The Marriage Prize (34 page)

Rosamond. She's a foreign witch who knows no better."

"Oh fie, that isn't what upset me; it was her terrible threat!"

Rosamond came around the bed and took Rod's hand as if

she were afraid. "She said there was a war coming, and they

would destroy the de Mont-forts and us along with them!"

When Rodger enfolded her in his arms, she looked up at him

with beseeching eyes. "Wil there truly be a war?"

He tucked her head beneath his chin, his eyes clouded with

dark thoughts of war. "Yes, I am afraid it has come to that,

Rosamond."

"But we wil win, won't we? With Lord Edward and my cousin

Richard of Gloucester on Earl Simon's side, how can we

lose?"

Rod knew he would have to tel her. But not tonight, he

decided selfishly, softly stroking her back. "No more talk of

war. Come to bed, Rosamond, and we'l talk of more

pleasurable things."

Eighteen

I need to recruit soldiers for this campaign," Edward told

Rodger.

"Windsor wil adequately house them, but your personal

coffers are empty. We need wealth; we won't even be able to

hold the Gascons unless they are paid for the Welsh

campaign, Edward."

"You are right, nothing engenders loyalty like wealth, and I

need it quickly. I learned warfare from Simon de Montfort

himself, and he taught me that speed and fury win the day."

"There is only one place you can get coin, and that is the New

Temple, but what wil you give the goldsmiths for security? "

"They already have al of my mother's jewels and even some

of the bloody crown jewels as col ateral for loans she has

taken over the last two years." Edward suddenly raised his

golden head, and his blazing blue gaze pierced Rodger, who

guessed his intent immediately.

"It wil take nerves of steel and a couple of strong arms at your back." Rod flashed a grin, the sheer audacity of the scheme

appealing to his darker side. "We'l get Harry; he has such an

honest face."

Within the hour, Harry of Almaine arrived at Windsor with his

Cornish men-at-arms. "Speak of the devil," Edward said to

Rod, then decided to rub salt in his cousin's wounds. "Where

the hel have you been since you turned your coat?"

Harry flushed to the roots of his hair. "I've been in such

anguish. I was honor-bound to Simon, but my father, my

brother Gloucester, and then you turned against him, and I

realized it was my duty to stand with my family." Harry

grimaced. "On top of that, I made the mistake of going to

Westminster."

"Mistake?" Edward asked sharply.

195

Harry's blush deepened. "Alyce de Clare was there; she

insisted on accompanying me here to Windsor."

"God's bal s, Harry, you haven't the brains of a louse!" Rod admonished him as he saw the look of panic on Edward's

face.

"I told her Rosamond was here with you, but she promised to

be discreet," Harry said lamely.

"Discretion isn't her long suit," Rod said dryly. "I shal join the ladies and attempt to control the damage, Lord Edward, while

you convince Harry that we need his strong arm and honest

face."

Rodger found the ladies in the solar. Alyce was gowned in

deep royal purple, while Eleanora was wearing a lavender

gown embroidered with seed pearls. He thought they looked

like the wicked witch and fairy princess from some mythic tale.

"Rod, it is too long," Alyce said, pausing suggestively as her eyes slid over his maleness, "since I have seen you, mon

cher; I long to see more of you." She glanced at Rosamond to

deliberately provoke her, then went on tiptoe to kiss de

Leyburn.

"Alyce, is your visit prompted by curiosity, or have you more

information to impart?" Rod asked smoothly.

"Ah, chéri, you know I was seduced into revealing al when you

and Edward came to Westminster."

Realizing she was grass-green with jealousy at Eleanora's

beauty and innocence, he warned, "Revealing al can be a

dangerous game."

Alyce gave Rosamond a sly, sideways glance. "But I adore

dangerous games, Rod, and know you too love to play with

me!"

