The King's Concubine

I must have shown my disbelief that a King should ever know such doubts.

‘One day I will tell you.’

He walked away, leaving me dumbfounded.

I have a gift. From Edward himself. I frowned at my gift, all spirit with a mane and tail of silk, as neat as an illustration from a Book of Hours, as she fussed and tossed her head in the stableyard.

‘You don’t like her?’

‘I don’t know why you should give her to me, Sire.’

‘Why should I not?’

‘And why do you always ask me questions to which I have no answer?’

Edward laughed, not at all disturbed by my retort. ‘You always seem to find one.’

‘She’s never short of a pert comment, that’s for sure.’ Isabella had arrived to stroke the pretty, dappled creature. ‘When did you last give me a new horse, sir?’

‘When you last asked me for one, as I recall. Two months ago.’

‘So you did. I must think of something else, since you’re generous today.’

‘You have never had need to question my generosity, Isabella,’ the King replied dryly.

‘True,’ she conceded, with a final pat to the mare. ‘Get what you can, little Alice, since His Majesty is in the mood for giving. Here’s your chance to make your fortune from the royal coffers!’ And she wandered off, restless as ever.

‘My daughter is free with her opinions.’ He watched her go. ‘I apologise for her lack of grace.’

It had been an unnerving interlude, leaving the King with less of his good humour, but still I asked, ‘You have not told me why you have given me the mare, Sire.’

‘I have given you the mare because you need a mount to take care of you when my son cannot. She will treat you very well, if you will be so good as to accept her.’

His reply was curt, giving me a taste of his latent power, his dislike of being questioned, his very masculine pride. I set myself to charm and amuse, as I knew I could. King or not, he did not deserve that his open-handed magnanimity to a servant be thrown in his face.

‘I am not ungracious, Sire. It is just that no one has ever given me a gift before. Except for the Queen. And once I was given a monkey.’ He began to smile. ‘It was a detestable creature.’

Edward laughed. ‘What happened to it? Do you still have it?’

‘Fortunately not. I fear its fate was sealed at St Mary’s.’

His laughter became a low growl. ‘Then if you are so short of gifts, mistress, I must do what I can to remedy it.’

I considered this. ‘The King does not give gifts to girls of no family.’

‘This one does. He gives what he wishes, to whom he wishes. Or at least he gives a palfrey to you, Mistress Alice.’

‘I can’t, Sire …’ I was not lacking in good sense. It would be indiscreet. The mare was far too valuable.

‘What a prickly creature you are. It is nothing, you know.’

‘Not to you.’

‘I want you to enjoy her. Will you allow me to do that? If for no other reason than that you serve the Queen well.’

How could I refuse? When the mare pushed against my shoulder with her soft nose, I fell in love with her, because she was beautiful and she was the King’s gift.

* * *

The Queen is ill. She cannot move from her bed and begs me to read to her. When the King visited I stood to curtsey, already closing the book and putting it aside, expecting to be dismissed. His time with his wife was precious. But he waved me on and sat with us until I had finished the tale.

It was a dolorous one in which the Queen found particular enjoyment. She wept for the tragedy of the ill-fated lovers, Tristan and Isolde. The King stroked her hand, chiding her gently for her foolishness, telling her that his love for her was far greater than that of Tristan for his lady, and that he had no intention of doing anything so spineless as turning his face to the wall to die. Only a sword in the gut would bring him to his knees. And was his dear Philippa intending to cast herself over his body and die too without cause but a broken heart? Were they not, after so many years of marriage, made of sterner stuff than that? For shame!

It made the Queen laugh through her tears. ‘A foolish tale.’ She gave a watery smile.

‘But it was well read. With much feeling,’ Edward observed.

He touched my shoulder as he left us, the softest of pressures. Did the Queen notice? I thought not, but she dismissed me brusquely, pleading a need for solitude. She covered her face with her hands.

Her voice stopped me as I reached the door.

‘Forgive me, Alice. It is a grievous burden I have given myself, and sometimes it is beyond me to bear it well.’

I did not understand her.

* * *

The King has had his clock placed in a new tower. I stood and watched in awe. His shout of laughter was powerful, a thing of joy, for at last his precious clock was nearly ready. The tower to house it was complete and the pieces of the mechanism were assembled to the Italian craftsman’s finicky satisfaction. Here was the day that it would be set into working order, and the Queen had expressed a desire to witness it. Had Edward not had it made for her, modelled on that of the Abbot of St Albans, with its miraculous shifting panels of sun and stars?

‘I can’t,’ Philippa admitted, ‘I really can’t,’ when she could not push her swollen feet into soft shoes. ‘Go and watch for me, Alice. The King needs an audience.’

‘Thank God!’ Isabella remarked.

‘For what precisely?’ Philippa was peevish. ‘I fail to see any need to thank Him this morning.’

‘Because you didn’t ask me to go to look at the monstrosity.’

‘Well, I wouldn’t. Alice will enjoy it. Alice can ask the King the right questions, and then tell us all about it. Can’t you?’

‘Yes, Majesty,’ I replied.

‘But not in great detail,’ Isabella called after me as I left the room. ‘We’re not all fixated with ropes and pulleys and wheels.’

So I went alone. I was interested in ropes and pulleys and cogs with wooden teeth that locked as they revolved. I wanted to see what the Italian had achieved. Was that all I wanted?

Ah no!

I wanted to watch and understand what fascinated Edward when he didn’t have a sword in his hand or a celebration to organise. I wanted to see what beguiled this complex man of action. So I watched the final preparations.