‘There is no better work for me, sir,’ said Gurdun, ’unless you can justify yourself.’

‘I never justify myself,’ said Richard.  ‘Give me my sword.’  De Gurdun gave it him.  Richard sheathed it, went to his horse, mounted, rode away at walking pace.  Nobody moved till he was out of sight.  Then said Des Barres with a high oath, ‘I could serve that King if he would let me.’

‘God damn him,’ said Gilles de Gurdun for his part.

It was near the end of January when they sighted over sea the painted sails of the Queen.  Mother’s galley.  Her fleet anchored in the roads, and the lady came ashore.  She had two interviews, one with her son, one with Jehane.  But she did not choose to see her daughter, Queen Joan, a very handsome, free lady.

‘Marriage!’ cried King Richard, when this was broached.  ’This is no time to talk of marriage.  I have waited six months, and now the lady must wait a while, other six if needs be.  We leave this accursed island in two days.  Between my friends and my enemies I have fought the length and breadth of it twice over.  Am I to spend my whole host killing Christians?  A little more inactivity, good mother, and I shall be in league with the Soldan against Philip.  Bring the lady to Acre, and I will marry her there.’

‘No, no, Richard,’ said the Queen-Mother; ’I am needed in England.  I cannot come.’

‘Then let Joan take her,’ said the King.

The Queen-Mother, knowing him very well, tried him no further.  She sent for Jehane, and held her close in talk for nearly an hour.

‘Never leave my son, Jehane,’ was the string she harped on.  ’Never leave him for good or ill weather.  Mated or unmated, never leave him.’

‘Never in life, Madame,’ said Jehane, then bit her lip lest she should utter what her mind was full of.  But the Queen-Mother had no eyes.

‘Pray for him,’ she said; and Jehane, ‘I pray hourly, Madame.’  Then the Queen kissed her on both cheeks, and in such kindness they parted.

CHAPTER II

OF WHAT JEHANE LOOKED FOR, AND WHAT BERENGERE HAD

Milo the abbot writes, ’When the spring airs, moving warmly over the earth, ruffled the surface of the deep, and that to a tune so winning that there was no thought of the treachery below, we took to the ships and steered a course south-east by south.  This was in the quindenes of Easter.  The two queens (if I may call them so, of whom one had been and one hoped to be of that estate), Joan and Berengere, went in a great ship which they call a dromond, a heavy-timbered ship carrying a crowd of sail.  With them, by request of Madame Berengere, went Countess Jehane, not by any request of her own.  The King himself led her aboard, and by the hand into the state pavilion on the poop.

’"Madame,” he said to his affianced, “I bring you your desired mate.  Use her as you would use me, for if I have a friend upon earth it is she.”