The Heavy Crown
Lancaster, England - August 1139
Ada of Lancaster followed her marshal from the kitchens as they made their way outside and into the soft morning light. The cooks paid them no mind, though some few might have wondered why their Lady was down amongst them at this time of the morning. While she wore a hooded cape, her auburn hair was unmistakable underneath and Earl Eadberht of Gwent was the very picture of a soldier as he led her. Yet silent they remained until they reached the small chapel that she had built at Lancaster and Ada stopped her man.
“Do you be certain that this is safe, my Lord?”
The Earl offered a kind face, “My Lady...you had your wish and for the love that my father had for your mother, I would try to do the same for you.”
“My father remains abed?” Ada asked in a worried tone.
“There are none but servants and soldiers awake at the now, my Lady,” Eadberht suggested with a smile, “As the Prince Godfrey is neither, you should hold no worry there. I assure you...every precaution is taken.”
Ada offered the hint of a smile, “You are kind to me, my Lord Earl. I do thank you.”
“I would serve you in all ways, my Lady,” Eadberht bowed his head for a moment, “Though I might rather be to Derby protecting you there.”
She held a gentle hand to his chest, “You do serve me better to here, my Lord. I know well your distaste of Lord Oscytel and his worth is surely challenged at the now after such a disastrous defeat at the hands of these rebels...”
Earl Eadberht tried to hold in his frustration, “A chancellor should not do the marshal’s work, my Lady.”
“Yet they be his lands of Derby...” Ada reassured, “...his rebels. I would have him do his part for my realm. And besides...this be more important to me.”
“It remains a great risk, my Lady,” Eadberht offered a plea in his eyes.
Ada gave nod, “I know it true. That is why I must needs have my staunchest defender near by to me when it is done.”
“I would be right out here, my Lady,” her marshal gave bow and then looked to her with sureness, “He remains inside where I have placed him. Look ye to the confessional. I did not think to put you at any risk of being seen. Yet pray be quick...the priest is at the now in his morning ritual but will soon be to the chapel.”
The Duchess of Lancaster placed her kind hand upon his shoulder as she braced herself. Taking the few steps, she pulled open the heavy chapel door and walked into the quiet sanctuary. Moving slowly to the side, she walked down the aisle and met the confessional door with trepidation, but with a breath opened it and sat inside. She heard breathing coming from where her priest normally sat and it seemed as if her heart skipped a beat. Then he spoke.
“An odd place to meet, my Lady.”
When she did not say a word at first, Lord Harold finally allowed, “I am neither priest nor confessor yet I would like to hear your voice all the same.”
“I could not be seen with you...” Ada offered with halting breath, “...not alone.”
“We need not be alone to see one another,” Harold suggested with a hint of levity in his voice, “I would see you anytime and anywhere with whomever you might wish.”
Ada looked briefly through the screen but could make out few features of her lover and remained silent for a time before finally blurting out, “My Lord father knows.”
“How could he know?” came the reply beyond the screen as Harold was shocked, “Did you tell him?!”
“I had no need for he did suspect,” Ada answered feeling a tear come to her eye, “I did say no thing but we have not been careful enough. Word would get out...rumors...”
“Kitchen gossip by servants!” Harold was certain.
Ada reached towards the screen but brought her hand back to rest in her lap, “It would matter not by whom, my Lord. It is now a thing done. We must no longer...”
“So this is why you were married in such haste...” Harold replied with annoyance through the screen, “...this is why I am now to Kent to look into your Lord husband.”
With sudden concern, Ada looked again to see if she might spy Harold’s face, “Do you think that the King suspects?”
“Do you think that your Lord father would tell him?” Harold questioned just as quickly.
Ada was quiet again before answering with a soft, “No.”
“Then we should not find fear from that quarter,” Harold regained a confidence, “For some time our Lord Berold has found his suspicion. At first it was but a game for his pleasure, and then sadly a request from His Grace himself for he is well displeased that you did not think to marry him.”
“What does Lord Berold say at the now?” Ada asked with worry.
Harold was calm in response, “He would not break our bond I do not think. He did say that he would hold his tongue for my sake...for yours.”
“Yet he would know...” Ada remained worried, “...did you confess?”
