mother, bending over her hand with a courtly flourish. “Madame, it is my privilege to return the governance of Aquitaine to your capable hands.”
The curious spectators realized with disappointment that courtesy could be used as effectively as any shield of wood and leather, for none could tell what thoughts lay behind those inscrutable blue-grey eyes, not even the two people who’d given him life.
The table that evening was laden with venison from Henry’s latest hunt, but Eleanor had no appetite and merely toyed with her food. Afterward she found no opportunity to speak privately with her son and retired to her own chamber in a foul mood. She was too tense to sleep and was still up and dressed several hours later when a knock sounded at the door. She nodded for Amaria to open it, assuming it would be Henry coming to discuss their son’s submission. But it was Richard.
“Did your father’s spies see you come here?”
He shrugged. “It hardly matters now, does it?” he said and reached out, enfolding her in a heartfelt hug. Eleanor’s eyes misted and she blinked rapidly, not wanting him to see. Amaria had retreated to a far corner of the chamber and picked up some sewing, doing what she could to make herself as unobtrusive as possible. But she needn’t have worried, for they’d already forgotten her presence.
“I was concerned,” Eleanor admitted, “that you might be angry with me, too, thinking that I’d benefited at your expense.”
Richard’s surprise was obvious. “Why, Maman? You were given no more choice in this than I was.”
“No, I was not. But I knew how difficult this would be for you and-”
“And you were probably scared to death that I was going to act like a damned fool and doom us all,” he said with a fleeting smile. “I cannot say I was not tempted, but…well, here I am.”
“And thank God for it,” she said fervently. “Come sit down, Richard. We have much to talk about.” Once they were seated, she reached over and laid her hand on his. “I know this is not what you want to do, but at least now you need not fear losing Aquitaine. By coming up with this scheme, your father is conceding defeat, admitting that he could not compel you to abdicate.”
Richard tilted his head, looking at her in bemusement. Did she truly think he needed to have this pointed out? He almost reminded her that he was not the fool his brother had been. He did not, though, for even if he did not understand her grieving for Hal, he did respect it. “To give the Devil his due,” he said, “Papa did come up with the only way to pry me loose from Aquitaine. He knew I would never deny your claim to the duchy.”
He paused. “But this time he has been too clever for his own good, Maman. The old fox has finally outfoxed himself. He will have to grant you more liberty now, can no longer keep you sequestered in some remote stronghold out of sight and mind. I’ll not deny that it is not easy for me, either to turn over the governance of the duchy or to let the world think he has won. But it will be a comfort to know that you are restored to your rightful place. And he is in for a rude surprise if he thinks he is going to get another tamed dog for his kennel. I will never follow in Hal’s footsteps, never.”
“I know,” she said. “An argument can be made that Hal choked to death because he was kept on such a tight chain. But not only are you a very different man than your brother, your circumstances are different, too.” She leaned forward, eager to explain why he need not fear Hal’s fate, but he gave her no chance.
“I am looking forward to seeing his face when I tell him what I intend to do. He thinks I shall be dancing attendance upon him as Hal did. But if I am not to govern Aquitaine, then I am free to follow my heart. I am going to take the cross and do what Papa would not, answer Patriarch Heraclius’s plea and lead my men to fight for the defense of the Holy Land.”
Richard grinned, very pleased with himself for having found a way to honor his mother, thwart his father, and serve God, while having a grand adventure at the same time. Eleanor did not return his smile, though. She was regarding him gravely. “I fear that would be a great mistake, Richard.”
“Why? What could be more important than securing the Kingdom of Jerusalem?”
“Securing the Kingdom of England. I know you want Aquitaine. But you want the crown, too, do you not?”
“Of course I do. It is my birthright now that Hal is dead. Why would taking the cross put it at risk?”
“Because your father will not want you to take the cross, no more than he wanted John to do so. He will forbid you to do it and will be outraged and distraught if you defy him in this. You will be giving him an entirely new grievance. He might even be dismayed enough to reconsider the succession, especially if you are not here to defend yourself.”
Richard was frowning. “I know he has been favoring Geoffrey shamelessly of late, his way of reminding me that I am not an only child and nothing is writ in stone. I just took it as one of his usual threats, nothing more than that. You truly think…?”
“I did not at first. Now…now I am not so sure. Geoffrey’s governance of Normandy was cut short by your raids into Brittany, but Harry was pleased with the way he dealt with the Norman barons and clerics and he is equally pleased with the news coming out of Brittany.”
“Why? What is Geoffrey up to now?”
“He and Constance just presided over an assize in Rennes, summoning the Breton lords to discuss the laws of inheritance in the duchy. They have made a compact in which all agree to pass their lands on to their eldest sons. Harry was quite impressed by reports of this assize, saying Geoffrey has shown considerable political skill in winning over perpetual rebels like Raoul de Fougeres. They no longer view him as Constance’s alien husband, the Angevin intruder forced upon them by their enemy, the English king. He’s succeeded in earning their respect and their trust, no small feat considering the contentious nature of the Bretons. And I regret to say that your father has compared Geoffrey’s assize to your own attempts to introduce the law of primogeniture, which resulted in a rebellion by the lords of Angouleme-”
“That is not fair! Primogeniture was already the custom in Brittany, so Geoffrey had an easier road to travel than I did.”
“Be that as it may, your father likes what he has seen of your brother’s rule in Brittany and he is troubled by the constant turmoil and antagonism between you and your vassals.”
“I still say he gave Geoffrey power in Normandy to punish me, knowing how little I’d like it. You know how he is, Maman. Nothing is ever straightforward with him; the man has more coils than any serpent.”
“And is he giving Geoffrey the county of Nantes just to vex you, too?”
Richard’s eyes narrowed. “Geoffrey is getting Nantes?” When she nodded, he lapsed into silence for some moments. Eleanor was content to wait, wanting him to draw his own conclusions. “Would he truly do that?” he asked at last. “Would he dare to disregard the laws of primogeniture and pass over me in favor of my younger brother?”
“Would he dare? Oh, yes. Would he actually do it? That I do not know,” she conceded, “but you ignore the possibility at your peril.” Her hand closed on his again. “The crown is yours by right now that Hal is dead. But only you can decide if the price is too high, Richard. You will still have Aquitaine, come what may. If you can be content with that, then take the cross and leave for the Holy Land. But if you want to be king, then it would be wiser to remain here and fight for it.”
He rose abruptly and began to pace. “I do want the crown. But I do not know if I could endure the humiliating apprenticeship Papa put Hal through. If he expects me to be at his beck and call like a pet spaniel…” He shook his head, turning back to face her. “I cannot do that, Maman.”
“I do not think you will have to, dearest. Hal, may God assoil him, had no lands of his own, but you will still have Aquitaine. All will know this ‘restoration’ changes nothing in truth. You are still the heir to the duchy, and men will continue to come to you with petitions and appeals. In fact,” she said, with a wry smile, “the poor souls wanting to have rights recognized will likely need to get charters from all three of us-you, me, and Harry-to make sure there are no ambiguities or uncertainties. And when rebellion breaks out again in Aquitaine, Harry will have to rely upon you to restore order in the duchy. He no longer has the boundless energy that he once had, for his youth is long gone and his health is not as robust as it used to be. You’ll be the one he turns to for support-unless you are away in the Holy Land.”
“And then it would be Geoffrey.” He said no more after that, soon excused himself without telling her what he meant to do. There was no need, for she already knew.
