Besieged and Betrothed

‘Empress?’

Matilda’s blue gaze honed in on him thoughtfully. ‘How long have we been in England now, Lothar?’

‘Nine years, Empress.’ What did that have to do with Juliana?

‘And yet my cause has advanced hardly any further than it did in the first year. Stephen still holds most of the country.’

‘You’re still the rightful Queen.’

‘A queen without a country. Is it all worth it, I wonder?’

He didn’t answer, hearing Juliana’s voice in his head, telling him that there had been too much violence already...

Matilda narrowed her eyes, as if surprised by his lack of response. ‘In any case, I wonder if your Lady Juliana doesn’t have the right idea. So many of the Barons are making private treaties, with both myself and Stephen. They don’t know which of us will eventually win so they feel they have to appease us both. Maybe I ought to think about making a treaty, too.’

He blinked in surprise. She really had changed if she were considering such a thing! ‘Surely you aren’t thinking of surrendering, my lady?’

‘Never.’ She gave a curt laugh. ‘England is my sons’ inheritance. I would never surrender that, but perhaps it’s time I ceded the fight to them. Henry’s a young man and eager to prove himself. He’s intelligent, too, like his grandfather, and a better military commander than Stephen’s son Eustace will ever be. Men will support him who would never countenance a woman as their leader. If Stephen would agree to let Henry succeed him as King, it would be a kind of victory for us both.’

‘Do you think Henry’s ready?’

‘He has to be. It’s what he was raised for, and, now Robert’s gone, I find I haven’t the heart for fighting any more.’ She heaved a weary-sounding sigh. ‘I want to go home, Lothar.’

‘Back to Anjou?’

‘No. Anjou is Geoffrey’s home, but thanks to him we now rule Normandy as well.’ Her lips twisted into something like, and yet unlike, a smile. ‘He’s been far more successful than I have.’

Lothar held his tongue. That was true. Matilda’s husband had seized the entirety of Normandy in the time it had taken her to claim one small corner of England. Given the volatile state of their marriage, he knew that must rankle.

‘We’ll cross the Channel to Normandy as soon as the weather improves. It will be good to see my sons again.’

He barely heard the last few words, distracted by the heavy thundering sound in his ears. We? We’ll cross the Channel...? The words seemed to be echoing in his head. But of course it was we. It had been we for almost as long as he could remember. It was only natural that she would assume he’d go with her. A week ago it would never have crossed his mind to object either, but now he felt winded, as if she’d just knocked the very air from his lungs. He couldn’t even bring himself to speak. Never in his wildest imaginings had he thought she’d do this—quit the field just as soon as he found a reason to stay.

‘Lothar?’ Matilda gave him a shrewd look. ‘Is something the matter?’

‘No, Empress, only... I thought you’d want me to stay and serve Prince Henry.’

‘He has plenty of other men to serve him. I won’t give up my best soldier, not even for England. You’re one of the few people I can count on.’

The winded feeling turned into a cramped tightness. He’d been so busy thinking about Juliana on the journey that he hadn’t prepared what he was going to say about the marriage itself. Now it seemed that breaking the news was going to be even harder than he’d anticipated.

‘I appreciate the compliment, Empress, but there’s something else about Haword I need to tell you.’

A look of displeasure flitted across Matilda’s face. ‘Yes?’

‘Before I left William asked me to protect his daughter. He was afraid of what might happen to her in the future. I couldn’t refuse him.’

‘Refuse what exactly?’

He took a deep breath, as if preparing himself for battle. ‘Marriage, my lady. He asked me to marry her.’

He thought he heard a muffled gasp. ‘And you said...?’

‘I agreed. We made vows to each other, then I came here to ask your permission.’

‘If you’ve already made vows, then it’s a little late for that, don’t you think?’

‘William wanted to witness the ceremony. He won’t survive much longer.’