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

bade. By the time she'd taken up her position near the door, she'd managed to guess what he had in mind; a quick glance back over her shoulder caught him in whispered collusion with two of his men. But even though she was expecting what happened next, the realism of the brawl took her by surprise. A shove, a snarl, and suddenly they were rolling about on the floor, pummeling one another with enough verve to draw all eyes. Joanna, too, found herself straining to see, did not even notice Llewelyn's approach until he grabbed her hand, pulled her through the doorway."Make haste," he warned, "ere we be missed," hurrying her across the solar, toward the corner stairwell. They were only halfway up when they heard the sudden noise rising from the hall. Llewelyn swore, quickened his pace, all but dragging a breathless Joanna after him. By the time they reached the top of the stairs, they could hear a hue and cry below, but by then Llewelyn had the door open, shoved Joanna inside. He was laughing so hard that he could hardly get the bolt into place, managed it only moments before the first of their pursuers lurched against the door.Joanna sank down, panting, upon a coffer. "My lord, that was wonderful!" she exclaimed, looking at Llewelyn with shining eyes.Still laughing, Llewelyn moved to the table, reached for a wine "agon. "Do you not think it time you began to make use of my given name?" he asked, and with that, Joanna's excitement congealed into ice."Do you want wine?"Joanna shook her head, at once regretted her refusal. Mayhap wine ^'°uld have warmed, have thawed this frozen feeling that seemed cen" ln tr»e pit of her stomach. Unable to meet Llewelyn's eyes, she8 anced nervously about the chamber. Isabelle and the other ladies had of ne*eir work well. There were fresh rushes for the floor, a plenitude eandles, wine, and wafers, a well-stoked fire, for May nights could be

194chill in Cheshire. The enormous bed was one of Chester's best, Cu tained and piled high with coverlets; there were even flower peKi strewn over the turned-back sheets."Oh, no!" Joanna was on her feet, staring at the bed. "My ]0 Llewelyn, the blessing! I did not think of it before, but in shunning th revels, we'll forfeit, as well, the priest's blessing of our marriage bed!""Well, that can be remedied easily enough. We need only open th door."Joanna's hesitation was brief. From the noise in the stairwell, it sounded as if half of the wedding party were congregating outside the door. No longer pounding for admittance, they'd begun to serenade the bridal couple with ribald good humor, interspersing the song with rather explicit encouragements and instructions."No, let's make do without the blessing," she said hastily, and Llewelyn bit back a smile. Setting the wine cup down, he said, "Joanna, come here."She did, slanting one swift look up at him through her lashes, a look of involuntary entreaty."Your veil is askew." Tossing it onto the table, he let his hand linger upon her hair. Her lashes now shadowed her cheeks. She scarcely seemed to be breathing, so still was she, but her body was rigid under his touch; sliding his fingers along her throat, he could feel the wild throbbing of her pulse.When had he first realized he could not take this little girl to bed? When she'd fled the window seat, leaving behind a rose-colored veil? Or was it when she'd begged him to let her keep her dog, sounding for all the world like one of his own daughters? He leaned down, brushed his lips against her forehead.He could find in himself no desire to bed a child. Mayhap if she were naked under him in bed . . . but why should he force himself to a coupling that would give him little pleasure and her none at all? It had been only two days, after all, since he'd lain with Cristyn. He felt no particular need for a woman tonight, would as soon sleep; in truth, it had been no small strain, seeking to keep his men and Chester's from each other's throats. But how best to explain it to the lass, to keep her from seeing his restraint as rejection?"I would not have you fear me, Joanna. I would not ever hurt you, God's truth, I would not.""I shall do my best to be a good wife," Joanna said, almost inaudibly, sounding so young that Llewelyn felt a sharp pang of pity."Joanna, listen. You need not deny your fears, not to me. It is only natural that you should have such qualms. I think, though, that I can ease your mind.We have time enough and more, need not consummat6

295arriage this first night There is no reason why we cannot wait °UrhU am not such a stranger to you "Un I anna stared at him, openmouthed She did not know what to say, t thanked him, realizing just in time how insulting that would d He'd turned away, moving to extinguish the candles She5011 . e(j until he began to undress, then she retreated to the other side wa, e bed, fumbling with the lacings of her bliaut Unlike Llewelyn, ° h stripped with casual haste, letting his clothes drop where they lay, h took her time, carefully folding each garment in turn, not approach-the bed until he was already settled under the coverlets Sliding in her side of the bed, she tensed as Llewelyn leaned toward her, but he merely kissed her lightly on the cheek, murmured, "Sleep well, Siwan "Only then did Joanna relax, stretch out on the sheets She lay very still for a tame, listening to Llewelyn's even breathing beside her in the dark, utterly bewildered by the perversity of her own emotions She should be so thankful, so grateful for this reprieve and she was So why, then, was there this strange sense of almost