Then learn to love him less.
The Viscount of Limoges had given Maud a tour of his kennels, where his favorite greyhound bitch had recently whelped. As he escorted her across the bailey afterward, he offered her the pick of the litter once the puppies were old enough to be weaned. When Maud demurred, he insisted, saying with a smile, “You have been a Godsend to my wife. Sarah’s nerves were on the raw at the prospect of entertaining so many highborn guests, and you and our duchess have gone out of your way to put her at ease, doing what you could to make sure that nothing went amiss.”
Maud thanked him, thinking that only in Aquitaine would a duchess outrank a queen. They were passing the open doors of the stables, and she came to a sudden halt, having caught sight of a familiar figure standing by one of the stalls. Excusing herself, she stepped into the shadows of the barn.
Hal was currying a beautiful white stallion, so occupied in his task that he did not hear Maud’s approach. He swung around in surprise when she spoke his name, and then smiled in recognition. “Cousin Maud! Come take a look at my new palfrey. Shield your eyes, though,” he added with a grin, “lest you be dazzled by his radiance.”
His jest was not far off the mark; the horse was as perfect a specimen as Maud had ever seen. Hal had begun to comb out its silky mane, saying that it was as soft as his wife’s hair, playfully begging her not to repeat that to Marguerite, and then declaring that he’d settled upon a name: Morel.
Maud was not surprised by his choice; that was a popular name for knightly steeds in chansons de geste. “Dare I ask how you could afford such a magnificent beast? Have you taken to banditry in your spare time?”
Hal laughed. “Do not think I have not been tempted, Cousin. But Morel did not cost me even a denier. He is the product of a benign conspiracy between my mother and King Alfonso. He’d visited her at Poitiers last summer to discuss their mutual enemy, Count Raimon, and she arranged for him to bring Morel to Limoges. Spanish horses are the best in Christendom,” he said happily, “so she could not have given me a finer birthday present!”
“Indeed,” Maud agreed, reaching out to pat the palfrey’s muzzle. “You made mention only of your mother. Was Morel not a gift from both your parents?” She hoped that was so, for separate gift-giving was not an augury of a healthy marriage, but he was already shaking his head.
“No, Morel was my mother’s present. My father promised me four Iceland gyrfalcons when one of his agents next goes to Norway.”
Iceland gyrfalcons were quite literally worth a king’s ransom, so that was a very lavish expenditure from a man not noted for extravagant spending. “That was a most generous gift,” Maud said, feeling suddenly sad although she wasn’t quite sure why.
“Yes.” The terseness of his response made it seem incomplete, and Hal appeared to sense that. Raising his head, he met Maud’s eyes over the stallion’s back. “Assuming that he remembers,” he said, but without malice; she thought he sounded sad, too.
“Hal…” Maud was not sure if she should venture onto such unstable ground, but she’d begun to realize that there was no one to speak on her cousin Harry’s behalf; the only voices Hal heard these days were those hostile to his father. “I know you are disappointed that Harry refused to knight you.”
“I am disappointed that the weather did not allow us to go hawking today. I am disappointed that I lost three straight games of hazard to Hasculf de St Hilaire yesterday. But when my father denies me the rite of passage to manhood, I think a stronger term is needed than ‘disappointment,’ Cousin Maud.”
“He does not mean it that way, Hal, truly he does not. His intent is not to slight or demean you, nor to cause you pain. He has it in his mind that you need to be knighted by the French king, for that would do honor to you both. Limoges cannot hold a candle to Paris, lad. Surely it is worth waiting for a splendid ceremony at the French court?”
“No,” he said, “it is not worth the wait, not to me.” He’d not raised his voice, not showed any anger, but there was a finality in his words that discouraged Maud from persisting. Father and son were more alike than they knew, and that was not a thought to give her any comfort.
The Count of Toulouse made such an exaggerated obeisance before Eleanor that it bordered upon mockery. “My deepest sympathies, Madame,” he said blandly. “I can only imagine how disappointed you must be.”
