’s so, Sire,’ replied Guy. ‘Have you any in mind for this task?’

‘There are two Englishmen whose conscientious work has singled them out to me. I would trust them. They are Robert of Turnham and Richard de Camville.’

‘I have noticed these men. I think they would serve you well.’

‘Then you endorse my choice.’

‘I do, my lord.’

‘Go and bring them to me that I may put the matter to them. I will explain their duties and that I trust them to be good servants. They will administer the island and make sure that crusaders can always be sure of fresh meat, fruit and wheat when they arrive here on their journey.’

‘You have already served the cause well, my lord. If you did nothing more crusaders would be grateful to you for ever.’

‘The King of France does not share your opinion. He thinks I dally here and am more interested in making conquests than sailing on to Palestine.’

‘The King of France is doubtless envious of your fame.’

‘That may be. But I will not take orders from him although he continually reminds me that he is my suzerain through Normandy.’

‘I doubt not that my lord reminds him that the King of England enjoys as great a name throughout the world as that of the King of France. Aye, and becoming greater every month.’

‘I intend it to be so, Guy. Well then, we shall appoint our regents and then set sail. The ships should be well stocked with the good things of this island. What a fruitful place it is! A paradise! I confess I could linger here awhile. But on the other hand I feel the urge to go forward. I long to be storming the walls of Acre.’

‘I doubt not, my lord, that you will soon have brought the siege to an end.’

‘That shall be my endeavour.’

In the next few days Richard had fully recovered his health.

He immediately gave a banquet to celebrate his possession of Cyprus. The people came out of their houses to cheer him as he rode by. They liked the look of him; he was stern but just; and they were heartily tired of Isaac.

Richard had seen little of Berengaria. He sent a message to her and to Joanna to tell them that he was very much engaged with preparations for departure, but would come to them when it was possible.

When he did arrive he embraced them both rather absent-mindedly and told them to make their preparations to leave.

Berengaria looking up at him adoringly said that she always looked for his own ship, Trenc-the-mere, when she was near the sea and she was delighted because now that she was his wife she would sail with him in it.

‘You cannot guess, Richard, the anxieties we suffered,’ she told him. ‘Not knowing where you were ... whether you were dead or alive.’

Richard was thoughtful. ‘I have been thinking,’ he said, ‘that after all it would be most unwise for you to travel on Trenc-the-mere.’

‘Oh but that is where I want to be. I want to be with you, Richard.’

‘That is a good wife,’ he said indulgently. ‘But as a good husband I am concerned for your safety.’

‘My great concern is yours.’

‘Nay,’ he said firmly, ‘you cannot sail with me. What if already you are carrying our child, the future King of England!’

‘We have been so little together,’ she said mournfully.

‘Oh, it is enough. I have hopes.’

‘Could we not ... ?’

His lips smiled but his eyes were cold. ‘I am a king, Berengaria. I have my duties. I am not even in my own country. Responsibilities are heavy on my shoulders. I have just conquered Cyprus, which is going to make a great difference to crusaders. Think of them hungry, racked by storm, all those days at sea and then coming to the haven of Cyprus where there will be fresh meat and fruits for them. They will bless King Richard.’

‘There are already many who have reason to do that,’ she said.

‘It may be. But my orders must be obeyed. I cannot have you or Joanna exposed to the dangers which could befall my ship. As we progress our journey becomes more hazardous. There is one whom these people will seek first to destroy. I am that one.’

‘Oh, Richard, let us come with you. The dangers will be nothing compared with our anxieties.’

‘Nay, the dangers will be great. You will obey my orders, Berengaria. I say that you shall sail in another ship. Do not look so disconsolate. Joanna will be with you ... Joanna and the little Princess from Cyprus.’

He doesn’t want me, she thought sadly. Why? What is wrong with me?

The June sun blazed down on the fleet of ships – one hundred and fifty of them. They were on their way to Acre and leading them was Trenc-the-mere. Shouting orders through his trumpet, commanding that none was to attempt to pass him, sailing close to the arid land, Richard’s spirits soared. He would soon be in Acre. Before he had left Cyprus he had heard that Philip had broken the siege and filled with dismay he had hastened his preparations to depart. It had been a great relief to learn that the news was false.

And now on to Acre, to Philip, to make their plans together, to bring about the realisation of a dream.

As they had sailed from Cyprus, Richard heard that one of his galley men wished to speak to him. This man told him that he had been in Beyrout and there seen a wonderful ship – the largest he had ever seen.

‘It was a Saracen, Sire,’ he said. ‘Her sides were hung with green and yellow tarpaulins. I asked what this was for and was told that the Byzantine navy frequently use the deadly Greek Fire in their fighting and these tarpaulins are protection for the hull. Sire, this ship was being loaded with men and food. It was said that there were eight hundred Turks and seven Emirs to command them and they were on their way to Acre.’

‘If this be true,’ said Richard, ‘it is small wonder that the siege goes on. They must be constantly supplied with food and troops.’

‘And, Sire, that was not all. It was said that two hundred deadly snakes were being put on board the vessel and these were to be let loose in the Christian camp.’

‘By God’s eyes,’ cried Richard, ‘is this so then? I would to God I had the chance to meet such a ship.’

It seemed that his prayers were answered for between Beyrout and Sidon a ship was sighted on the horizon. Three-masted and flying the French flag, she was one of the biggest ships Richard had ever seen.

‘I never knew Philip owned such a ship,’ said Richard. ‘If he had, surely I would have seen it. He would certainly have boasted of her.’

Richard suspected that she was not French and as they came nearer he saw the green and yellow tarpaulins on her sides and sent for the galley man who had told him of the ship he had seen in Beyrout.

He did not wait to be asked. ‘That is the ship, Sire, the one I saw being loaded in Beyrout.’

Richard ordered one of the galleys to go forward and make contact with the ship.

The ship’s answer was a shower of arrows, javelins and stones.

‘’Tis true,’ cried Richard. ‘She’s an enemy. She must not be allowed to reach Acre.’

He gave the order to close in on her but the extreme height of the ship gave her the advantage and she was able to send down such a shower of arrows on to the galleys that the wise action seemed to be to retire.

Richard was furious. She was not going to escape. He could see that his men were losing heart for what they considered an unequal battle doomed to failure. But Richard never accepted failure. He was either going to capture or sink that vessel. She was not going to reach Acre with her reinforcements of men and food and her deadly serpents to wreak havoc in the Christian camp.

‘Are you such cowards,’ he cried to his men, ‘that you shrink from action with the enemy? She is one and we are many. Shall you, soldiers of the Cross allow her to carry succour to the Saracen? If you allow these enemies of God to escape you deserve to be hanged, every one of you.’

As ever his magnetism mingled with his personal valour had its effect. Those men who, a few moments before, had grumbled to each other that to attack was folly, were now straining for the fight.

Some of them even attempted to board the ship, and as they did so their hands or heads were cut off and the air was filled with their piercing cries as they fell back into the sea. When several men leaped into the water and tied a rope to the Saracen’s helm so that her progress might be impeded, this was more successful.