battlement. A row of splendid stallions, all decked in armor and the king’s red and purple, cantered abreast down the road. Behind them were chariots and other knights on horseback, among these Afton recognized many of Perceval’s men. One man, in a simple red robe and a purple mantle, rode alone on a magnificent white stallion.
“That’s the king,” Calhoun whispered in awe. “King Henry Beauclerc.”
Afton was fascinated. The riders were still a fair distance away, but behind the king she could see wagons richly loaded. The parade of wagons and riders stretched endlessly into the distance.
As the riders and wagons drew closer, Afton was able to examine the king’s company more closely. The wagons behind the king were loaded with cloth, bottles, and food. One wagon carried a bathtub bigger and more sumptuous than Perceval’s. In another wagon Afton was surprised to see three little girls who huddled together holding hands. A mounted guard rode on each side of them.
“Who are the girls?” she whispered to Calhoun, pointing. “Look, Calhoun, they’re no older than we are. Who are they and why do they look so sad?”
Calhoun looked, then shrugged. “Perhaps they are children King Henry has rescued. Orphans, perhaps. We will see later, at dinner.”
The first riders were at the castle gate, and Calhoun turned and began leaping down the stairs two at a time. Before the circular path took him out of view, he paused and called up to Afton: “Aren’t you coming?”
“Not to dinner,” she answered, her eyes fastened to the wagon that held the three girls. “Lady Endeline asked me to eat with the servants today.”
“All right, then, but I’d hasten out of the tower if I were you,” Calhoun answered. “King Henry’s knights are the fiercest in the world, and they’ll be coming here presently.” He continued down the stairs down two at a time, and Afton waited only a moment before following him.
Six
M argate castle could not hold all of King Henry’s entourage. Tents sprouted like mushrooms in the field outside the castle walls to house the king’s barber, a bloodletter, a doctor, a dentist, cooks, messengers, musicians, and a large part of his army. Henry’s knights were garrisoned with Perceval’s in the tower, and the royal counselors and the various nobles traveling with Henry were housed inside the castle’s great hall. More than one hundred guests streamed through the gates of Margate Castle, and with Perceval’s household in attendance as well, more than two hundred and fifty people sat down to dinner that day.
“It’s a great feast,” one of the young kitchen maids told Afton after returning from the great hall. “The lady has the best tapestries on display, and the King sits with Perceval and Endeline at the high table.”
“Has the king met Lienor yet?” Afton asked, anxious about her friend.
“No, he only talks of the war for Normandy,” the girl answered, filling a basket with fresh loaves of white bread.
“What of the three girls with him?” Afton asked. “Who are they and why do they travel with the king?”
“They sit and eat silently,” another servant answered. “But I’ve heard it said they are the granddaughters of the king.”
“Granddaughters of the king? But William is not married.”
The younger maid smirked. “Don’t you listen to the gossip, girl? King Henry has other children, not legitimate, of course. These are the girls of his daughter Julienne. He has taken them from their home in Normandy.”
Although Afton had no idea where Normandy was, the idea of having a royal grandfather was fascinating. She had never known her own grandfather, who died at the old age of forty-five. How proud these girls must be of their grandfather the king! But why did they look so sad in the wagon? Were they frightened of the guards at their side?
“The king must love them very much,” Afton remarked to the servant. “If they are protected by a guard
“That’s the king,” Calhoun whispered in awe. “King Henry Beauclerc.”
Afton was fascinated. The riders were still a fair distance away, but behind the king she could see wagons richly loaded. The parade of wagons and riders stretched endlessly into the distance.
As the riders and wagons drew closer, Afton was able to examine the king’s company more closely. The wagons behind the king were loaded with cloth, bottles, and food. One wagon carried a bathtub bigger and more sumptuous than Perceval’s. In another wagon Afton was surprised to see three little girls who huddled together holding hands. A mounted guard rode on each side of them.
“Who are the girls?” she whispered to Calhoun, pointing. “Look, Calhoun, they’re no older than we are. Who are they and why do they look so sad?”
Calhoun looked, then shrugged. “Perhaps they are children King Henry has rescued. Orphans, perhaps. We will see later, at dinner.”
The first riders were at the castle gate, and Calhoun turned and began leaping down the stairs two at a time. Before the circular path took him out of view, he paused and called up to Afton: “Aren’t you coming?”
“Not to dinner,” she answered, her eyes fastened to the wagon that held the three girls. “Lady Endeline asked me to eat with the servants today.”
“All right, then, but I’d hasten out of the tower if I were you,” Calhoun answered. “King Henry’s knights are the fiercest in the world, and they’ll be coming here presently.” He continued down the stairs down two at a time, and Afton waited only a moment before following him.
Six
M argate castle could not hold all of King Henry’s entourage. Tents sprouted like mushrooms in the field outside the castle walls to house the king’s barber, a bloodletter, a doctor, a dentist, cooks, messengers, musicians, and a large part of his army. Henry’s knights were garrisoned with Perceval’s in the tower, and the royal counselors and the various nobles traveling with Henry were housed inside the castle’s great hall. More than one hundred guests streamed through the gates of Margate Castle, and with Perceval’s household in attendance as well, more than two hundred and fifty people sat down to dinner that day.
“It’s a great feast,” one of the young kitchen maids told Afton after returning from the great hall. “The lady has the best tapestries on display, and the King sits with Perceval and Endeline at the high table.”
“Has the king met Lienor yet?” Afton asked, anxious about her friend.
“No, he only talks of the war for Normandy,” the girl answered, filling a basket with fresh loaves of white bread.
“What of the three girls with him?” Afton asked. “Who are they and why do they travel with the king?”
“They sit and eat silently,” another servant answered. “But I’ve heard it said they are the granddaughters of the king.”
“Granddaughters of the king? But William is not married.”
The younger maid smirked. “Don’t you listen to the gossip, girl? King Henry has other children, not legitimate, of course. These are the girls of his daughter Julienne. He has taken them from their home in Normandy.”
Although Afton had no idea where Normandy was, the idea of having a royal grandfather was fascinating. She had never known her own grandfather, who died at the old age of forty-five. How proud these girls must be of their grandfather the king! But why did they look so sad in the wagon? Were they frightened of the guards at their side?
“The king must love them very much,” Afton remarked to the servant. “If they are protected by a guard
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