Rosamond was ready to pul every hair from her head, but

when Rodger looked into his wife's eyes, he communicated

without words. Suddenly she realized that the byplay had

nothing to do with Rod. Alyce de Clare was simply dying to let

Eleanora know that she and Edward were lovers.

"Nan, would you take Lady Alyce to my chamber so she may

repair her toilette? Her eyes are smudged with black."

Alyce's hand flew to her face and she threw Rosamond a look

that was cold enough to freeze the marrow in her bones. Then

she stormed out of the room, with Nan fol owing meekly

behind her.

Rosamond turned to the princess and said, "Alyce cannot

help

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flirting with every male she meets; it is a game to her. She

real y came to Windsor to see what you look like, Eleanora."

"Lady Alyce is a most al uring female. The queen told me King

Henry is much too fond of her," she innocently confided.

Rosamond exchanged a look with her husband. "No need for

alarm, my lord, I wil put out any wildfires Alyce starts."

He nodded his understanding and turned to leave, but Alyce

came back into the chamber before he reached the door.

"What a clever wife you 'ave, my Rod. She uses dragonwort to

prevent conception. Wil you share your herbs with me,

Rosamond?"

A deathly silence fel over the room, and Rosamond paled as

she realized too late she had left the dragonwort on her

dressing table. Only someone wel versed in the properties of

herbs would know the plant's secret; even Nan thought it was

used for freckles. Rosamond felt everyone's eyes on her.

Eleanora looked shocked, Nan looked outraged, but it was

Sir Rodger she was most aware of. His green gaze bored into

her with ice-cold fury. "I use it for my skin, Lady Alyce; what do you use to make yours look like porcelain?"

"I use crushed hel ebore seeds, but hel ebore, like

dragonwort, has more deadly properties, nest-ce pas?" Alyce

asked silkily.

Rodger bowed stiffly. "I shal see you tonight, madam."

Rosamond knew he hadn't been fooled. Damn the man, he

was far too wise in the ways of women. The moment Rodger

departed, Alyce pretended she wanted to be friends, but

Rosamond knew better.

"I would love to see the apartments King Henry had special y

designed for you, Eleanora, and you must come to see mine

at Westminster Palace," Alyce said. Turning toward

Rosamond, she added, "We could al go about London

together!"

"Thank you, but I am going into London with my friend

Demoisel e de Montfort," Rosamond cool y informed her.

Alyce laughed in her face. "That would be impossible;

London's gates are closed to the de Montforts and al their

adherents. How fortunate that Edward has shrewdly

repudiated the king's enemy."

Rosamond went cold al over. Alyce is lying; it cannot possibly

be true! she thought. She felt as if icy fingers clutched her

heart and were squeezing. If such a horrendous thing had

happened, Rodger would have

197

told her! Rosamond began to shiver. No, he would not have

told her, because the main reason she had agreed to wed him

was to strengthen the bond between Lord Edward and Earl

Simon. If that bond was now broken, the pawn had been

sacrificed for naught! "Richard of Gloucester, my cousin and

your father-in-law ... with whom does he stand?" Rosamond

asked quietly.

"The Plantagenets, of course. He is England's leading peer;

naturel ement he stands with the king and the heir to the

throne. When King Henry arrives, Simon de Montfort wil be

destroyed!"

The queen's vituperous words came back to her: In the war

that is coming, we wil destroy the de Montforts and you along

with them! Wel , at least the queen realized that she,

Rosamond, would remain loyal to the de Montforts, even if

Lord Edward and that devil de Leyburn turned traitor!

Rosamond was distraught. What made men so vile? She had

begun to trust Rodger de Leyburn. She had done so against

her better judgment, and now she realized why she had been

so wary. Dear God, were al men created evil? Her eardrums

were screaming inside her head, and she fought the faintness

that threatened to overwhelm her. Then Rosamond saw Nan

looking at her with pity, and her distress suddenly turned into

flaming anger.

Princess Eleanora said politely, "Come, Lady Alyce, my

apartments are most beautiful. When I was in the Tower, it was

so dark, I could not see to embroider, but here the sunlight

streams through my lovely, long windows."