“Not in words...but I fear that my eyes did betray me,” Harold suggested with disappointment in himself.
Ada was quick to hold her hand to the screen if only to gain a closer chance to touch at Harold, “That is why, my Lord...my sweet Harry...that is why we must never be seen alone again. My Lord father does already forbid it and...”
“You are the Duchess of this land,” Harold answered with certainty, “He is but a Prince of Scotland. What may he say to you when you do rule here?!”
“He may say plenty...” Ada used her other hand to brush at her wet cheek, “...and then some more.”
Ada could see the outline of a face as Harold moved closer to the screen, “What do you tell me? You are now to your husband and no other? This...our time...is done?”
“I am sorry...” Ada felt fresh tears as she caressed the screen as if it were Harold’s own face, “...I must take my leave of you...my Lord.”
Harold was quick in response as he too held a hand to the screen and it seemed as though they were touching at each other, “Nay...stay a bit longer!”
“It is a more permanent leave...my Lord,” Ada was now crying in full and making no pains to stop it, “We cannot...this must not...”
When she did not finish in her tears, Harold held his hand to touch at hers through the screen, “Please do not weep, my Lady. I cannot bear it!”
“I cannot...” Ada struggled through her sobs until she finally blurted out “I am sorry!”
Harold had not time to answer as Ada pushed open the confessional door and ran from the chapel with great heavy tears.
* * *
Bath, England - September 1139
Lord Berold sat in the now empty great hall at Bath and nibbled at the last portions of a cheese plate. A fine day it had been too as the King was in good spirits after receiving word from Prince Beorhtmaer that the siege at Wareham would soon end. Eadward had hastily prepared a fine feast for the few barons left to Somerset, mostly the old and very young and their ladies. The quiet was soon disturbed however as a harsh voice called out to the echoing hall,
“You told him, did you not?!”
Berold turned to spy his friend Lord Harold approach with an angry eye, “Why would you do such a thing? I considered us boon companions!”
“And we are,” Berold threw a leg over the bench and gestured for Harold to sit, “What is this, Harry? What’s got into you?”
Harold stood tall with a flushed face, “Was it jealousy or some thing other? Perhaps more of your adolescent games?”
“Come now, Harry...” Berold shifted to pour a second cup of ale to slide over towards his fellow Duke, “...sit and lets us talk. I know not of what you speak.”
“You would not know of events to Lancaster?” Harold remained enraged, “You think to secret away to there and speak of my time with the Lady Ada to her Princely father!”
Berold pinched his brow, “I did no such thing and I dare say I like not the accusation!”
“How then would he know?” Harold softened slightly, “Why then did he rush his daughter into marriage to one so young as the Lord of Kent?”
“I say to you again, Harry...sit,” Berold tried to mend the hostility, “Tell me what has happened.”
Harold suddenly lost his anger and slowly moved to sit to the bench with dejection, “It is a thing done. She would no longer see me alone.”
“She has told you this?” Berold asked with curiosity.
“Sadly, she has,” Harold replied with a long face, “I found way to meet with her thinking that we were taking the utmost of precaution, and yet...it was all so she may tell me that we are finished.”
Berold found a shrug, “She is married now, Harry. And if Prince Godfrey does know of you two, then surely she is frightened that others may soon find out as well.”
With white knuckled fingers wrapping around his cup, Harold once more offered a sharp eye as he considered flinging the ale into his friend’s face, “It is easy for secrets to find their way into the open when a tongue does not stop wagging, sir!”
Sensing what might be about to happen, Berold placed his hand firmly over his friend’s cup, “Have a care...you nearly spilt your ale. You should drink of it instead and not find blame where it does not belong.”
“I find blame where it is most likely,” Harold pulled his hand away and backed away from Berold on the bench, “There are few men to this realm with the reach that you hold...my Lord. I know not how any other might have this knowledge.”
Berold allowed a grin, “It is a fine thing that I am master of spies and that you are not, sir, for I do not find my secrets in the open. I think perchance that yours do for you did not take care enough.”
“We were careful!” Harold suggested with certainty.
Not so certain was Berold, “If I may sense it after just some few visits by you to the north...if the King did find his question...”
“You told me that he did not suspect that!” Harold leaned forward with wide eyes, “You did say to me that you talked him away from that at any rate!”
