Chapter 15
Now that there was a base, Jurko started setting up signalling stations along the new road. Even without getting the signals extended to the waterways, it would save days if a message arrived. So far, he had set up several sentence length messages, which consisted of a number and three letters, such as 1AAA which meant 'we are under attack,' and this could be qualified by who or what might be attacking; wild animals might prove a serious problem for a signal station, for example, or bandits. Jurko added 'diplomats' to the qualifiers as well, humorously, but it would tell anyone he signalled that there were talks suggested. Other signals would be 'we have heavy casualties;' 'the enemy is in sight;' 'move to the flank of the enemy;' 'engage the enemy;' 'send...;' again qualified by 'doctor;' 'priest;' 'officer;' 'supplies;' 'fodder.' With a few building blocks one might send quite complex sentences. Copying out code books was a job for the disgruntled youngsters. This included Jadwiga, to her dismay, and Longin's relief, also delighted that she was sharing with the Swedish woman. Jadwiga and Róża were polite to Karin, and warmed to her when she agreed to join sabre drill. Her making of a crossbow was considered a good sign.
oOoOo
"Gentlemen, I know it is irregular, but my husband has left me specific instructions that I am to act in his stead while he is at war," said Gryzelda, smiling at the rather outraged Sejm. "Now, many of your number are also at war, so I am sure that Jeremi is adequately advised with regards to war matters, which are beyond me, of course. But there is no reason to let our economy stagnate just because half the szlachta in the country are in the east, since we have ongoing trade treaties to ratify, and trade treaties to avoid. Now, Jeremi has left me specific instructions to stall, delay, interrupt and generally find a way to refuse anything put before me by the French delegation. I am aware that some of you are Francophiles, and there is nothing wrong with admiring the people, the country and the culture. However, we all know that permitting high ranking churchmen to get involved with politics corrupts them utterly; England saw it with her Cardinal Wolsey; Cardinal Richlieu made sure that Sweden was funded well enough for Gustaw Adolf to devastate our lovely country during the religious wars, and I fear that Cardinal Mazarin is of the same stamp. Churchmen in politics is, I fear, a cardinal sin... so I am sure you will all support me in this endeavour. I need my husband's advisors to be a strength to me when I am left, a poor, weak woman on my own. And I do not want to see my country manipulated by foreigners, whether by too-cleverly worded treaties, or through those they pay off."
"The whole bloody family are adept at politics," muttered Lubomirski1, one of the few magnates present, and opposed to foreign intervention. Gryzelda gave him her best limpid look.
The magnates were mostly away fighting or protecting their own interests; and the ordinary szlachta did not trust the Francophilia, or Germanophilia demonstrated by so many of the magnates, who equated 'progress' with aping the ways of others. Jeremi was outspokenly Sarmatian, whilst introducing new, foreign ideas to adapt to the Sarmatian way. And Gryzelda was dressed simply as a Ruthenian woman, and not a touch of the Western to her appearance at all.
"Why, my lord-brother, I do not claim to be knowledgeable about politics, and so with both my husband and brother away, I look on you all as my brothers to guide me. You will, won't you?"
She put her head on one side, appealingly.
Gryzelda might have lost her figure with Ruryk's birth, but she took care of herself more than she had when she had thought Jeremi did not care about her. She ached for him, but at least she could know with certainty that he did not maintain a veritable harem of mistresses, as it was rumoured her brother did. As some Magnates were said to do. She smiled winsomely. She was still attractive enough to get away with it, not as a sex symbol, but taking the role of mother of the country, everyone's favourite elder sister.
She had them eating out of her hand.
And now she would have to deal with French interference.
The children would come in useful.
Marysieńka was a quiet, sedate child, but not as quiet and sedate as if Gryzelda had not firmly distanced her from the widow queen, Ludwika Maria, or Marie Louise Gonzanga as she had been. Technically, Marysieńka was Ludwika Maria's lady in waiting, an onerous task for a very little girl, but as Gryzelda was highly educated herself and had an excellent governess for all the royal children, this was a means to start to Polonise the little girl, who might end up marrying Michaś. Gryzelda had no intention of forcing the issue one way or the other. The child had hugged him when he had turned up bringing messages, but so had all the others. And that was nice, that Mariesieńka accepted being one of the palace children.
And to the end of removing undue French influence, Gryzelda had promoted Ludwika Maria's romantic interest in Jan Kazimierz Waza. It had required some skilful diplomacy, a few strings pulled here, a favour there, a touch of bribery, and a little genteel coercion, to get the late king's half-brother released from his religious vows and a dispensation to wed his brother's widow; but Gryzelda was born a Zamoyska and she was no stranger to getting things done. The happy couple were now helping Karol Ferdynand, Jan Kazimierz's brother, in the setting up of schools, which kept them occupied.
And hopefully not indoctrinating the young minds they had taught there too much. After all, with the current king and queen as enthusiastic patrons, and uncompromisingly Sarmatian, there was room for the pupils to question.
Well, should Marysieńka's parents withdraw her to marry in France, that would give a partisan pro Polish view into the household of wherever she ended up. Gryzelda hoped they had forgotten about her; she was fond of the little girl. And though Gryzelda was fond of her brother, Marysieńka would not be marrying Jan 'Sobiepan' Zamoyski. Gryzelda and her sister Joasia had been married by arrangement, and until Jeremi had learned to be loving, neither had been happy. Moreover there were the persistent rumours of a harem in Zamość, and Gryzelda's spies told her that Sobiepan was keeping five women there. And if they had been impoverished szlachcianki, Gryzelda would have disapproved less than of the idea of using his position to coerce peasants.
