Vow on the Heron by Jean Plaidy

Author:Jean Plaidy [Plaidy, Jean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical
ISBN: 9780099533061
Publisher: Fawcett
Published: 1980-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

THE KING FALLS IN LOVE

THAT there was change in the air was apparent throughout Château Gaillard where the King and Queen of Scotland lived as guests of the King of France.

The most unhappy person in that castle of Normandy was the Queen—Joanna, sister of Edward King of England. She had always been disturbed by the conflict between her husband and her brother and now that Edward was engaged in a struggle with the King of France it grieved her that David should side with her brother’s enemy and had even gone into battle with the French against the English.

She had heard the sad story of her namesake’s adventures in Austria. Poor child, she could understand and sympathize with her for being taken from her country at a tender age. Had it not happened to her? Perhaps people with the name Joanna were unfortunate. She could almost make herself believe that the name itself brought bad luck.

She certainly had had very little good luck.

She hoped her sister Eleanor was happier with the Earl of Gueldres than she was as the guest of the King of France.

She was almost nineteen years old now and David was sixteen, not too young to have had love affairs with some of the women in the castle. They had never really liked each other although she had tried to make a show of affection for him. He was a petulant boy and arrogant. He was constantly reminding people that he was a king, as though, because he was an exile from his country, they might forget it.

Being the son of the greatest King Scotland had ever known was a handicap. People constantly compared him with his father and naturally he must suffer in comparison. David was aware of it and it bothered him; he liked to taunt Joanna with remarks about her own father who was as different from Robert the Bruce as a man could be. Poor Father, who had died mysteriously and she feared ignobly in Berkeley Castle.

But that King’s son and her brother now reigned and he was a source of great irritation to David. Sometimes she fancied he flaunted his infidelity more before her because she was the sister of Edward of England.

It was as though he said. I shall do as I please. What care I for your noble brother about whom men are now beginning to talk as they did about your grandfather.

David enjoyed the life at Château Gaillard. There was dancing and jesting, plays and feasting. The King of France had said: You must look upon me as your friend and France as your home.’

And David had done so; not so Joanna. She could never forget that their host was the enemy of her brother and she was ashamed of accepting his hospitality.

Visitors from afar had come to the castle. The news they brought was exciting. The Scots had naturally taken advantage of Edward’s absence in France. They had risen and there had been none to stop them, certainly not the token force Edward had left with them.

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