‘There was no seduction,’ I said. ‘You dishonour both myself and Owen Tudor, my lord. Do I not have the wit to make my own choices? Neither did my husband set himself to seduce me. He had been Master of my Household all the years since I was left a widow. It is only of late that we were touched by love. I was not seduced or forced against my will.’
It was a strong argument.
‘It seems to me that it was not so great a bargain for him in taking me as his wife,’ I continued. ‘Why should a man have to appear before the King’s Council over his choice of his bride? Yes, I am a wealthy woman, but as for influence—what influence do I have? None, I would suggest. Owen Tudor would not work his way up the ladder to greatness by marriage to me. And that is not our intent. We do not seek a life in the full light of the royal court. We would live privately.’ I lifted my hands in appeal. ‘My lords, that is all I ask of you. Your recognition of my married state and permission to live as and where I choose.’
But Gloucester was not finished. ‘How could you choose a man in disgrace before the law?’
‘I chose a man of pride. A man of honour and integrity, my lord.’
‘A man of honour?’ Oh, he was inordinately, savagely pleased. He had found a weak spot, and I knew immediately what it would be. ‘And when is the bastard you carry due to be delivered?’
‘My child will be no bastard,’ I replied serenely. ‘He will be born within holy wedlock, recognised by his father and by the Church.’
‘He was conceived in sin.’
‘But he will live in the light.’ I stared at Gloucester, no longer dominated by him. How dared he speak so to me? ‘I find you presumptuous, my lord. Do I deserve such calumny? If you have nothing more to say—’
‘You are still to remain at Windsor in your son’s household,’ he ordered, grasping at straws, so it seemed to me.
‘No.’ I allowed a little smile even as anger beat in my head. ‘I will not.’
‘It is the law.’
‘Then I will ignore the law. I will live in one of my dower houses. They are mine, given for my use by the late king in his wisdom. I will live in them with my husband.’
‘And if we insist?’
‘Will you insist, my lords? The only means to determine where we will live is by the use of force. And if you do…’ once more I eyed Gloucester ‘… if you force me to live at Windsor, I will broadcast to the world the disgrace of your treatment of the once Queen of England, the Queen Mother, Princess of France. The wife of the hero of Agincourt. I think my royal state deserves respect. I think I will be given a hearing by the Commons, don’t you?’
Gloucester flung himself down into his chair, denying any respect.
‘God’s Blood, woman! Was it not possible for you to embrace a chaste and honourable widowhood?’
‘I could have. But I chose to be a lawfully wedded wife again.’
‘To a palace minion, by God!’
And since Gloucester at last stared at Owen, my husband bowed and replied, ‘I was not always a servant, my lord.’
‘And Welsh too!’
‘I consider that an honour, my lord, not a detriment. The law of England cannot dictate my pride in my birth.’
‘Pride in your birth?’ Gloucester’s disgust grew to vast proportions as he turned his ire on me again. ‘Could you not have let your eye fall on someone of your own status?’
‘I tried that, my lord. You refused Edmund Beaufort because his status was equal to mine.’
I had him there, and he knew it. Oh, it was a direct challenge and my heart beat against my ribs. Gloucester, his face the hue of parchment, had thought I would bow before his dictates because I had in the past. He swung his attention from me to Owen.
‘And what have you to say? We note that you have left your wife to plead your cause. That does not strike me as being the stand of a man of honour. Is your facility in speaking the English tongue not good enough?’
I sensed Owen inhale slowly. He held my gloves lightly in his hands and addressed himself to the Council rather than to Gloucester. How calm he looked, how impressively dignified. Not one man there saw the fire in him, the fury at his and my treatment.
‘I have not spoken, my lords, because this is concerning the freedom of the lady who is my wife. It is her right to put her own case, and that is what she wished. I agreed that it should be so, although I found it hard to hold my tongue when she was subject to such crude accusations. My blood may be Welsh, but I was raised a gentleman and I know degradation when I witness it at first hand, as I have here today.
‘No Welshman would ever address a nobly born lady in such a manner, certainly not a lady who has been nothing but a shining gem in England’s crown. I feel her shame. And I feel her courage, as I am certain you do, my lords. She has all my admiration.’
Pausing, stepping to close the small space between us, Owen smiled at me, a smile of such brilliance that it steadied my heart, and now, at last, he took my hand in his.
