The Bastard King by Jean Plaidy Read Free Book Online Page B

at them. I like to listen to them. They have such beautiful blue eyes.’
    Robert laughed.
    â€˜Well, I am going to conquer the land which rightly belongs to them. I am going to give it back to them.’
    â€˜I think they would rather stay here, Father.’
    Robert was silent but pleased with his son.
    â€˜You will come down to the coast with your mother to watch us sail. There you will see a truly marvellous sight. The ships of Normandy, my son. Remember always that we are men of the sea. We are great fighters. Our knights in armour are a worthy sight, are they not? But first we are seamen. We owe all we have to the sea. Our ancestors left their own lands in search of others and they came in the long ships. We are invincible on land. But the sea belongs to us.’
    And indeed it was a goodly sight – those long ships with their prows painted to look like dragons breathing fire as they plunged through the waters! So had their ancestors ridden the waves – Harold Blue Tooth and Giant Rollo. They struck fear into the watchers on the shore as they approached. And so would it be in England – the native land of the beautiful Atheling cousins.
    The fleet sailed to wage war on England and William returned with his mother to await his father’s return.
    That which William had believed impossible had happened. His father’s enterprise had failed.
    Could it really be that the long ships had been defeated? Indeed it was so, though not defeated by another fleet, but by the elements.
    As Robert’s fleet had sailed towards the English coast a storm had arisen and the great ships had been scattered and Robert’s own ship in which had sailed the Atheling cousins was washed up on the shores of the Island of Jersey.
    What a sorry sight it must have been to witness the wreckage of those fine ships! Robert could only gloomily await the arrival of one of his captains whose ship was sufficiently seaworthy to carry himself and the Atheling cousins back to Normandy.
    It was a sad homecoming. Robert was despondent. There was no feasting that night in the castle, for Robert had no taste for it. The songs of the minstrels could not charm him. He did not want to hear of the exploits of great Viking seamen when his own had failed so wretchedly.
    In their chamber he buried his face in his hands.
    â€˜My ships lost,’ he mourned. ‘My enemies will be laughing at me this day.’
    â€˜It was the storm,’ soothed Arlette. ‘Who could stand against such?’
    â€˜It was defeat,’ insisted Robert. Then he stood up and looked long into Arlette’s face. ‘God is displeased with me,’ he said. ‘He will never forgive me until I have expiated my sin.’
    â€˜A storm could arise at any time,’ insisted Arlette. ‘No seaman could withstand such a storm.’
    â€˜It happened to me,’ said Robert.
    His gloom continued. It hung over the castle. In the great hall the cooks stirred their cauldrons in silence. Nobody mentioned the enterprise, and for William it was a great discovery. His father could suffer defeat.
    At least, he reminded himself, the Atheling cousins would not be sad. He was certain that they were delighted to be back in exile.
    Robert came to a decision. He told Arlette first what he intended to do.
    â€˜I have committed many sins,’ he said, ‘and it is clear that God is displeased with me. I must show Him that I intend to lead a good life and dedicate myself to my country.’
    â€˜He will know it,’ replied Arlette.
    â€˜Yes, He will know it. But sins must be paid for. I shall go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. There my sins will fall from me like a wearisome burden. I shall feel free again. He has shown me clearly by sending this storm to destroy my ships that He is displeased with me.’
    â€˜How could you leave Normandy?’
    â€˜Only by leaving another in my place.’
    â€˜You would appoint one of the