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good man but a good man is not always a good King, my son. Robert Capet is of fine mien; he is a scholar, a musician and he loves poetry, but there is a weakness in him and he is at the mercy of his wife, Queen Constance. It is not good for a man to be ruled by women.’
    â€˜Why does he let her rule him?’
    â€˜Because he is a lover of peace.’
    â€˜It is good to love peace.’
    â€˜Only if it is a good peace. You must attend when your Uncle Mauger tells you of our neighbours. What know you of England, William?’
    â€˜England.’ William wrinkled his brows. ‘It is across the sea, is it not?’
    â€˜Is that all you know? You must know more because we have close ties with this land – stronger ones than those with France. Our Normans settled in that island even as they did in this land; and our friends are there, our own people, William. My father’s sister, my Aunt Emma, married the King of England. He was Ethelred, and at the time of the marriage was engaged in war with the Danes. Emma took many of our Normans with her to England when she went and such amarriage brings countries closer together. There were two sons of this marriage – Edward and Alfred. They are your cousins and they are in Normandy now.’
    â€˜Why, Father?’
    â€˜They are in exile, but more of that later. You will meet them and I wish you to be their friend.’
    â€˜But I will, Father. I long to meet my English cousins.’
    â€˜Now you must listen carefully for this is not easy to understand. Ethelred had married before and had a son Edmund. The Danes meanwhile had driven Ethelred and Emma from their throne and Sweyn of Denmark took possession of it. Canute, Sweyn’s son, reckoned he was King, but Edmund declared
he
was. There were battles and it was finally agreed to share the country between them; but when Edmund died Canute took his share and ruled as King of all England.’
    William was bewildered but his father patted his shoulder.
    â€˜You are young yet, William,’ he said. ‘But you will remember much that I have told you. I do wish you to be on good terms with your cousins Edward and Alfred, for one of them or both may rule England one day, and the ties between us are strong since your Aunt Emma married into the country. I must tell you now that she was not one to lose anything that she had won and she was determined to keep the English crown within her grasp, so when Ethelred died she married Canute. Now when she married him she made him swear that any child they had should inherit the throne. That excluded not only Canute’s son Harold Harefoot but also Edward and Alfred.’
    â€˜But Edward and Alfred were her sons,’ said the puzzled William.
    The Duke drew William between his knees and looked searchingly into his face.
    â€˜The Danes were in control through Canute. Emma knew that her sons Edward and Alfred would not be accepted, so she turned her attention to her son by Canute and determined that Hardicanute should reign.’
    â€˜Would you and my mother love other sons better than me?’
    The Duke drew his son into his arms and embraced him fiercely.
    â€˜Never, William,’ he said. ‘Never! Never.’ Then he was tender suddenly. ‘I would stuff too much into that young head of yours,’ he said. ‘Come, we will go into the courtyard and you shall show me some sword-play with your sticks and we’ll go riding with our falcons and mayhap we will hunt the boar.’
    The boy’s eyes danced. He had momentarily forgotten the complicated family relationships which his father had attempted to make him understand.
    In good time, the Duke promised himself, but I see I must wait awhile before I go on my pilgrimage.
    The Duke’s visit was interrupted by the news of the death of King Robert of France. This was important to him for, as he said to Arlette, the safety of Normandy was bound up in that of France,