“And why would they listen to you when they’ve so far spurned my offers to talk peace?”
Richard resisted the temptation to point out that he had greater credibility than Heinrich. “My brother by marriage and my nephew are amongst the leaders of the rebellion, and England has long enjoyed cordial relations with Cologne, an important trading partner for English merchants. Moreover, I think you will agree that at Speyer, I proved I can be quite persuasive.”
Heinrich’s brother Conrad and Dietrich did not like what they were hearing and, abandoning Latin for German, they both lodged what were obvious protests to Richard. The emperor ignored them. “Even if I did grant some concessions, what makes you think they’d be satisfied with that?”
“Because I can speak about combat with an authority that none could question. When I tell them that a battle commander’s last resort ought to be an all-or-nothing war, they might well heed me. If I can convince them that their victory is not a certainty, they are likely to come to terms with you rather than risk losing everything.”
Before Heinrich could reply, Dietrich launched another diatribe, speaking with considerable animation. By the time he was done, Heinrich’s icy smile had come back. “Count Dietrich does not trust you and thinks you are up to no good. Mayhap you’d like to explain to him what you would gain from this, my lord king?”
Richard had no doubts that Heinrich knew full well what he’d gain. This challenge was meant to see how he’d respond, how candid he was willing to be. He took another sip of wine, thinking that words were his weapons now.
“Of course I expect to benefit. Had I claimed I was acting from pure benevolence or Christian charity, then Count Dietrich would have cause for concern.” To his surprise, he caught an expression on Heinrich’s face that looked like genuine amusement. It quickly passed, but he took it as proof that he was on the right road. “If I do this for you, I hope you’ll conclude that the empire’s interests are better served by an alliance with England and not France.”
“And cancel that planned meeting with the French king at Vaucouleurs?”
With any other man, Richard would have demanded that as a quid pro quo before he’d ever have agreed to act on Heinrich’s behalf. But an imperial promise would mean nothing, not when it was no more substantial than morning mist. Relying upon Heinrich’s good faith was a fool’s quest, yet he had no choice. “Vaucouleurs is a long way to ride if there is nothing to be gained at journey’s end,” he said with a shrug.
“Indeed it is,” Heinrich agreed, his blasé tone belied by the eyes studying Richard with a hawk’s unblinking intensity. “So you would have me believe that you truly do desire an alliance with the empire? If so, you have a most forgiving nature, my lord king of the English.”
“No,” Richard said, with deliberate coldness, “I do not. What I do have, my lord emperor, is the ability to separate the sheep from the goats. You have not given me reason to think kindly of you. Under other circumstances, I’d be nursing a grudge till my last mortal breath. But the grievances I have against you are no match for the wrongs done me by that Judas on the French throne.”
“Yes, you made it rather clear at Speyer that you’ve no fondness for Philippe Capet. But even so—”
“You do not know the half of it! His treachery began well before we reached the Holy Land. When I seized Messina after the citizens rioted, Philippe offered to fight with Tancred against the English. I saw his letter myself. Yet even as he was betraying me behind my back, he was insisting that the French flag be flown over Messina once it was taken so he could share in the spoils. He then dared to demand half of my sister’s dowry!”