Dark Champion 1 by Jo Beverley

Author:Jo Beverley [Beverley, Jo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-03-05T01:55:16.765000+00:00

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Carrisford contained ample treasure, but by the end of this it would be severely depleted.

She wondered if there was any possibility of gaining recompense from Warbrick, then laughed at the thought. Warbrick and Belleme needed money to fund their rebellion, which explained the attack on Carrisford in the first place.

Moreover, if the king had his way, Belleme and his brothers would soon lose all their lands and property in England.

She stopped, thoughtful. Would the king give her some of the land in restitution? There were ramifications, but a chunk of Warbrick’s land would round out the Cleeve-Carrisford holdings very nicely indeed.

The Cleeve-Carrisford holdings.

She relished that, for the first time appreciating how much power it represented, and what trust in FitzRoger the king showed in allowing it. In one stroke, FitzRoger had become one of the great magnates of the land. Perhaps the king planned it that way.

Imogen knew that in July, when Robert of Normandy had sailed to England to oust his younger brother, quite a number of the Anglo-Norman magnates had supported him. Robert, however, had not had the fortitude to carry through his plan, and had settled for a payment of three thousand marks. Since then Henry had been pursuing the traitors. Most he merely fined and settled with, but some, such as Robert Malet, Ivo of Grandmesnil, Robert of Pontfract, and Robert de Belleme, he intended to break.

Henry would certainly welcome a great lord he could trust. Imogen already knew FitzRoger enough to know that Henry could trust him. When FitzRoger gave his word, he kept it.

Imogen looked around her castle and saw it as the base for one of the great holdings of England. She nodded. Her father would have approved.

She wondered again exactly how the castle had been taken. FitzRoger had seemed to suspect the monks, but she’d heard nothing more about it. The last time she had raised the subject with FitzRoger, they had been distracted onto matters relating to their marriage. She must raise the subject again.

Carrisford must never again fall so easily to a conqueror.

Imogen returned to the keep, but when she entered the great hall she was struck again by how rough and bleak it looked compared to its glory days. It must be restored to reflect her husband’s new power.

Some of the hangings had come from Italy and beyond. How long would it take to replace them? The gold and silver vessels could be commissioned from craftsmen nearby, but not the glass.

She sighed. It was all going to take so long.

At this time of day the hall was deserted, everyone being about their work. The whores had disappeared, she noted, though she doubted they had left the castle entirely.

That recalled Renald’s words about Beauclerk’s lust, and the way his followers behaved as he did. She frowned slightly. Had FitzRoger used whores in his years at Henry Beauclerk’s side?

Of course he had. What else did she expect?

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