Free The Passionate Enemies by Jean Plaidy Page A

any other here in your bedchamber?’
    â€˜I cannot sleep,’ he said.
    â€˜Your nights are always restless. Come back to bed. You are cold.’
    â€˜Cold with fear,’ he answered.
    â€˜Of what should you be afraid? We are well guarded. The people are not displeased with their Emperor and they love their Empress.’
    â€˜Not of the assassin’s blow, Matilda. Perforce I should welcome that . . . if I were prepared.’
    â€˜Henry, you are ill.’
    â€˜Sick of mind,’ he answered.
    Yes, you poor old fool, she thought. I have long known that.
    â€˜Come back to bed for I find it cold, if you do not. Come back and talk to me.’
    He allowed her to lead him back. She lighted a candle andset it down on a stool near the bed.
    â€˜What has set you wandering from your bed in the night? Fie, my lord, did I catch you on your way to visit a mistress?’
    His horror was apparent. ‘You could not believe such a falsehood.’
    â€˜Nay, nay,’ she soothed him. And she thought: You impotent old man, you cannot satisfy one woman let alone more. ‘I did but seek to lighten the conversation. Tell me now what ails you.’
    â€˜I am very weary of this life,’ he said. ‘I would I could depart from it but I must make my peace with God and that will take me many years of repentance. I pray God that I may have time to expiate all my sins.’
    â€˜You have expressed your penitence. Rest assured it has been granted to you.’
    â€˜My dear Matilda, you cannot guess the extent of my wickedness.’
    â€˜Tell me of it if it eases you to talk.’
    â€˜You know that my brother Conrad and I plotted against our father, the Emperor.’
    â€˜Many sons have done this.’
    â€˜It was an evil thing to do.’
    â€˜Mayhap not. If you brought good to your country by usurping the crown, that could not be wrong.’
    â€˜A son against his own father!’
    â€˜Many sons have rebelled against their fathers, Henry.’
    â€˜And what will their punishment be in Heaven?’
    â€˜That I cannot tell you, never having rebelled against my father and gone to Heaven.’
    He did not seem to hear her. He went on: ‘When my brother Conrad joined the revolt against my father I was at his side.’
    â€˜You were led astray by your elder brother.’
    â€˜Nay. I was ambitious – more so than Conrad. I was determined to become the Emperor and because Conrad had led an expedition against my father I was proclaimed his heir. But I could not wait, Matilda. How ambitious I was in those days. You know what I did. It is common knowledge. I trapped him,trapped my own father. We met and were reconciled. And then when he was in my power I forced him to abdicate that I might take the Imperial crown. Poor old man, I imprisoned him and he escaped me and there was war between us until his death.’
    â€˜It is long ago and best forgotten,’ said Matilda. ‘You gave the country many years of peace.’
    â€˜I took the crown from my father.’
    â€˜And were a good Emperor to your people.’
    â€˜I often think of the bloodshed in Italy when I marched there and forced the Pope to come to terms.’
    â€˜The investiture matter had to be settled and that you did.’
    â€˜There was much bloodshed. Sometimes in my dreams I see the corpses piled up high.’
    â€˜All rulers must needs go to war.’
    â€˜I was ruthless. I was cruel.’
    â€˜As all rulers must be.’
    â€˜You seek to comfort me, Matilda. You have been a good wife to me. Never shall I forget when you first came to us . . . a handsome child. You were but twelve years old.’
    â€˜And you were forty years older than I!’
    â€˜Poor child. And you seemed not afraid.’
    â€˜I am not easily frightened,’ replied Matilda. ‘You indulged me, too. Apart from the fact that you made me speak German and act like a German, you were