Free Queen Of Four Kingdoms, The by HRH Princess Michael of Kent Page B

carpets, as well as some of the servants. Yolande takes Carlo and Vincenzo from Angers to test if they will become her eyes and ears among the staff and their guests.
    Come the autumn, they make a longer journey – to Tarascon, their capital in the south. The voyage is only feasible for most of the way by water. With a few stops it can take up to seven or eight weeks, their barges or galleys resounding to the songs of the sailors as they row in rhythm, the lyrics often so bawdy Yolande blushes. The long river journey south from Anjou is such a happy time for them all – the promise of an adventure as they leave the growing chill of the north and follow the sun to the warmth of their land of Provence.
    They plan to arrive at the end of the hot local summer, at the time of the lavender harvest. From the boat Yolande can see row upon row of the thick mauve bushes, and watches the women cut and tie bunches, tossing them into the baskets on their backs to be dried at home. How delicious is the scent of lavender as their boats pass by, all their goods infused with the aroma. They will spend the winter and spring at their chateaux in the south, at Tarascon, Arles or Aix, and there is always a visit to the port of Marseilles for business. These are magical times, and cherished. Then, when the blossom appears in the orchards, and the lambs, foals and calves arrive, they know it is time to move north again.
    One lovely afternoon, Marie de Blois and Yolande are sitting in the recently completed walled garden at Tarascon, admiring the sunlight filtering through the trees. Chilled glasses of elderflower juice mixed with water refresh them, and they both work slowly on their embroidery as Marie talks about Louis’ nature – punctual, exact, almost military – which is often at odds with the more relaxed Mediterranean ways of Provence.
    ‘Believe me, my dear, I made every effort to have him absorb the Latin ways. But as you may have already noticed, he is a precise man; his life is dominated by control and order, with everything and everyone in their place.’
    ‘You are right, dear Maman; it’s true, he is punctual and consistently keeps to his word, and I have observed how reasonably he deals with his tenants and listens to argument.’
    ‘Have you noticed that when someone has a convincing point of view that he finds valid, he will change his original opinion and agree with them?’
    ‘Yes, it is one of the traits I admire the most – his humility when he realizes he is mistaken, or another has a better idea.’
    ‘Ah, my dear, this flexibility is not the custom of the south, and as a result, he has had some difficulty in coming to terms with the more rigidly feudal existence within Provence. You will see soon enough that it will be your role to smooth his path in dealing with some of his more intractable subjects.’
    It does not take Yolande much time to appreciate that the massive commercial power of the Anjou family originates from the south, for here they have access to the sea with their great port of Marseilles; they have ships; they can trade the produce from the rich soil of Anjou as well as from Provence, and import goods from all over the Mediterranean to sell throughout France. Provence is the heartbeat of this family she has married into – the principal source of their great wealth; of men for their armies; of ships for trading, or to carry their soldiers to Naples to fight for their distant kingdom. This sovereign territory produces twice the income of Maine and Anjou. Trade and taxation, and the salt mines – a valuable export – as well as the efficient government handed down from Louis’ father all contribute. To maintain order in his southern territories and to impose his will, it is important for Louis to show himself regularly in Provence, especially since the people here have not long been governed by the House of Anjou.

Chapter Six
    I t is while they are in Provence, about three years after their