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

pointed out, striving for patience.Elen tossed her head. "His eyes are too close together. And he has a weak chin.""Elen, for the love of God! What does that have to do with marriage?"Elen knew her mother was right; marriages were based upon pragmatic considerations of property and political advantage. Unable to defend her position, she could only fall back upon accusation, upon raw emotion. "Ishould have known you'd not understand! You never do!""As it happens, Elen, I understand more than you realize. It is only natural that you might feel qualms. When I married your father, I""Oh, Mama, that was different! You love Papa!""I learned to love him, Elen. The truth is that I did not want to marry your father, to live in Wales, and I was utterly wretched when we were first wed."But Elen's image of Joanna was still circumscribed by childhood boundaries, and she found it impossible to identify her mother with a fearful fourteen-year-old bride. "You're happy with Papa. But I'd not be happy with your John the Scot, and he can just look for a wife elsewhere.""Elen, it is not that simple. I do not think you understand how much this alliance means to your father. What are you going to tell him, that you do not like John the Scot's eyes?"Elen flushed. "Do not laugh at me!""Believe me, child," Joanna said wearily, "I find nothing remotely amusing about this.""I am not a child. In three weeks I'll be""Fifteen. I know; I was present at your birth, remember?" Joanna could hear her own sarcasm, but could not help herself. Her anger was rising, fueled by insidious misgivings that defied all logic, all common sense. She knew this marriage was for her daughter's good; why, then, was she suddenly plagued by doubts?"I had good reason for reluctancemarriage to a man I'd never even seen, a man more than eighteen years older than I, from an utterly alien world, my father's enemy. None of that is true for you, Elen. I just cannot comprehend your attitude. Why must you always be so willfulYour sisters were quite content to let your father choose their husbands, did not""They would! Gwenllian and Marared have as much spirit as . a sheep," Elen said scornfully, while prudently making no mention ° Gwladys. "But I'll not be wed against my will to a Scots-Norman co comb. And you cannot make me, Mama.Welsh law states that 'ever<

>l539vvoman is to go the way she willeth, freely.' A Welshwoman has the right to pick her own husband, unlike the women of your blood, who pass with the land like serfs!""That is not precisely true, Elen," Joanna snapped. Her daughter's taunt had stung, more than she wanted to admit. "A Welsh widow may indeed marry againor notas she freely chooses. But a young girl, a maiden, is still in her family's care.""Mayhap if you spoke better Welsh, Mama, you'd have learned more of our ways.You're right; the family of a virgin maid can prevent her from marrying a man not of their choice. But they can do nothing whatsoever about it if she is no longer a virgin. So I need only lose my maidenhead and I will be utterly free to wed or not as I wish."Joanna's reaction was all Elen could have hoped for; she'd rarely managed to render her mother speechless. But her moment of satisfaction was fleetingand costly. She spun around as the door slammed, gasped at sight of her father.Llewelyn had always shunted the onus of discipline off onto Joanna, at least where his daughters were concerned; Elen had long ago learned which of her parents was more likely to laugh away a minor misdeed. But there was nothing of the familiar indulgent father about Llewelyn now. He looked no less incredulous than Joanna, and a good deal angrier."I cannot believe what I just heard you say," he said, and Elen blushed."I did not mean it, Papa, truly!""I would hope to God not. If I ever thought a daughter of mine would so shame herself"Joanna interrupted hastily. "I'm afraid, Llewelyn, that Elen does not want to marry John the Scot.""I gathered as much. But what I do not understand is why. Suppose you tell me that, Elen. Tell me why you'd scorn an earldom.""I ... I do not like him, Papa. He seemed so staid and proper; Ithought him a bit of a prig. And he has no sense of humor, none!" Elen's eyfis suddenly brimmed over. While her distress was real enough, her ears might not have flowed so readily had she not so many memories ofWes when she'd won her way by tears. Her father was frowning; she f"Jt a hand upon his arm, looked up entreatingly into his face. "Please, Pa- Do not make me wed John the Scot. I'd be so unhappy, Papa, I)Ust know I would.",For a long moment Llewelyn studied his daughter. Joanna watched, ding her breath. And then, to her utter astonishment, he said, "I'll01 force you, Elen."

T54054JElen flung her arms around his neck, bestowing grateful, hapha^. ard kisses."Thank you, Papa, thank you!""Llewelyn?" Joanna was staring at her husband in disbelief. pje gave her an oblique glance, one she could not interpret at all, then turned back to Elen."I want what is best for you, Elen. Your mother and I would not see you hurt, not for all the political gains under God's sky. John the Scot is Chester's nephew and heir. But he is also a decent young man, would never use you ill.You could be content with him, Elen, I have no doubts of that.""But. . . but Papa, you said you'd not force me!" "Nor will 1.1 am not ordering you to this, lass. I am asking it of you, asking you to trust my judgment. It is that important, Elen. I need not tell you, a Welshwoman, what is the most binding of all bonds, that of blood."Elen sensed that she was being outflanked. "I know that, Papa.