"Embroider? Is that what you do for pleasure?" Alyce asked,

amused. "Edward must find that most diverting."

"Men are diverted by the oddest things ... war, whores ..."

Rosamond taunted, "there is no accounting for their strange

tastes. Please excuse me, ladies. Nan, stay with Princess

Eleanora, she has more need of you than I, at the moment."

Rosamond escaped to her own chambers and threw the bolt

across the door. She was so angry she wanted to smash

something, and if she had stayed in Alyce de Clare's company

one more moment, she would have smashed the strumpet's

insolent face. She went to the window and

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THE MARRIAGE PRIZE

rubbed her temples to calm herself. A picture of de Leyburn

flashed into her mind. I shal see you tonight, madam. He had

been angry, but his anger would be as nothing compared to

the fury she would unleash on him tonight!

Upstairs, in Princess Eleanora's chambers, Alyce de Clare

was seething at the luxury that had been provided for

Edward's bride. She gave Bebe a surreptitious kick and

glanced through the beautiful windows. Across the ward, she

could see Edward, Rodger, Harry, and their squires. They

were mounting to leave and looked to be in a hurry. How dare

Edward leave without seeing her? She'd be damned if she'd

stay here with his dul Castilian wife. She turned to face her.

"Edward is leaving! I must hurry, he is escorting me back to

Westminster. Now, now, you must not be jealous, chérie . . .

you are his virgin bride, I am just his mistress."

******************

The three men decided their mission would be best

accomplished with only their squires for escort. Six men would

arouse less suspicion than an entire troop of men-at-arms.

They had ridden less than a mile from Windsor when they

heard gal oping hoofbeats.

"The devil take her," Edward growled when he saw Alyce de

Clare closing the distance between them.

"I'm sorry," Harry muttered in heartfelt apology.

"And where are you gentlemen off to in such a tearing hurry?"

Alyce asked in a deceptively sweet voice.

"We are off to find a wife for Harry," Rod teased. "Bachelors wil no longer be tolerated."

"Run for your life, Harry; marriage is a death sentence."

"Merely a life sentence, I believe," Rod bantered.

Alyce spurred her horse between Edward's and Rodger's,

then, looking straight ahead so that Harry wouldn't know to

whom she directed her words, said, "You 'ave been treating

me like an inconvenience; can I expect to see more of you at

Westminster?"

Rodger did not disabuse her of the idea they were going to

the old palace. She would find out soon enough, when they left

her at the gate. "Neither Westminster nor Windsor is

convenient, my dear. With your

199

husband's father at one and our wives at the other, you know

the difficulties. Perhaps you could visit your castle of

Tbnbridge, a safe thirty miles from London."

Edward spoke for the first time. "Tonbridge . .. perhaps I wil

recruit there. The men of Kent are reputed to be stout

fighters."

Alyce suspected it was a ruse to put distance between them.

"I prefer London, but perhaps the men of Kent could prove

amusing."

When they arrived at Westminster Palace, Rodger said, "We

part company here, Alyce. Alas, we must attend to business

this morning, not pleasure. Au revoir, chérie."

Her eyes narrowed, but she knew better than to make a

scene, and rode off through the iron gates with a prideful toss

of her head.

"Never did I see anyone dismiss a female so smoothly. Rod,

you have a special touch with the ladies," Harry said with

admiration. "I only wish I had half your charm."

"Alyce is no lady." Rod flashed his grin and the other two

joined in the laughter. Then they sobered as they focused on

the risky business that lay before them.

Once they passed Temple Church, Harry took Rodger's place

beside Edward and Rod fel back with the squires. They

turned their mounts toward the river and rode up to a great

cluster of buildings known as the New Temple. They were met

by one of the Jewish custodians, who recognized Prince

Edward Plantagenet immediately.

"Your Highness, we are honored at this visit; how may we be