‘She writes now and then to her brother I know.’
‘Yes― and maybe others.’
‘What mean you, Hugh?’
‘I am not sure, but for your sake, I should like to put a watch on her.’
‘A watch, dear boy?’
‘I thought my wife might be her― what shall we call it― keeper of the household. She will be able to report to us what is going on there.’
‘Would she undertake such a task?’
‘She would if she were told to.’
Hugh’s wife was the daughter of the Earl of Gloucester and the Princess Joanna, daughter of Edward the First and therefore Edward’s niece. Hugh had already come into his share of the Gloucester estate through her, so he was pleased with his marriage. Whether Eleanor le Despenser was as gratified with it was another matter.
However she could be made to act as keeper of the household for Isabella and report where her correspondence went.
So it was arranged.
The indignation of the Queen when she realized what was happening was great; but much to the surprise of those about her she made little complaint. She was biding her time. Soon she would be the one to call the tune.
How maddening it was that she should be submitted to such indignity. The King’s niece to be her guardian— that foolish little creature who was afraid of her mincing husband! How dared she! And yet of course the poor little thing was afraid to do otherwise. She had an idea that the silly girl tried to take her letters and give them to her spying husband. Did she think Isabella would be such a fool as to allow her to do that? Did she think she had not friends who would take what she wrote in secret and deliver it unopened to its destination?
Charles, the last of her three brothers, was now the King of France. He was known as Charles the Fair having inherited the good looks of his father Philip IV. It was said that he was doomed as were all the descendants of the direct line of the Capets and really it seemed that the curse was working. First her father, then Louis le Hutin, then Philip the Tall and the only one who was left was Charles.
He still lived but like the people of France she was ready to hear that some catastrophe had overtaken him.
She wrote fiercely to him, letters which were for his eyes alone. Could he stand by and see his sister— a Princess of France— treated thus? He already knew— the whole world knew that her husband preferred the couch of his chamberlain to hers. Her husband was a miser. He had robbed her of lands and possessions; he had ordered that she should receive a pittance. He was depriving her not only of her status as a Queen but of everything she possessed. The greatest indignity of all had been to set a keeper of the household over her. A woman who— poor creature― had been married as a child to Despenser on account of her fortune. This woman’s task was to spy on her, to steal her letters, to treat her as a prisoner. Could he, her brother and King of France stand by and see this happen to a member of the great royal family of France?
Charles le Bel decided that he could pacify his sister by reminding Edward that he owed him personal homage for the provinces he held in France and he considered it the duty of the King of England to come to France and do his duty.
‘Depend upon it,’ said Hugh le Despenser, ‘the Queen has stirred up trouble.
Letters from her have got through to the King of France and this is the result.
Let your young half-brother Edmund go to France. It will keep him out of mischief. He can explain to Charles le Bel that you are too engrossed in matters of state here to make the journey just yet.’
Edward always made a point of taking Hugh’s advice and Edmund Earl of Kent was sent to France.
Charles received the Earl with a show of hospitality and gave some magnificent entertainments in his honour.
The young Earl was no match for the King of France. Moreover, while Kent was on a visit to Aquitaine, Charles de Valois, younger brother of Philip the Fair and uncle of the King, invaded the Duchy and so successful was he that the earl was forced to agree to a peace which was greatly to his disadvantage and gave the French possession of almost the whole of Aquitaine.
Isabella watched these events very closely and believed that she saw through them the chance she had been waiting for.
Humbly, she sent word to Edward asking if she might see him. He could scarcely refuse such a request and he was surprised to see how meekly she came.
Hugh was wise as usual, he thought. They were treating her in the right manner.
She made no reference to his neglect of her. She came straight to the point and said how grieved she was to see the conflict between him and her brother.
She could not understand what her uncle was thinking of to attack Aquitaine so villainously.
‘The French have always been after it,’ said Edward. ‘I’m afraid my brother Kent was not experienced enough to handle the situation.’
‘Poor Edmund, he did his best.’
‘His best was poor statecraft,’ said Edward.
She wanted to laugh. And you, my fine man, she thought, what of your statecraft? Edmund’s ineptitude is nothing when compared with yours!
‘My brothers were always fond of me,’ she went on. ‘Edward, I believe that if I went to Charles I could put your case to him. I believe I could make him see reason. Perhaps I could bring my uncle to reconsider the treaty. It would please me to try.’
‘ You go? That would be useless. They would never listen to you.’
‘I was always treated with great respect in my father’s court,’ she said with pointed dignity. ‘I doubt I should receive anything less in my brother’s.’
Edward looked at her thoughtfully. She had managed to win the approval of the Londoners. Hugh had been talking about that the other day. He had said she had always been careful never to do anything which might lose that respect.
‘It is a matter I should have to consider,’ he said.
Oh yes, she thought, ask Master Hugh whether he will allow your Queen to visit her brother.
Her spirits dropped. She might have been able to delude Edward. Hugh le Despenser was another matter. In spite of the fact that he allowed his acquisitive nature to bring him more and more unpopularity every week, he was shrewd. He could surely not have connected her with Mortimer’s escape. She had been very careful about Mortimer. She had not written to him at all. That would have been too dangerous even though she had her faithful friends whom she could trust to deliver important letters. She had been afraid of putting him in danger. No, Hugh le Despenser could not know of the relationship between her and Mortimer.
There was nothing to be done but let Edward consult with his dear Hugh.
Meanwhile she must pray that she could get that permission to leave. It would be so much more satisfactory than attempting to escape, for they were not quite ready yet to come out into the open.
Hugh considered the matter.
‘So she wishes to go to her brother?’
‘That is what she said. She would mediate for better relations between us.
This treaty my brother has made is disastrous for us.’
Hugh was silent and Edward went on, ‘She has proved herself in the past to have a certain grasp of affairs. I believe too that her brother is fond of her. He might listen to her.’
‘He is going to insist on your going out to do homage to him.’
‘I shall not go.’