Isa Meets Hugh After Tynemouth
The door opened as the queen entered and Hugh bowed low, as protocol demanded. Therefore he did not see Isabella cross the floor like a demented fury, only felt the stinging slap against his cheek. He looked up, shocked. There was a sudden silence in the room as heads turned towards them.
‘Madame,’ Edward’s voice broke the moment. ‘What is this?’
Isabella though seemed not to hear him; she was too intent on the man in front of her. ‘Your plan failed. By God’s grace I escaped and have safely returned to my husband. I wish I could say the same for two of my ladies.’
Hugh measured the fury in those ice blue eyes and deemed it best to drop his gaze again. ‘Madame, I also thank God that you – and my wife – have returned to us safely. I have never wished otherwise.’
‘Of course he hasn’t.’ The blood was rising to Edward’s face from both anger and embarrassment. ‘What foolishness is this?’
Isabella turned to him and was about to answer when Hugh smoothly interrupted. ‘I fear my lady the queen is distraught from her travels your grace, nothing more. It would cause me more pain than a mere slap if she was harmed.’
‘How dare you!’ Isabella looked about to slap him again but Edward laid a hand on her arm. ‘Lord Despenser is right my dear. You do look tired and strained and it is obvious that your imagination is not but a little bit fevered. I suggest you go and rest in your chambers until you have recovered your proper senses again.’
She stared at both of them as if they had given her poison to drink before turning on her heel and sweeping out of the room, trailed by her ladies. Eleanor, before following her, turned and gave Hugh a worried look betraying that she knew things he would want to find out later.
With the queen gone, Hugh straightened up and found himself letting out a long breath. What had just happened was completely a mystery. Hadn’t he sent some of his own men to rescue her when she was at Tynemouth? Hadn’t she rejected those very same men, causing further delays while suitable replacements were found? That was hardly his fault. Nor were the storms or the Flemish pirates they had to brave during their escape. Anyway, why on earth did Isabella think he’d put his own wife in danger.
Edward came over to him. ‘Are you alright Hugh? I can only apologise for her shameful behaviour and pray that it is as you say, that she is just overwrought.’
Hugh shook his head, still not quite believing what had just happened. ‘What on earth has caused her to think this was my fault? To have made everything happen just so I would have had to have been a sorcerer. I was desperate to get her out of there – and Eleanor too of course – you know that Ned.’
‘Of course I do. We’ll let her calm down and then see just what is at the bottom of all this.’
‘Ned… would you let me talk to her?’
‘I’m not sure she’ll want to talk to you. Even if she does, she won’t listen.’
‘Nevertheless, I have to try. Your wife hates me Ned, and that makes it hard for all of us. I want to try and build some bridges, find out what I can do to win her trust.’
Edward gave a wry smile. ‘Then you’re a braver man than I am. I would rather face a charging, wounded boar than a charging, furious Isabella.’
‘Then I have your permission?’
‘Only if you promise to return alive and whole.’ Edward grinned and patted him on the shoulder.
The door opened as the queen entered and Hugh bowed low, as protocol demanded. Therefore he did not see Isabella cross the floor like a demented fury, only felt the stinging slap against his cheek. He looked up, shocked. There was a sudden silence in the room as heads turned towards them.
‘Madame,’ Edward’s voice broke the moment. ‘What is this?’
Isabella though seemed not to hear him; she was too intent on the man in front of her. ‘Your plan failed. By God’s grace I escaped and have safely returned to my husband. I wish I could say the same for two of my ladies.’
Hugh measured the fury in those ice blue eyes and deemed it best to drop his gaze again. ‘Madame, I also thank God that you – and my wife – have returned to us safely. I have never wished otherwise.’
‘Of course he hasn’t.’ The blood was rising to Edward’s face from both anger and embarrassment. ‘What foolishness is this?’
Isabella turned to him and was about to answer when Hugh smoothly interrupted. ‘I fear my lady the queen is distraught from her travels your grace, nothing more. It would cause me more pain than a mere slap if she was harmed.’
‘How dare you!’ Isabella looked about to slap him again but Edward laid a hand on her arm. ‘Lord Despenser is right my dear. You do look tired and strained and it is obvious that your imagination is not but a little bit fevered. I suggest you go and rest in your chambers until you have recovered your proper senses again.’
She stared at both of them as if they had given her poison to drink before turning on her heel and sweeping out of the room, trailed by her ladies. Eleanor, before following her, turned and gave Hugh a worried look betraying that she knew things he would want to find out later.
With the queen gone, Hugh straightened up and found himself letting out a long breath. What had just happened was completely a mystery. Hadn’t he sent some of his own men to rescue her when she was at Tynemouth? Hadn’t she rejected those very same men, causing further delays while suitable replacements were found? That was hardly his fault. Nor were the storms or the Flemish pirates they had to brave during their escape. Anyway, why on earth did Isabella think he’d put his own wife in danger.
Edward came over to him. ‘Are you alright Hugh? I can only apologise for her shameful behaviour and pray that it is as you say, that she is just overwrought.’
Hugh shook his head, still not quite believing what had just happened. ‘What on earth has caused her to think this was my fault? To have made everything happen just so I would have had to have been a sorcerer. I was desperate to get her out of there – and Eleanor too of course – you know that Ned.’
‘Of course I do. We’ll let her calm down and then see just what is at the bottom of all this.’
‘Ned… would you let me talk to her?’
‘I’m not sure she’ll want to talk to you. Even if she does, she won’t listen.’
‘Nevertheless, I have to try. Your wife hates me Ned, and that makes it hard for all of us. I want to try and build some bridges, find out what I can do to win her trust.’
Edward gave a wry smile. ‘Then you’re a braver man than I am. I would rather face a charging, wounded boar than a charging, furious Isabella.’
‘Then I have your permission?’
‘Only if you promise to return alive and whole.’ Edward grinned and patted him on the shoulder.