She nodded, and felt emboldened to take advantage of his changed mood. “Have you a new marriage in mind for me, Sire?” she asked. “Is that what all these questions mean? To determine if I would be a suitable breeder? Is this the ‘desperate situation’ you spoke of earlier?”
To her surprise he did not appear offended. “You’ll know soon enough. Soon enough.” He patted her hand. “Do not question me further.”
“There is something else, Sire,” she burst out before she could stop herself. “Why did you force me to take off the Imperial crown? Why did you humiliate me before your entire court?”
“Humiliate you?” He sounded genuinely surprised. “What I did was only for your own good. I have plans for you, Daughter, and to further these plans, the Imperial connection must be broken once and for all. No one must be reminded of that former life.” He patted her hand again. “Trust me to act in your best interests.”
“And yours,” Maud said under her breath.
“Of course mine. Our interests are the same, make no mistake,” he said as he helped her into the litter.
“If there are plans being made for me, surely I have the right to know what they are?”
“You have only the rights I allow you,” Henry told her. “Remember that.” His eyes narrowed. “You must learn to discipline your tongue, Madam, and curb your spleen. If the Emperor taught you the virtues of obedience, patience, and diplomacy I have yet to see evidence of them. A few feminine wiles would not come amiss. Submission, Madam, submission.”
Maud bit her underlip and did not answer. Again and again, the Emperor had warned her to curb her impetuous temper or one day it would lead to serious trouble. Still, she could not rid herself of the idea that her father was not really displeased.
The King leaned forward and kissed her on both cheeks. “I said you shall have honor here, Daughter, and so you shall. More than you have ever dreamed. Trust me.”
Trust him? What had he ever done to warrant her trust, Maud asked herself, as the litter moved off into the darkness.
As soon as Maud left, King Henry sent for his chief administrator, Roger, Bishop of Salisbury. When the Bishop entered the pavilion, he found the King scanning a parchment map spread out on the oak table.
“The meeting went well, Sire?”
“Remarkably well, Roger, Maud will do splendidly. Better than I had hoped. She made a favorable impression this morning, didn’t you think?”
Wheezing slightly, the Bishop eased his fat body slowly onto a stool. “Ah—as far as I could tell she did. A most personable woman. The accent is a little strange, of course.”
“People will get used to it, and in time the accent will fade.”
“No doubt. What did you discover, Sire?”
“My friend, you will hardly credit the tale I’ve just been told,” Henry said, turning from the table. “I married my daughter to a man unable to honor her bed. Virtually impotent.” He dropped his voice. “And worse.”
“Worse?”
“A suspected sodomite.”
“No!”
“Yes. I could hardly believe it myself.”
“Impious,” muttered the Bishop, crossing himself. “May God assoil the poor man.” He paused. “So one may then assume that the Princess Maud is not barren?”
“Far from it, far from it.” Henry rubbed his hands together. “The lady is basically untouched, innocent as a nun. For all practical purposes, virgo intacta.”
“I’m relieved to hear that, Sire. So you mean to go through with your plan then?”
“Of course, of course. Now that I know there is no impediment I’m determined to see the matter through. My daughter is well educated, intelligent, strong-willed, and no stranger to the responsibilities of a crown. A woman of character and spirit, my mother all over again. A little too ready with her tongue, but that can be remedied.”
Henry began to pace the tent, hands clasped behind him. “Have I ever told you how well my mother ruled Normandy while my father was away conquering England?”
“Many times, Sire. Although I never tire of hearing about it,” Roger added hastily. “A most stirring tale to be sure.” Roger followed the King’s movements with his eyes. “What will you do in the event Maud does not wish for the great honor you intend to bestow on her?”
“Not wish to be queen?” Henry stopped in his tracks, astonished by the idea. “Of course she will want to be queen. Maud is a daughter of Normandy, therefore ambitious.” He thought for a moment. “Although she may not know it as yet. But I do.” He wagged his finger at Roger. “Do you remember how I always said Maud should have been the boy? Already she tries to control her fate and take matters into her own hands.”