A KNIGHT TO REMEMBER
The King had married the beautiful young widow of Sir Richard de Maudeloy, his most loyal Knight, who had been killed in battle defending the Sovereign, and was deeply in love with her. He lavished attention and gifts on his Queen, yet on the rare occasions she was in his company she could never raise a laugh or a smile, even occasionally wiping away a tear, and had begun to look frail and ill. She also refused to wear the beautiful new gowns he had ordered for her, preferring to dress in her widow's weeds.
Deeply concerned, the King asked the principal lady-in-waiting to try and discover what was ailing the Queen.
The next day, the lady-in-waiting found herself alone with the Queen and so asked, "Ma'am, why do you remain in your apartments, wearing black and weeping daily? You should be at court, enjoying life with your new and royal husband."
"The King is indeed a kind and good man," replied the Queen, "but I so miss my beloved, handsome and courageous Sir Richard, I can never forget him." With those words she began crying again and asked to be alone.
Returning at once to the King, the lady-in-waiting bowed her head and said, "Sire, I believe the Queen to be suffering a severe case of mourning after the Knight before."
(Submitted by Arielle de Spley of Farnborough)
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