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

184found in skin lily-white, in hair like flax, in eyes like Isabella's? N[ot slanting cat eyes, ink-black hair, and the dusky skin of a Saracen sallow skin."My lord? You asked me . . . what?""If you have always lived with your father the King.""Since I was five," Joanna said swiftly, grateful that he seemed will ing to do what she could not, to exercise some control over the conversation."And your lady mother?"Normally, Joanna was very reluctant to discuss her mother; those memories were like imperfectly healed wounds, painful if probed too deeply. But now she was quite willing to talk of Clemence, so great was her dread of silence, and she answered readily. He continued to feed her questions, about her childhood, her father, and slowly she began to relax somewhat, to follow his lead."... and then these enormous dogs did rush in, barking fit to wake the dead. Iwas so fearful, but my father picked me up, all dirty and ragged as I was, held me out of harm's way. I did not yet know, of course, who he was, but"Joanna stopped suddenly, in some confusion. What had ever possessed her to tell this man something so very personal? Isabelle was right; he was, indeed, a good listener, too good."I did not mean to talk so much of myself," she said, suddenly selfconscious again. "Will you not tell me about yourself, my lord?""What would you most like to know?"Joanna considered. She knew next to nothing about him, but there was one question in particular she yearned to ask. "I would like to know about your children, my lord. Would you tell me of them?""With pleasure. I have six, two boys and four girls ... by two mothers,"Llewelyn added, with a faint smile, and Joanna blushed, taken aback that he should have read her thoughts so easily. Her father's seven children had all been born to different women."Do they all live at your court?""The four eldest do. Gruffydd, my firstborn, is ten. Gwladys is eight, Marared six, and Gwenllian nigh on five." Llewelyn paused, and then again answered an unspoken question. "Their mother is dead.""And the other two?"He smiled. "Tegwared and Anghared, the twins. They lack but a fortnight of their first birthday."Joanna raised startled eyes to his face. It was a rather common belie' that for a woman to give birth to twins, she must have lain with tw° men. YetLlewelyn seemed neither embarrassed nor defensive. Was i/ she wondered, that he had such faith in the woman? Or in himself?"I was most fortunate in that my lord father married a woman vw

185ed me naught but kindness. I shall not do less for your children, Shy k>rd,"she said earnestly.She'd sought to please him, was bewildered to see that she had not.looked suddenly somber, pensive. For the first time, a prolonged Jence fell between them."Tell me, have you begun to learn Welsh, as I suggested in my last letter?"Joanna tensed again. "No, my lord," she admitted reluctantly, watching him anxiously for signs of anger."Well, there will be time enough."Indeed, she thought bleakly. A lifetime."Joanna." It was the first time he'd called her by name. "Now that I've satisfied your curiosity, I would have you do the same for me. I should like to see the color of your hair. Will it distress you if I remove your veil and wimple?"Caught completely off balance, she could only shake her head mutely. She willed herself to sit very still, not to flinch as he leaned over, unpinned her veil. His fingers were quite sure, barely touching her cheek. Joanna continued to stare down into her lap. After a time, she felt his hand under her chin, gently forcing her face up to his. As their eyes met, he smiled."You do look very Welsh.""Do I?" she whispered. He was much more sympathetic than she'd expected him to be. He'd been kind to seek to put her at ease, and he was being kinder now in trying to mask his obvious disappointment. But she could think only that in less than twenty-four hours he would have the right to strip away her clothing as he had just stripped away her veil, to bare her body as he'd bared her hair."My lord . . . would you think me unforgivably rude if I did ask your leave to withdraw? I ... I have so much still to do ere the wedding ...""I understand, Joanna," he said slowly. He rose as she did, brought her hand up to his mouth. "Until the morrow."EDNYVED ap Cynwrig made his way across the great hall, to where Llewelyn stood by the window seat. "What, has the bride fled so soon, and ere l could get more than a glimpse of her? Well? Is she fat, thin, plain, y- From the look on your face, I'd waeer that she was not much to y°ur liking."f (n" you'd lose." Llewelyn was frowning after Joanna's retreating is!I'H ^as tne makin8s °fa beauty. But Jesii, how very young she a_not expected that, in truth."° tnirty-three, fourteen is bound to seem close to the cradle."

186Ednyved gave Llewelyn a shrewdly appraising look, said, no longer fw pant, "Many girls are wed at fourteen, Llewelyn, are ripe for the mar riage bed even at that age.""Not this one. She's a child, Ednyved, a child being forced into a marriage she greatly fears." Llewelyn glanced down, saw that Joanna had, in her haste, forgotten her veil and wimple. He picked up the veil fingered the fragile silk weave. "Poor little lass, trying so hard to do what her elders expect of her .. ."JOANNA'S bridal clothes were the loveliest she'd ever had. Everything was new, even the garters for her stockings. Her chemise was of soft white linen, the gown of finest Florentine silk, as was the embroidered bliaut. Joanna knew they were becoming. Isabelle had insisted upon choosing the colors herself, and Isabelle had an unerring eye, selecting a deep emerald for the