Here Be Dragons - 1 Sharon Penman (paper ebook reader .TXT) 📖

was a mokv sound to it, a lazy languor that warmed her like a physical touch. She'd never before realized how musical a language Welsh was; it had a lilt and cadence all its own. The bed curtains were partially pulled back; she took a step forward, saw the woman first. She was propped up on an elbow, her face in shadows, but asJoanna watched, she leaned over, spilling dark-honey hair onto Llewelyn as their mouths met. He said something that made her laugh, kissed her again, and started to sit up. As he did, he turned his head, saw Joanna standing frozen in the doorway."Joanna?" He sounded utterly incredulous, as if doubting his own senses, and that broke the spell. Joanna spun around, fled into the antechamber, out into the snow. She fell twice; the second time her ankle twisted under her and she lost Llewelyn's gloves, but she regained her feet before any of the startled spectators could come to her aid, at last reached the refuge of her bedchamber."My God, Madame, what happened?"Joanna pulled the bolt into place, stumbled toward the nearest coffer. Her ankle had begun to throb. Raising her hand to her hair, she found it wet with snow; so, too, were the skirts of her wine-red gown."Madame, you're trembling so! Can you not tell me what be wrong?""No," Joanna said. "No."At a loss, Alison did what she could, cleaned the snow from Joanna's gown, removed her mantle, poured her a cup of wine. Joanna set it down untouched.She seemed oblivious to Alison's awkward attempts at consolation, but she jumped to her feet at the sound of footsteps in the antechamber."Joanna, we do need to talk."Alison was reaching for the bolt when Joanna shook her head vehemently. "ButMadame, he is your husband!""Joanna, open the door."Alison looked helplessly to Joanna for guidance. Joanna said nothmS' staring at the door.In the outer chamber, Llewelyn, too, was staring at the door. His err>ands for admittance were accomplishing nothing except to attract

242an audience. Turning, he slammed the antechamber door in their fac again tried the latch in vain. He was not accustomed to being defied, n to being made to feel foolish, and at this moment he felt very fOo|j ? indeed. It was almost a relief, therefore, to have Joanna present hi with a legitimate grievance, to be able to ease his discomfiture in arme"Joanna, I'll not tell you again. If you do not open this door, I swea byChrist that I'll fetch an axe and force it!"There was a long silence. Just when he'd begun to fear he might have to follow through on his threat, he heard the bolt slide back. The girl who opened the door was unfamiliar to him, obviously frightened Joanna was standing by the trestle table. She took several backward steps as Llewelyn strode toward her, said, "Do not ever lock a door against me again."She flinched, and he saw then that she was no less frightened than her maid.Norman men were, he knew, free with their fists, apt to follow up a verbal reprimand with physical reinforcement. That realization took some of the edge off his temper. So, too, did the tears glistening behind her lashes.Llewelyn took a deep breath, remembered he was here to redress a wrong, not to inflict new ones. "I did not want to hurt you, lass, in truth I did not."But when he put his hand on her arm, she said stonily, "Go away. Just go away and leave me be."She was, Llewelyn thought, making this needlessly difficult. "Joanna, I am sorry," he said, to Joanna not sounding sorry at all. "But this was not all my fault. I did not expect you back for a fortnight, at least. How was I to know you'd return so suddenly, or that you'd make a dawn appearance in my bedchamber? For most of our marriage, you've acted as if that was the last place you'd ever want to be!"Joanna crimsoned. Her humiliation was, for the moment, even stronger than her hurt; she could think only of what a fool she'd made of herself. If only she had it to do over, if only God would give her back those shaming moments before his bed. "You need not worry," she said, much chagrined by the sudden tremor in her voice, "I'll not intrude upon you again. You can go back to your bed, back to your slut, finish what I so rudely interrupted.""Cristyn is no slut," he said coldly. "She is Tegwared and Anghared's mother."Cristyn. Did he call her "beloved" and "darling"? Did he murmur Welsh words of endearment whilst making love? "Forgive my inn°' cence, my lord husband, but even amongst the Welsh I'd not think bearing two bastard children would be a testament to a woman's virtue!'Llewelyn looked at her without speaking for an unbearably I°n8

243nt " 'Even amongst the Welsh/ we do honor those who gave us me) The slurs you cast upon Cristyn can as easily be turned against your mother, can they not?"He did not wait for her response, but °^ed and walked out.Joanna's anger ebbed away, to be replaced by desolation. She sank trembling, upon the nearest stool. Llewelyn was right. In seeking belittle Cristyn, she had indeed besmirched Clemence, too. Far rse she had affronted Llewelyn beyond forgiving. He would hate now, would never want her as his wife.So caught up was she in her own misery that it was some time before she became aware of Alison. The girl was kneeling by her stool, looking up at her with eyes full of fear."Ah, Madame, what have you done?" she whispered. "Go after him, beg his forgiveness ere it be too late!""It is already too late," Joanna said wretchedly, but Alison shook her head."He is angry, yes, but his heart has not had time to harden against you- You must seek him out ere it does. Madame, listen to me. 1 do know what it is like to live in a house