Jeanette flicked a glance around to make sure that their conversation was not being overheard, especially by her new sister-in-law of whom she was unsure. ‘Perhaps when you are about the court and if you speak to Donald, you might find a way to give Thomas a message he will find comforting or useful. If you do not wish to do so, I understand. I would not ask save that I am closely watched, and they make it impossible for me to speak to him myself. If they suspect anything, they will lock me up and force me to drink poppy syrup.’ She made a discreet gesture in the direction of William’s mother and grandmother, sitting in the lodges to their right with some other ladies of the court.
Joan’s eyes opened wide.
‘Yes,’ Jeanette said grimly. ‘That has been my life for many years.’
‘You have my word that I shall do what I can,’ Joan said, her lips set in the way they did when she was determined on a matter.
‘Thank you.’ Jeanette touched her arm in gratitude. ‘I will not forget this, I promise you. I know you would never speak of me being in your debt, but I am, and when I am able, I shall repay you, and Donald, ten times over.’
The two teams led by the King and Prince Edward jousted against each other in the lists. The matches were all to prove valour, and once again much of the fighting was for show with moves and moments of drama worked out beforehand to enthral the crowd. There were tricks and feats of skill, near misses and deadly clashes with blows pulled at the last moment. Thomas demonstrated his speed and precision at the quintain, collecting all the rings on his lance, and as always, he and Otto performeda glittering demonstration of fighting skill, their movements a blur, too swift to follow as sword and dagger flashed and challenged, twisted and turned.
Jeanette watched them, her eyes alight, her heart full of love and pride, but trepidation too, given that Thomas had lost the vision in one eye. A single slip could result in serious injury, and their speed was incredible. She dared not show her emotion and had to clench her fists in her lap and remain outwardly calm, knowing she was giving herself away by her very lack of reaction. At least Thomas and William were never pitted against each other, about which she was supremely relieved, and thanked God for the common sense of those organising the bouts.
The contests ended as the light began to fade and the Queen retired from the lists to her chamber to hold a banquet for the ladies, while the King held one for the lords in his own hall. Jeanette had no opportunity to meet with Thomas that night, and impatience gnawed at her, keener than Poppet’s teeth on a walnut shell.
In the Queen’s chamber the following day, Jeanette gave her statement concerning her marriage to her attorney Master Nicholas Heath, with Joan Bredon and one of the Queen’s chaplains as witnesses to her words. Master Heath’s clerk, who had taken her original deposition, had been dismissed for accepting bribes, and replaced. A fresh-faced young man with ink-stained fingers and a mop of chestnut hair was now taking notes. Master Heath himself was in late middle age with stiff hips and a cynical, world-weary air, but he listened patiently to everything she told him while the clerk scribbled furiously, his manner in complete contrast to the previous one.
‘I shall see what I can do for you,’ Master Heath said as he gathered his materials together when they had finished. ‘I am sure we can resolve the matter in your favour.’
‘Do you truly believe so?’
‘Yes, I do. I shall have to go through this again with the other attorneys, and it will be for the Cardinal to decide. However, I have every hope that we shall prevail.’
‘When will I hear more?’
‘That will depend on the papal court and the state of the hearings. We are due to present ours in September with the depositions from the witnesses and pleas from both sides. I expect to be able to report back by Christmas.’
‘And will it be done by Christmas?’
He made a tutting sound. ‘I counsel you to patience, my lady. The wheels grind very slowly in Avignon and it will depend on how many protests and challenges we receive from Master John, your husband’s attorney, and how we respond to them. Yours is not the only case upon which the Cardinal must give his judgement, and with the disruption of the pestilence . . .’ He let the words hang.
‘Then when?’ she demanded. ‘Some time never perhaps?’ To her mortification, her eyes filled with tears.
‘My lady, I beg you, do not weep.’ He signalled to Joan Bredon, who was already on her feet.
‘Then give me an answer. Tell me when. I have been waiting for almost eight years! You counsel me to patience. How much more do I need?’
He gave her a compassionate look. ‘I cannot say Christmas, because I do not believe it will be then. Let us say before next spring is in full bloom, hopefully by Easter.’
‘Easter?’ Jeanette cried. ‘But that is more than nine months away!’
He opened his hands in apology. ‘I wish I could say better than that, but if you begin counting the days now, it is truly not so long. I know it is a burden, and I am sorry. I shall do my best,I promise.’ He bowed and rather swiftly left the room with his clerk. The Queen’s chaplain followed.
Jeanette wiped her eyes on her sleeve.
‘At least he is doing something,’ Joan said, ‘and at least you have a date.’
‘That may never come,’ Jeanette said bitterly. ‘I want Thomas now, Joan, not at some mark in the future that keeps being moved ever further away.’
‘I know, and I wish I could help.’
The door opened again and another lawyer entered – an older man this time, with a pristine white cap and black hat. He had rounded features and hooded, shrewd eyes, the tawny colour of new ale. He bowed to Jeanette and introduced himself as Master Robert Beverley, attorney at law representing Thomas.
‘How did matters go with my colleague?’ he enquired.
‘Well enough, I think,’ Jeanette answered, rallying, not wanting to be caught in tears. ‘I told him all that I knew, and how matters stood.’
‘We will win this case,’ he said, his tone matter-of-fact. ‘They have little to go on. There are some challenges, naturally, but they will not stand up against our testimonies.’
