Play Favourites (King Edward and His Favourite Men) - 7. Chapter 7

Sir Mortimer and the queen were standing on a balcony of the castle. Isabella trembled because of the cold. It was at the end of December.

“We need to wait then,” she said impatiently. “Or we must challenge him, so that he will make a false move. This would enrage the peers again.”

“I cannot force things,” Sir Mortimer said. “My influence is big, but I need to wait for a good occasion.”

“This is what I have just said,” Isabella said impatiently.

Isabella shivered again. She wrapped her arms around her body.

“Why must we meet out here?” she asked impatiently.

“Pardon me, my lady,” Sir Mortimer said guiltily. “It was the only safe place I could think of.”

“You were more creative in the past,” Isabella said drily.

Sir Mortimer raised an eyebrow and gave her a questioning look.

“The bathhouse,” Isabella said briskly.

“Well,” Sir Mortimer said, “The incident opened your eyes at least.”

Isabella gave him a warning look.

“Do not carry it too far, Sir Mortimer,” she said. She shivered again. “I cannot stand the cold,” she said grimly.

Sir Mortimer took off his gown and placed it around Isabella’s shoulders. He placed his hands on the queen’s shoulders and very slightly squeezed them. Isabella tensed for the briefest of a moment. But then she relaxed. She gave in to the touch. Sir Mortimer smiled slightly.

“We’re certainly making progress, some way or other,” he said in a flattering voice.

Isabella looked at Sir Mortimer out of the corner of her eye.

“I warn you, Sir Mortimer,” she said. “Do not carry it too far.”

“Never, my lady,” Sir Mortimer said with affection.

He squeezed the queen’s shoulders again. Isabella did not reject him.

“Carpe diem,” Roger said. He put aside the scroll.

“Seize the day,” Edward said thoughtfully.

Edward leaned back against the rear of the chaise longue. He looked into the room pensively for a while. Roger watched him.

“Things slowed down a bit,” Edward said. “There is no imminent danger. The peers are content with the situation. They do not approve of me being with you, of course. But they gain more than they lose. Sir Mortimer, however, I suspect, is growing impatient.”

Roger sat down next to Edward. He nodded.

“Perhaps he gave up on his plan. The situation calmed. Isn’t this to everybody’s advantage? Why should the queen and Sir Mortimer want to interfere now?” Roger asked.

Edward turned his head to Roger and smiled at him.

“Well, my dear Roger, Sir Mortimer strives for power and so does the queen,” he said.

“So you think they have not given up on their plans?” Roger asked.

“No,” Edward replied. “They just wait for a good occasion to fuel the peers’ rage again.”

Edward leaned back more and looked at Roger.

“And besides, Sir Mortimer steps slower than he probably has hoped for. The queen has not yet welcomed him in her arms,” he said. “I have my informants,” he added.

Edward smiled again and reached out his hand in order to touch Roger’s shoulder.

“I, however, have made good progress regarding this aspect of my plans,” Edward said with another smile.

Roger leaned back also.

“I still do suspect sometimes that I am just a puppet on a string,” Roger said quietly.

Edward looked at Roger pensively.

“All the world’s a stage and all the men and women are merely players. I told you before. Do you remember?” Edward asked.

Roger nodded.

“Sure I do. But this does not mean I feel comfortable with it,” he said.

“Well, my dear Roger, I want you to feel comfortable. I can help you feel comfortable. Push aside your sorrows,” Edward said, his eyes seeking Roger’s.

Roger smiled. Edward straightened a little and then leaned in to Roger. He placed his arm around his shoulders.

“There we played on the green when we were boys. Piers Gaveston and I,” Edward said.

Roger joined Edward by the window.

“Piers was sixteen when he came to court. He was exactly my age and we soon became friends. We were friends, best friends, and innocent friends until that day in spring,” Edward continued.

Edward fell silent. His thoughts drifted off to that day in the past. He remembered Piers Gaveston’s smile when he had entered his room. The king smiled at the memory.

“What happened that day?” Roger asked.

Edward turned his eyes to Roger hesitantly.

“He came to my room like he had done so many times before. But something was different that day,” Edward said.

Edward mused. He dwelled on his memories. Roger waited patiently.

“He kissed me,” Edward said.

