Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: October 2015
Publisher: SilverWood Books
Set in the thirteenth century, the kingdoms of Release Date: October 2015
Publisher: SilverWood Books
The Tangled Queen is the story of the little known and very young Isabella of Angoulême who was abducted by King John in 1200. She became his second wife and queen consort, aged 12. He was the most reviled king in English history and his lust for her led to the loss of
Isabella came of age in
EXCERPT from Isabella of Angoulême: The Tangled Queen Part 1
Isabella
smiled and yawned – it was time these chattering girls left. She dismissed
them, haughty and impatient. Away they sped, some calling back to Isabella,
jokes and remarks full of innuendo for her future. She frowned; this was not
the way to treat a future queen.
‘Agnes, help prepare me for bed.’
Agnes closed the chamber door,
unlacing the back of Isabella’s dress, folding the glorious red and gold silk
into the large chest. Tomorrow Isabella would wear the blue gown, the splendid
blue and silver fabric showing wealth and also loyalty. If red and gold had
shown the power and wealth of the Taillefers, then the blue would mark their
obedience and fealty.
Early the next morning Agnes was busy
preparing a scented bath. Precious rose oil, drop by drop, turned the hot water
cloudy. And then she was busy mixing the rosemary wash for Isabella’s hair. She
would wear her hair loose today, and her small gold guirland.
Isabella woke up and saw Agnes looking
at her, long and thoughtful, ready to make her stir, but she was already
throwing back the covers and standing and stretching. Agnes nodded and together
they moved to the bath, and Isabella slipped into the milky, perfumed water and
rubbed the rosemary wash into her hair. She felt the water running down her
back and shivered. Then she was being briskly dried by Agnes, who was
determined to treat Isabella to the most thorough of preparations.
Her mother Alice entered the room and
the three of them unfolded the wedding gown and dressed Isabella. Her chemise
was soft and light, the dress heavy and cumbersome. Arranged within it, held
within it as if caged, her face pale but proud, she moved to the window and
looked down onto a courtyard full of people, horses, carts and wagons. A
procession was moving through the crowd, with a stately canon and an even more
stately bishop in the centre. The clergy were intent on their walk to the
cathedral. Isabella clutched Agnes in a sudden fear. Then she rested her head
on the window and took a deep breath. It was her wedding day.
ABOUT ERICA LAINE
I was born in 1943 in
Southampton and originally studied for the
theatre. I moved with my family to Hong Kong in 1977 and worked and lived there for 20 years,
writing English language textbooks for Chinese primary schools and managing
large educational projects for the British Council.
Since living in S W France I have been very involved with a
local history society and have researched many topics, the history of gardens
and fashion being favourites.Isabella of Angoulême began in 2011 at a writing workshop run by Philippa Pride, the Book Doctor. The story of this young queen was fascinating and although she appears as a character in some other historical novels I wanted to concentrate on her entire life and her importance to the English and the French and the role she played in the politics of power. Part Two is being written now and my head is more or less permanently in the thirteenth century.
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