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

if you learn nothing else, and never forget it."Now Will gave his young cousin the same bleak, uncompromising answer his grandmother had once given him, saying tersely, "They were the enemies of ourHouse, Philip." An answer that said all that needed to be said, that he had long since taken to heart.He handed the completed whistle to the boy. "You can have this if you like."And then, because Philip was so young, because there was time yet before he had to learn the lessons of being a de Braose, Will drew Philip's thoughts away from that long-ago and bloody December day. "Life must have been right lively back then, Philip. Seisyll's surviving sons besieged Abergavenny seven years later and burned all but the keep; luckily for Grandpapa, he was elsewhere at the time of the attack! And then, some years after, Gwenwynwyn attacked our castle in the Machawy River valley, the one the Welsh callCastell Paen. Our grandmother put up so successful a defense that people started calling it Castle Maude!"Philip laughed. "Which Welsh Prince is Gwenwynwyn, Will? I can never keep them straight.""You'll have to learn; you're old enough now. Gwenwynwyn is nince of Lower Powys; he's the whoreson who's been making raids upon our manors. South Wales is divided now between the sons of the ord RhysMaelgwn and Rhys Gryg. And the North is ruled by the an Grandpapa says is the most dangerous one of the lot, Llewelyn ab"verth, who is married to a bastard daughter of King John."As soon as John's name had crossed Will's lips, he swallowed, gri-n ed as if he'd tasted something sour. In the past year he'd come to"Ure a deep and abiding hatred for the English King who was giving c * amily such grief. He started to speak, and then stopped, head nddecl expectantly to the side. "Philip, you hear? Grandpapa has just

276WILL'S excitement congealed at first sight of the men accompanying ^grandfather: Thomas Erdington, Sheriff of Shropshire, Gerard d'Athie Sheriff of Gloucestershire, and Falkes de Breaute, to whom William d Braose had been forced by John to yield up Glamorgan and GwyllWg The first two had, in the past fortnight, led an army onto de Braose lands; the third was a bitter and open enemy of their House. Will knew his grandfather would never have chosen their company of his own accord. He ran for the nearest window, looked out to find the bailey filie(j with men-at-arms, men who wore the red and white colors of the KingMaude had risen, was staring at her husband in dismay. "Will? Will, why are they here?"Will knew his grandfather was no longer young, was in his sixties but he was so energetic, so fit that Will never gave his age any thought He was shocked now to see how haggard his grandfather suddenly looked, exhaustion etched into the smudged hollows under his eyes, impotent and embittered fury in the rigid set of his mouth."Not now," he snapped, giving his wife a look that would have daunted all but the most intrepid or reckless, a look that made no impression whatsoever uponMaude."Name of God, Will, what has happened? Did you not see the King?""I said not now!"But his unlikely escorts were not so reticent. It was Falkes de Breaute who told Maude what her husband would not, saying with conspicuous relish, "Ah, indeed he saw the King, Madame, and made many and varied promises to theKing's Grace, amongst them to make payment of six thousand marks.""Six thousand!" Maude's eyes narrowed, cut sharply toward her husband. "We do not have it," she said flatly, defiantly, and de Breaute grinned."You'll be relieved, then, Madame, to know you need not pay it all at once. Athousand marks are due today, but the balance may be paid in installments. Of course, you will have to surrender to the Kings Grace your castles at Hay, Brecknock, and Radnor as a pledge for payment"''Jesus God!" Maude whirled around to confront her husband. "What have you done, Will?""What I had to do!" he snarled. "But we're damned well not going to talk about it here ... or now!""Hay Castle is mine, to me! I'll not give it up!""Your husband has already done that, Madame." Gerard d'A"1 spoke up for the first time. Sounding as if he was enjoying himself ^ less than de Breaute, he said cheerfully, "He gave the order two <* ago to turn them over to the King's constables. We are here only

277iiect the thousand marks and the hostages, of course Not sur singly/the King feels that your husband will be more likely to keep faith if he 1SkeePmg your grandsons'"Maude gasped, and her husband took two swift steps forward But en as he warned, "Maude, no1" she was swinging back toward Gerard d'Athie, her face flushed, mouth contorted"Are you mad7 Do you truly think I'd ever agree to that7 Give my randsons up to the man who murdered his own nephew7 Never in this lifetime1"Will's throat had closed up, cutting off an involuntary cry of protest But his fear lasted only until Maude began to speak He found himself blinking back hot tears, never had he loved anyone as much as he loved his grandmother at that moment, his grandmother who would dare to defy the King of England for his sakeAnd then he became aware of the utter and absolute silence, then he saw the looks of horror on the faces of the adults His grandfather had gone grey under his tan, even his lips were bloodless His grandmother was standing very stillWill could not see her face But he could see the faces of Falkes de Breaute and Gerard d'Athie Astonishment had given way to exhilaration, they both wore the jubilant gnns of men unable to believe how fortune had favored themWilliam de Braose at last turned away from his wife, turned fathomless grey eyes upon Erdmgton, d'Athie, and de Breaute All three men reacted as one, dropped hands