They remained silent for a while

“Had you not entered my room that unfortunate day, my beloved Gaveston,” Edward said, “Your fate would have been a different one.”

Edward fell silent. Roger did not reply at once. They looked out of the window together.

“He would have come to your room some other day then,” Roger said finally.

Edward turned his head and smiled at Roger. He placed his arm around Roger’s shoulders.

“You are right again, Roger d’Amory. I would not have been able to hinder fate,” he said.

“What happened then?” Roger asked.

“My father, the king, did not approve of it. And neither did the peers. My father sent Gaveston away in 1307. He banned him. He sent him to France. But I called him back from exile after my father died the same year. Four years later, I had to send him away again, though. I had to. My hands were bound. I had given away too much of my power,” Edward said.

He paused.

“He came back to England soon. This was his final downfall. My cousin Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, and Guy Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, made sure he was executed,” Edward said. “I could not stop them.” Edwards’s voice sounded bitter.

Edward withdrew his hand from Roger’s shoulder.

“The King of England was not able to stop them,” he said bitterly. “In a sense, I was the one who killed the man I loved.”

They remained silent for a while.

“Don’t you fear you give away too much power again, my king?” Roger asked in a low voice.

Edward gave him a sideways glance. He shook his head.

“No, Roger. My power has already faded. I led England to ruin. I lost the battle of Bannockburn. Thousands of men died. England’s power diminished while Scotland’s rose. The country is famine-stricken. The people are too weak to rebel against me which probably Sir Mortimer has hoped for. But any careless or any wrong step I make will without doubt lead to my immediate downfall,” Edward said.

He looked out of the window.

“The situation calmed because I withdrew from political affairs. The few confidants I have watch over them. They arranged a compromise with the peers. Unless anything terrible happens, they will let me live in peace,” Edward continued.

“But you said you still fear Sir Mortimer and Isabella will plot against you,” Roger said.

“Of course they will,” Edward said. “This is why I still aim to stop them.”

Edward looked at Roger.

“Come, Roger, let’s go for a walk on the green. Spring has come. The sun is out. It is a warm day. I am happy you came to my room this morning,” he said.

Edward leaned in. His lips touched Roger’s lips lightly. He smiled at him when he withdrew. Roger smiled back despite the faint feeling of disapproval that he had felt at the king’s resigned words. Edward gave Roger a nod. They left the room together.

“We cannot do anything about it. The peers are content. So what shall we do?” she asked, turning to Sir Mortimer.

“I fear we must drop our original plan,” Sir Mortimer said with a frown.

“What?” Isabella asked enraged. “Do you give in, Sir Mortimer?”

“No, I do not,” Sir Mortimer said angrily. “We just need to alter the plan.”

Isabella compressed her lips and looked out of the window again.

“He will not let up on the man,” she said bitterly.

“You cannot be so sure on that,” Sir Mortimer said thoughtfully.

“What do you mean?” Isabella asked briskly.

“He fell for that man at once. He might easily fall for another. He discarded Hugh Audley the same day he met Roger d’Amory. He might as well discard d’Amory for another man. A man who is on our side. A man we can trust. A man who is loyal to the queen and not the king,” Sir Mortimer said.

Isabella turned to him and opened her lips. She looked at Sir Mortimer with surprise. And then the queen smiled mischievously.

“Who could that be, Sir Mortimer?” she asked excitedly.

“A man who is on our side,” Sir Mortimer repeated. “A man who is into the secret. A man we can trust and who will not betray us. Let me think about it, my lady. I will soon come up with a plan.”

Isabella gave him a cheerful smile. She nodded her agreement.

“Good, Sir Mortimer. Do not waste time. I am tired of looking out of the window,” she said.

Sir Mortimer smiled back at the queen.

“You look refreshed, my lady. You are beautiful and you like a true queen,” he said.

“You are flattering, Sir Mortimer. You curry favour with me,” Isabella replied.

“Do you consider it wrong?” Sir Mortimer asked innocently.

“No, I do not,” Isabella said. A smile was playing on her lips.

Isabella leaned in and placed her lips on Sir Mortimer’s lightly. Then she withdrew and placed her hand on the man’s cheek for a moment.

“We need to make progress,” she said.

