Alice raised her head, her eyes and nose red and swollen. “Do you promise?”
Ela nodded. “Haven’t I always given you what you want?”
“Yes,” Alice agreed. “You have. And you will get Gavin for me?”
“I swear it.”
Alice gave a small smile. Then, in a rare burst of affection, she gave Ela a swift kiss on the cheek.
The maid’s old eyes misted. Of course she would do anything for this sweet girl who was so misunderstood by the people around her. “Come upstairs,” she said sweetly. “We will plan a new gown.”
“Yes,” Alice smiled, sniffing loudly. “A merchant brought some Frankish wools this morning.”
“Let’s go and see them.”
Judith had watched from the window only long enough to see her husband speak to his mistress. “Joan, I would like to see the king,” she said, turning away from the sight.
“My lady, you cannot ask King Henry to come here.”
“I don’t intend to do so. You must help me dress, and I will go below to see him.”
“But—”
“Don’t argue with me!”
“Yes, my lady,” Joan said in a hard voice.
An hour later, Judith appeared in the great hall, leaning heavily on her maid’s arm.
A young man came to her side. “Alan Fairfax, my lady, if you don’t remember.”
“Of course I do.” She managed a small smile. “You are kind to help me.”
“It is a pleasure. You wish to see the king?”
She nodded gravely. She took Alan’s arm and he led her to the king’s chamber. It was an elegant room with a hammer-beam ceiling, linenfold paneling, and oak floors covered with Persian carpets.
“Countess!” the king said when he saw her. He had an illuminated manuscript in his lap. “You should not have left your bed so soon.” He put the book aside and took her other arm.
“You are very kind, both of you,” she said as Alan and Henry helped her into a chair. “I would like to speak to you, Your Majesty, on a private matter.”
Henry nodded toward Alan and the knight left them. “Now, what matter is so important that you must weary yourself to seek me?”
Judith looked down at her hands. “I would like a divorce.”
King Henry was silent for a moment. “Divorce is a grave undertaking. Do you have cause?”
There were two types of divorce and three reasons for each. The best Judith could hope for was a separation, allowing her to live apart from her husband for the rest of her life. “Adultery,” she said quietly.
Henry considered this. “If such grounds were allowed, neither of you could remarry.”
“I do not wish to. I will enter a convent, as I was trained for.”
“And what of Gavin? Would you deny him the right of a new wife and of sons to follow him?”
“No,” she whispered. “He has his rights.”
Henry was watching her intently. “Then we must look to a divorce which declares your marriage null and void. You are not related?”