The Courts of Love - Jean Plaidy [59]
So it seemed.
I had retired for the night and dismissed my women. I was in no mood for sleep. I sat at the window looking out onto the beautiful gardens and wondering what would be the outcome of my dilemma when I heard a gentle scratching on the door.
I went to it and opened it. A page stood there.
“My lady,” he said, “the Prince wishes to see you at once. Without delay, he said. It is of the utmost importance.”
“Where is he?” I asked.
“He awaits you in the arbor of which you know. I am to escort you there.”
Excitement gripped me. It seemed natural that he should choose the arbor for our meeting-place. I wrapped a cloak about me, put on stout shoes and went out with the page into the night.
The scented air, the soft darkness made my spirits rise. What a lover he was! What I had missed all those years!
I was close to the arbor when a tall figure emerged from the bushes.
“Raymond!” I cried.
But it was not Raymond. To my dismay I recognized the craggy features of Thierry Galeran.
“What . . .” I began. I could see that he relished the situation and that added to my fury. “What do you want?” I cried.
“You will see, my lady.”
“Raymond,” I called.
“Alas, for you, my lady, I do not think the Prince will hear. It may well be that he sleeps in his apartments with his wife.”
A terrible fear came to me. I had been trapped and to my dismay I saw that Galeran was not alone. Several men loomed up from behind the bushes, and a cloak was thrown about me.
“What are you doing?” I cried.
“You will soon discover. Come . . . we are going now.”
I struggled. “I shall not . . .”
But Galeran had picked me up in his arms. The strength of the man was amazing.
“Quick,” he ordered. “This way.”
And so I was taken. I struggled, trying to kick, but my arms and legs were bound and I was placed on a horse. We went on through the town, which was deserted for it was well past midnight. I wanted to cry out, but it was no use for no one would hear me.
Outside the town Louis and his army had gathered.
My hands and feet still bound, I was placed in a litter.
And so, in the quiet early hours of the morning, I left Antioch—Louis’s prisoner.
How I hated Louis during that journey! I was incensed by the indignity of my abduction and I blamed myself for so easily falling into the trap. I was hoping all the time that Raymond would come and rescue me. What a forlorn hope! As if he could muster an army from those pleasure-loving subjects of his! As if they would agree to come and snatch the Queen of France from her husband!
I felt trapped and embittered.
It was not until we were several days from Antioch that I was allowed my freedom.
My hatred for Galeran was even greater than that I had for Louis. He was the one who had actually carried me off. There was an inborn animosity between us.
But when the first shock began to wear off, I could not hate Louis. He was so ineffectual. Everything he did seemed to end in failure. And he did love me . . . at least enough to plan my abduction.
But what a sorrowful journey it was! I could not stop thinking of those beautiful gardens, the hanging flowers, the richness of the palace. Every comfort known to man was in that palace. It was a paradise and I had lost it. I asked myself when I should see Raymond again.
I soon realized how futile it was to waste recriminations on Louis. He apparently did too, for he did not refer to my affair with Raymond. I suppose we both tried to appear as normal as possible in the circumstances because we were aware of the gossip which must be circulating.
The journey, too, was arduous, although we did not suffer the hardships we had before. I thought a great deal about my future; and there was one point which I did feel determined on—that I was not going on living the life Louis expected me to. I must, in due course, when we had both had a chance of getting used to the idea, discuss with him the matter of divorce.
And finally we reached Jerusalem. A shout went up from the men when the stone walls of the Holy City came into sight. Waiting to greet us at the Jaffa Gate