“That I did,” Berold gave nod, “Yet there were signs enough for him to suspect so I gather much the same did happen with the Lady’s father.”
Harold considered it as Berold took a long pull of his ale and then moved to pour another, “Frankly, Harry...this is all for the best though I know that you like it not. You should be back with good Hera and let not this...interlude...sour things with the King’s daughter.”
“Jesu!” Harold answered with alarm, “You do not think that she does suspect as well?!”
Berold shook his head, “I may know not. No thing of the sort comes to me from my letters by Hextilda. If anyone would find dear Hera’s confidence, it be my Lady wife.”
“I think to have been a fool!” Harold threw his other leg over the bench and rested his head in his hands on the table.
“Come now, Harry...” Berold placed a kind hand to his friend’s back, “...the sweet smell of cunny is enough to make any man lose himself and follow after the scent for leagues as a dog does sniff after his prey.”
Harold batted away Berold’s arm, “You would not speak so of the Lady Ada!”
“Very well,” Berold remained composed, “Then consider this...the chance for the gift of some sweet kiss from a fine Lady is well nigh impossible to resist and you should not curse yourself when any other man might have done the very same. Let not your heart be troubled, friend. Leave Ada her doings and be her Lord Chancellor and no thing other. And make amends with your Lady wife, whether she knows why or not.”
“I say to you that she does not know...” Harold began to say but they were interrupted as shouting grew louder from outside the hall.
“The whoreson! There may be no way he be my nephew! No kin of mine would find such cruelty at my expense!” Eadward was shouting to his Lord Marshal Thoræd as they walked into the hall and the King was shocked when he spied Lord Harold sitting there, “What is this? I had thought to tell you that I wished you to Kent, sir!”
Both Dukes quickly stood and bowed and Harold was quick to answer, “You did, Your Grace...and yet I had need to travel to the north to look into this rebellion to Derby. It is grave for the Earl there, I am told.”
The King raised a brow as he looked to his Chancellor, “That be all it was, my Lord? Not some thing other?”
“Nay, Your Grace. Only that,” Harold replied just as quickly.
Berold shot his friend a quick look before answering to the King as well, “Indeed, Your Grace...Lord Harold was just telling me of the terrible defeat of Earl Oscytel to these rebels at Derby. A dreadful thing.”
“You think that dreadful?” Eadward waved a hand to dismiss his previous concern for something else weighed on his mind far more, “Then you would not wish to know what has just come to my ears. Our Lord Eadweald has found way to fund more mercenaries for his foolish pleasure. Wareham is nearly ours and yet three thousand more foreigners sit to Wilton at the now, landing not a weeks past!”
“My God!” Harold’s face whitened, “My Lady Hereswith!”
Eadward held out a calming hand, “Take a care, my Lord. She is safe. I had a mind to send her to Norfolk to be with her brother while this war is on. She was glad of it for she is apparently rather lonely without her Lord husband at her side.”
“Most kind of Your Grace,” Harold replied sensing the question in the King’s voice, “Very well considered. You would know the travel required and I am heartsick that I am not to her side more often.”
“Indeed,” Eadward answered with a raised brow once more.
Berold was quick to intercede, “Yet these mercenaries, Your Grace...what is to be done?”
“They will be dealt with in time,” Eadward answered with a hint of a smirk that betrayed the irritation in his voice, “My brother would gift to me Wareham and then fall on these sell swords with the mightiest fury.”
“And yet...what of Wiltshire, Your Grace?” Harold asked with continued worry, “Surely the countryside is plundered if this be true.”
Eadward began to move past his men, “I would see to Wiltshire, my Lord. You have other concerns. I have told you...I wish you to Kent.”
“Fear not, Your Grace,” Berold replied as he held out a hand to stop his friend from responding, “Your trust in the outcome is most correct. Though your nephew does vex you so, he will be the one lost when all is said and done.”
The King was quick to turn, “He does vex me...yes. Frightfully so. I would see it that you Lords make sure that no other does me such grievous harm. I put it to your hands so leave off this cheese and ale and get to it!”
Both Dukes made a bow as the King left the hall with his Marshal and then looked to each other with wide eyes.