Sir Mortimer returned her smile. He took in the queen’s features. Isabella’s hand still rested on his cheek. Her covetous eyes rested on his face. Sir Mortimer smiled at the queen softly. The queen leaned in again. She placed her other hand on Sir Mortimer’s shoulder. Sir Mortimer’s smile broadened when he placed his arms softly around the queen’s body.

“Wait,” Isabella said, suddenly making a step back.

Sir Mortimer looked at the queen with surprise. He gave her a questioning look. But Isabella just smiled. She turned and drew the curtain shut. A triumphant smile appeared on Sir Mortimer’s lips briefly. It had already gone when the queen turned back to him. Sir Mortimer stepped closer to Isabella and wrapped his arms around the queen’s body again.

“I have found the man,” he informed the queen.

“Who is he?” Isabella asked, straightening with excitement.

“Hugh the younger Despenser,” Sir Mortimer said. “The son and heir of Hugh le Despenser, Earl of Winchester, and Isabella de Beauchamp, daughter of William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick. Guy Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, was one of the men who made sure Piers Gaveston was executed. Hugh Despenser is related to him. The Despensers are on your side, my lady. Hugh Despenser is only two years younger than Edward is. He is twenty-eight years of age. Edward is thirty years of age while d’Amory is only twenty-four.”

Isabella tilted her head. She looked at Sir Mortimer pensively for an instant.

“His age does not necessarily speak in his favour,” she said. “But, yes, a Despenser would be a good match. A nobleman and not a peasant. I mean, Edward assigned to d’Amory various manors. But this does not make d’Amory a man of high rank.”

Isabella curled her lips.

“Moreover...,” Sir Mortimer started.

“Moreover what?” Isabella asked curiously.

“I have reliable information that Hugh the younger Despenser suffers from the same malady that the king suffers from,” Sir Mortimer said.

Isabella gazed at Sir Mortimer delightedly. Her eyes widened with joy. The queen clapped her hands.

“This is just perfect, Mortimer. This will make the execution of our plans way easier,” she said, smiling with excitement.

Sir Mortimer curled his lips slightly.

“It is the first time I see you delighted with the king’s malady,” he said.

“In fact,” Isabella replied. “I must admit that I have completely changed my attitude towards it.”

Sir Mortimer gave a laugh. Isabella’s smile broadened. And then she burst into laughter.

“Oh god, Mortimer. I think this is just delicious,” she said. “I am certain now this plan will work out fine.”

Roger breathed heavily. Edward moved and turned on his side.

“What?” Edward asked tiredly.

“I dreamed of the dove again,” Roger said. “This time it fell dead to the ground.”

“Do not worry,” Edward said, suppressing a yawn. “It is the same dream that you are having now and then.”

“The dove fell dead to the ground,” Roger insisted. His voice was startled.

“Do you believe in dreams?” Edward asked tiredly. “Go back to sleep, Roger. This dream means nothing.”

“It does,” Roger said. “I feel that something has changed.”

Edward did not respond.

“What have you done to stop Isabella and Sir Mortimer?” Roger asked.

Edward gave an unnerved grunt.

“I watch their moves. The queen flung herself in his arms. Nothing else has happened,” he said.

“So Sir Mortimer made progress,” Roger said drily. “How can you ignore that fact?”

Edward gave another grunt.

“Listen, Roger, I watch their moves. So far, there is no need to do anything,” he said.

“Didn’t you want to find a way to accuse Sir Mortimer of heresy?” Roger asked.

“I am working on this,” Edward said. He sounded unnerved.

“This is what you said one year ago,” Roger replied.

“Listen, Roger,” Edward said sharply. “Go back to sleep. We will talk about it tomorrow. This is a king’s command. Do not respond.”

Roger opened his lips, yet he did not say a word. He gazed into the darkness in disbelief.

Edward turned on his side. Roger’s worries annoyed him. So many months had passed and nothing had happened. Yes, maybe Sir Mortimer and the queen had given up on their plans. His spouse had finally turned to another man. She did not bother Edward with her request for love any longer. So why should he, the king, stir an upheaval himself? His spouse let him be. And so did the peers. Why could not Roger leave behind his fears also? Edward yawned. Then he shook off his thoughts. He was feeling tired.

Edward went back to sleep. Roger soon heard his steady breathing. Roger turned on his side and swallowed hard. He suppressed the tears that came to his eyes.