Or possibly even slaves purchased from the Ottomans. Gryzelda planned on making sure that her brother complied with the law regarding freeing serfs, in the matter of any personal and technical slaves. If necessary by making an example of him; it should help to dissipate any other harems, if the king would make an example of his own brother-in-law.
She had warned Sobiepan.
If he chose not to take any notice, then he must take the consequences.
Meantime there was Antoine de Lumbres, the representative of Louis XIV of France. An urbane man, he was potentially more dangerous than the oleaginous Louis d'Arpajon whom Jurij had so delighted in driving to distraction. De Lumbres had trained under Richelieu, but though he was married, he had no children.
And he had an appointment with her.
Marysieńka had both a sense of fun, and a degree of resentment over being packed off to a foreign country away from her family. Gryzelda had been fostering the idea of choosing one's family, and disregarding those who had been so callous.
Even if they had intended it for their daughter's social advantage.
Marysieńka was primed to give the ambassador ten minutes.
"I realise that your majesty is not authorised to handle any serious negotiations, but perhaps you will be prepared to tell me where I might find your husband, to see if we can get talks with the Russians," said De Lumbres. "In the meantime, I have a small document which you might sign, perhaps, to enable me to lend you some aid."
"Oh, my dear Marquise! It is so fortunate, is it not, how much I am in my husband's confidence!" fluttered Gryzelda. "Indeed, he says he could scarcely manage without his little flower... it is what he calls, me, he is such a sweet, romantic man, even after so many years of marriage, and we are so very close. Of course, they say that the French understand love, so you will quite enter into my feelings!"
"Indeed, quite delightful," said De Lumbres. "You know where he is, of course?"
"Oh, naturally! And were it not for our dear children, I must surely have been by his side, through the privations of war. So very worrying for those of us at home, and of course the dear children want to know how Papa is, without fully comprehending the exigencies of the distances involved! Why even with dear Jurij's canals, a letter cannot be sent in much less than a week. You know my dear stepson, Jurij? He is such a dear boy, and so very efficient. He is with my husband, of course, and his wife, too, and I have care of their younger children. They are such a comfort to me, as I am sure you can understand... oh, but you are childless, I think? I am so sorry if I have been tactless."
"I am delighted that you can take comfort from your children and grandchildren. So has his majesty yet reached Moscow?"
"Oh! I have no idea. It is such a long way away," said Gryzelda. "And I find it hard to bear thinking of him, camping as he is after the Cossack fashion with a cloak and some oiled canvas."
"Oh, I assure you, your majesty, a king will not camp in such a way, he will have a grand tent where he will hold audience, and he will sleep in a proper bed carried on the supply waggons."
"No, you are quite wrong; let me read you a part of his letter. Now where did I put it?" Gryzelda spent some time rifling through papers. "Oh, here it is."
She read,
My dearest flower, my honeycake,
First let me kiss your..."
"Oh" she cried, "I must skip that bit, it is altogether too personal to read out loud. Oh, my, how eloquently he writes!" she picked up a fan and fanned herself.
De Lumbres tried not to grind his teeth. Who would have thought that old stick could arouse such a reaction? But it was not helpful!
"I pray you, read what he says of the campaign," he said.
"Oh, yes, of course. Here we are."
I spent some time at the head of the road-building, digging with the soldiers, for there is nothing like camaraderie and shared work to mould an army together. The road diggers carry half a tent each and set them up as they move forward, in most makeshift conditions. Jurij owes me four złoty, he wagered I would not last a day's digging, but I confess to you, my love, that sleeping on the ground on a bed made of last year's bracken, after a day's digging left me stiff in all the wrong places. Still, I was given a hearty cheer. Jurij has been collecting peasants fleeing the Moskale. We anticipate being in sight of the gates of Moskwa in good time, and then we might punish these contumelious dogs, and I will be right glad of a decent bed again.
I miss you...
"And the rest is also private," said Gryzelda, primly. "But you see, he says quite clearly that he is sleeping in the same way as the men do. He is a real man, you know a bohatyr, not some effete fool, and the road must be built and left for artillery, not have such frivolous things as fancy tents, you know."
And then Marysieńka burst in, trailed by the faithful Beata. Marysieńka was holding Cyryl.
"Aunt Gryzelda, it is all Jaromka's fault!" said Marysieńka. "Just look at Cyryl! Excuse me, my lord brother, but what am I to do with him?"
Cyryl was covered in mud.
"Goodness!" said Gryzelda. They had surpassed themselves. Cyryl was a placid child who never minded dirt or baths.
"Jaromka and Raina were playing 'drown the Moskale in rasputitsa' with their little soldier-dolls and they had no mud so they made some, and honestly! If they ever find all those silver figures, I'll be surprised," said Marysieńka. "Please, Aunt Gryzelda, he'll make a fuss if I bath him, he's only good for you."
"Of course," said Gryzelda, absently crumpling the treaty De Lumbres had given her to use to remove some of the worst of the sticky mud. "Ambassador, you do understand, of course? Oh, I am sorry, isn't this yours?" she passed him back the soiled treaty. He took it gingerly by one corner.
"Of course I understand," said De Lumbres. He understood that he would have to write it all out again.
1 An opportunist, and in real life ran a rokosz, but this is because he was stripped of his titles on a trumped up charges for opposing the pro French faction under the reign of Jan Kazimierz. He still wasn't a very nice man, though.
