The Follies of the King by Jean Plaidy Read Free Book Online

King?’
    ‘They will say that it should naturally go to Lancaster.’
    ‘Let them say what they will. It is for you to bestow the Regency on whomsoever you wish. And I venture to believe that you have more trust in me than in the Fiddler or Burst Belly or even the Mad Hound.’
    ‘By God’s ears, Perrot, I’ll do it.’
    ‘Oh my lord, my sweet lord.’
    ‘You are content then, Perrot?’
    ‘Content when my lord plans to leave me― even though it will be brief? It must be brief. How can I live without you? But I will take the Regency and I will say this is a symbol of his trust in me and believe me, dearest lord, it will not be the power which comes to me in which I shall delight but the knowledge of the trust my dear lord has in me.’
    ‘Oh Perrot, Perrot, I shall soon be back with you.’
    Gaveston grimaced. ‘A husband. Fancy that, lord. You will come back with a wife.’
    ‘What you have, I shall have. Nothing more.’
    ‘Let us hope,’ said Gaveston gaily, ‘that our wives will be good friends and that their friendship will compensate them for their husband’s neglect.’
    Gaveston was feeling intoxicated with power. He had not really believed it.
    Surely Edward would have stopped at the Regency. It was clear though that there was no end to his infatuation.
    This,
said Gaveston to himself,
is but a beginning.

    * * *

    The lords had met. Among them were Warwick and Lancaster and, still licking their wounds, Hereford, Sussex and Arundel.
    They were incredulous.
    ‘It can’t be true,’ cried Arundel. ‘The Regency. This upstart. My God, Thomas, it should be you.’
    ‘I cannot think what madness has beset my cousin,’ said Lancaster. ‘I had naturally assumed that I should be the one.’
    ‘Gaveston,’ cried Hereford, ‘to be put above us all. This nobody. It’s a madness.’
    It was Warwick who begged them to be calm.
    ‘He can do little harm. We shall see to that and It will not be long before the King returns.’
    ‘And if he attempts to rule the country― and us?’ asked Hereford.
    ‘We shall know how to deal with him,’ answered Warwick.
    ‘Nay, the King will return a husband. His bride is noted for her beauty.
    Philip will have them married with great pomp and when the King has a beautiful wife he will grow away from Gaveston.’
    ‘Do you think he will ever grow away from Gaveston?’ asked Arundel.
    Warwick’s dark eyes glowed suddenly. ‘If he does not, my lord, it will be our duty to see that Gaveston is removed.’
    Removed. A good word. It covered so many meanings. That was what they were all thinking as they looked at Warwick.
    Little flecks of foam were visible on his chin.
The Mad Hound
, Gaveston had called him. They remembered Warwick’s words.
‘He will find that the Mad Hound can destroy him.’
Perhaps it would not come to that. Who could say? Warwick was smiling almost blandly.
    ‘Give the King a beautiful wife. If anyone can change him, can take him away from this passion for Gaveston, Isabella can.’
    There was a sense of relief in the room. Warwick was right. Edward was young yet. He was weak; easily influenced, and Gaveston, they all had to admit, was clever.
    Marriage was the answer. Beautiful Isabella would save the King.
    ‘We must impress on the King that he should leave without delay,’ said Arundel.
    ‘So that,’ went on Lancaster, ‘on his return we can go ahead with plans for the coronation.’
    They nodded.
    They were convinced— most of them— that Isabella might well make a good husband and father of Edward, and so weaken and, hopefully, destroy the evil influence of Piers Gaveston.

THE QUEEN’S DISCOVERY
    THESE were days for the Princess Isabella and she was gratified to be the centre of attention. They were all so pleased about the proposed match; and so was she― for she had heard her bridegroom-to-be was one of the most handsome in the world. She had never seen him but those who had assured her that there had been no exaggeration of