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

that I am his fnend, that he will want to see me ""You hope," Baldwin saidTHEY were traveling south, through a well-wooded river valley Stephen was carrying on a disjointed conversation with their guides, partly in his rudimentary Welsh and partly in their fragmented French, and from time to time he'd translate for Baldwin's benefit "We have to ford the River Conwy up ahead, and then veer west ""Did you, by any chance, think to ask where we're going7" "Dolwyddelan Castle" Anticipating Baldwin, Stephen grinned, said with exaggerated precision, "Dole-with-eflan I'd hoped Llewelyn would be at Aber or Aberffraw, wanted you to see the Welsh court But iJolwyddelan should be of interest, too, it's one of the few Welsh-built castles, belonged to Llewelyn's father lorwerth "

234135That did interest Baldwin. So, too, did the countryside once th» were across the River Conwy. It was far more mountainous now; on a! sides the sky was silhouetted by snow-capped crags. Baldwin was in, pressed in spite of himself, forbore to mock as Stephen shared tK knowledge gleaned from their guides."They say snow is sometim^ found all summer long upon the highest peaks. The steepest is that on to the south, Yr Wyddfa. And over to your right is MoelSiabod, whic), all but overshadows Dolwyddelan.""Little wonder the Welsh are so hard to dislodge," Baldwin said and shook his head. "Their whole wretched country is a fortress of sorts!"They reached Dolwyddelan Castle at dusk. It appeared without warning, seemed to spring suddenly from the rough-hewn rocks overlooking the River Lledr.Baldwin, appraising it from habit, with an eye to assault, saw at once that it would be no easy prize for the taking. On the south, the ground fell away sharply, and deep ditches had been cut into the rock to the west and east. But what impressed Baldwin was the high curtain wall. Most castles were enclosed by timber palisades, but Dolwyddelan was encircled by stone.Stephen, too, was regarding the curtain wall with surprise. "When last I was here, that was a wooden enclosure.""He's doing right well for himself if he could undertake an expense like that," Baldwin said thoughtfully, and Stephen frowned."He's not just another Marcher border lord, Baldwin. He's Prince of Gwynedd.Power is power, be it Welsh or Norman; you'd best bear that in mind."Passing through a gateway in the north wall, they dismounted in the bailey.Baldwin's eyes catalogued the wooden buildings clustered along the walls, focused upon the two-story rectangular keep, its entrance protected by a wooden forebuilding. He noted with satisfaction that the stairs leading up into the forebuilding were of stone; a miscalculation for certes. But as he reached the top, he abruptly revised his opinion of the keep's defenses. Awide pit lay between the stairs and the door of the keep, a gap that could be spanned only by drawbridge."Clever," he murmured to Stephen. But his brother was already hastening across the drawbridge, utterly sure of his welcome within. Following more slowly, Baldwin discovered that the entire first floor of the keep contained one large chamber. By the hearth, his brother was kneeling. As Baldwin watched, Llewelyn raised Stephen to his feet, and the two men then embraced. Stephen turned, gave Baldwin a smile shot through with triumph.hisN leaned back in the window seat, only half listening to his l° , conversation with Llewelyn. He was more interested in hisBAL /s conversation with Llewelyn. He was more interested in his kf°undings than in Stephen's boyhood reminiscences, and he glanced5^ -,i- C-~*r^\r ^iirioiic prpc Thpv wprp in T IpiA/plvn'c hpHrhamflpr1 a with frankly curious eyes. They were in Llewelyn's bedchamber; a kf° undings than in Stephen's boyhood reminiscences, and he glancedSUfr t with frankly curious eyes. They were in Llewelyn's bedchamber; a curtained bed stood at the far end of the room. The furnishings killed Baldwin, in that they were so familiar: rushes for the floor, a5 tie table, coffers, even a privy chamber tucked away into the thick-of the southeast wall. He could, Baldwin mused in surprise, quite jlv have been in the bedchamber of any Norman lord.He did not realize how nakedly his thoughts showed upon his face ntil Llewelyn looked at him, said, "Did you think to find us living in caves?"Although said with a smile, it carried a sting nonetheless, and Baldwin flushed. He was honest enough, however, to acknowledge he'd been fairly caught, and he summoned up a smile of his own. "To tell you true, my lord, Iknew naught of how the Welsh do live.""We have our own ways, but we are not too proud to learn from others."

Llewelyn grinned, gestured toward the bed. "Take yon feather bed. That is oneNorman custom I'm quite willing to adopt for Wales.""Papa even sleeps on a pillow," a voice said, right at Baldwin's elbow, and he jumped, turned to find himself under the unblinking scrutiny of a small boy.He looked to be about five, an unusually handsome youngster with dark red hair, wide-set green eyes, and a rather remarkable assurance for his years, volunteering now without waiting to be asked, "I'm Gruffydd ap Llewelyn."Llewelyn laughed. "My son Gruffydd, who does delight in giving away all my guilty secrets!"Gruffydd thrived upon attention, and he moved closer to Baldwin, confiding, "Papa has two pillows. But he lets my mama use one."Baldwin was not comfortable with children. "Does he indeed?" he said lamely.Adding, since the boy was obviously cherished, "You speak French very well, lad.""I know," Gruffydd said. "Are you English? Do you know what Papa says of theEnglish? He says, 'Poor Wales, so far from Heaven, so dose to England!'""Gruffydd!" Llewelyn frowned, sought without success to look disapproving."Where are your manners, lad?"Not in the least amused, Baldwin managed a thin smile. Stephen, who was amused, diplomatically piloted the conversation toward safer waters, saying swiftly, "How is your lady? She's not here with you, I take it?""No, she's at Aberffraw. Her babe is due next month . . . our

136fourth." A man