Free The Revolt of the Eaglets by Jean Plaidy Page A

ceremony,’ went on Louis. ‘Nor the Bishops of London and Salisbury. They were all enemies of the saintly Archbishop and did much to bring about his sorrowful end. In my eyes they would contaminate any ceremony they attended.’
    Thinking of little Alice Henry said: ‘It shall be as you wish. The young people shall be crowned and the ceremony performed by Archbishop Rotrou.’
    Louis was a little taken aback. He had expected protests. There was a subtle change in Henry. It is because of the death of the martyr, thought Louis. He is truly penitent.

    Henry went on to Normandy and the young couple sailed for England for their crowning.
    Henry had decided that he would spend the coming Christmas in Chinon in Anjou for he was making a complete tour of his dominions to assure himself that his fortresses were at full strength. He sent a message to Eleanor asking her to join him for Christmas at Chinon. He thought he might sound her as to the possibility of a divorce.
    She expressed willingness and he decided that this should be a family gathering. He wanted to give the impression that he had done what he could to keep his family together.
    Henry and Marguerite should join them too. A message was accordingly sent to them commanding them to make their preparations to leave at once.
    The young King was angry. He liked being in England where he was the King, and where life was particularly enjoyable when his father was not present. It seemed an admirable arrangement for his father to stay in Normandy while he governed England. He was surrounded by sycophants who assured him that England could not have a better King and he believed them. He was fond of Marguerite; she was a pleasant little Queen and he liked to ride out with her beside him and listen to the acclaim of the people. Young monarchs were always so appealing.
    But to go to Chinon and be under the shadow of his father was the last thing he wanted.
    ‘I shall not go,’ he told Marguerite, but of course he had to change his mind. His friends told him how unwise it would be to disobey his father.
    ‘I’m not a king,’ he complained to Marguerite. ‘I just have a crown, that’s all. Can you imagine my father’s giving away any little power? But he won’t always be here. He’ll go off one day with all his sins on him when he’s in one of those tempers of his. Men have fallen down dead when they are in such a state as he gets into. I don’t think it will be long now, Marguerite.’
    Marguerite was sure it wouldn’t.
    There came another message from the King. His good friend the King of France, he wrote, had expressed a desire to see his daughter, so the young couple must leave without delay and before they came to Chinon they must stay a while at the Court of France.
    ‘I should like to see my father,’ said Marguerite.
    Young Henry was secretly pleased. He could pretend he was not really obeying his father in leaving at once but gratifying his wife’s whim to see her father.
    And so they left England as soon as the winds were fair enough and most joyfully did Louis receive them at his court which at that time he was holding at Chartres.

    Louis loved his children dearly. He asked news of little Alice.
    ‘Poor child,’ he said, ‘she is young to be brought up in a strange land.’
    ‘We all suffer it, my lord,’ answered Marguerite, for indeed she herself had been brought up in the same foreign court, although much of her time had been spent in Aquitaine with Queen Eleanor.
    Louis nodded. ‘’Tis the lot of royal princes and princesses. Tell me did you see the child before you left?’
    ‘I did see her, Father. She seemed happy enough.’
    ‘Thank God. Soon she will have her wedding day. She is almost ready.’
    ‘Yes, and Richard is very handsome, I believe. Not so much so as Henry, but he is very good looking.’
    ‘And you are happy with your young Henry, my child?’
    ‘Yes, Father.’
    ‘And when Alice is Duchess of Aquitaine she will not seem so