Eleanor’s son was standing so close that their shoulders were touching, and she could feel the jolt of tension that shot through Richard’s body. Putting her hand casually on his arm, she gazed coolly at her adversary. “And why would I be disappointed, my lord count?”
Count Raimon’s eyebrows rose in feigned surprise. “Why because of the loss of your falcon, of course. I heard about your ill-fated hunt. Very bad luck, indeed.”
“Not at all. My falcon was found two days ago, none the worse for her mishap. You are not as well informed as you think, my lord count.”
Bending over her hand again, he said, “I rejoice in your good fortune, my lady.” He had oddly colored eyes, a pale golden-brown with yellowish glints. Wolf eyes, Eleanor thought, and as the count sauntered away, she said as much aloud.
Richard looked startled, and then laughed. “Great minds think alike, Maman. Alfonso calls him el lobo loco. The crazed wolf.”
Eleanor smiled. “ El lobo loco…I like that.” It was no surprise that Richard and King Alfonso had struck up an easy friendship, for they were of an age-fifteen-with many interests in common-a shared love of hunting and horses, a mutual loathing for Raimon St Gilles. Their rapport pleased Eleanor, for friendships of youth often forged the alliances of manhood.
“Alfonso has been teaching me how to swear in his language,” Richard confided. “Spanish curses are very satisfying, for they roll right off the tongue. Alfonso has a number of colorful names for el lobo loco: cabron, huevon, and my own favorite, hijo de mil putas. ”
Eleanor had an inkling of its meaning, but she did not want to deny Richard the pleasure of instructing her. “Dare I ask you to translate or is it too crude for my maidenly ears to hear?”
That amused Richard greatly. “You could teach a soldier to swear, Maman! It means ‘son of a thousand whores.’”
“Amen,” she said, and Richard grinned, making the sign of the cross. It was then that her uncles, Raoul and Hugh, reached them, with Saldebreuil de Sanzay a few steps behind. She was touched by their loyalty; they’d seen her talking with Raimon St Gilles and hastened over to offer their support. Viscount Aimar was also making his way toward her. She’d decided not to join Henry upon the dais while Raimon swore homage, not wanting to see his smirk, his silent gloating. But she was warmed now by the hatred filling the hall, all of it aimed at Raimon’s arrogant, dark head. And at least she would get to watch el lobo loco humble himself before her son; at least she would have that satisfaction.
A sudden stir indicated Henry’s entrance. Wasting no time with preliminaries, he took his seat upon the dais. Hal followed, looking very regal and very unhappy. Richard gave his tunic a quick tug, and hastened to join them. A silence settled over the crowded hall as the Count of Toulouse began his walk toward the dais.
Eleanor knew he must be dreading the ceremony to come, but no emotion showed in his face. Mounting the steps of the dais, he removed his sword, knelt before Henry, and placed his hands together, palm to palm in the universal gesture of submission. “My lord king and liege lord, I, Raimon St Gilles, Count of Toulouse, do willingly enter into your homage and faith and become your sworn man, and to you faithfully will I bear body, chattels, and earthly worship, and I will keep faith and loyalty to you against all others.”
Henry was as impassive as Raimon. “We do promise to you, as my vassal and liegeman, that we and our heirs will guarantee to you and your heirs the lands you hold of us, against all others, that you may hold said lands in peace.”
Rising then, he raised Raimon to his feet and gave him the ritual kiss of peace. Richard’s gaze briefly caught his mother’s, and he made a comic grimace, for he’d been complaining, only half in jest, that he’d sooner kiss a badger than his new vassal. But when Raimon glanced his way, he was appropriately solemn, showing the gravity that the occasion required.
What happened next, however, took him utterly by surprise. Instead of kneeling to him, Raimon moved toward his brother, knelt, and swore homage to Hal. Richard’s mouth dropped open; he looked bewildered and, then, enraged. When Raimon finally did homage to him, he made no effort to hide his fury, slurring his words in his haste to get his oath said, giving his kiss of peace with the distaste of one embracing a leper.
