The Dream Weavers by Barbara Erskine (books you have to read txt) 📕

‘She left Nesta, that was the herb-wife who had given her the poison for her husband’s lover, to carry the can. But Nesta was too quick for them and vanished into the forest. The next bit was a bit blurry – I had sensations of travel by land and then by sea; I think she was seasick because she felt ill and I saw huge rollers going past the ship. It was rowed by dozens of men, the ship didn’t seem to have had a sail, then they landed on a beach near a fishing village and reloaded her treasure on to new carts and then the story jumped to the palace of Charlemagne. A much larger palace than Offa’s at Sutton, but the same sort of thing. Great halls with carved beams, decorated with swirls and figures and dragons and crowds of people – the same cooking smells from the bakehouse and kitchens, and smoke from huge open fires, but these buildings were joined by covered passages rather than open walkways, so it was much more like one great building.’

‘And Charlemagne?’ Simon whispered.

‘And Charlemagne. He beckoned her over to sit with him and he knew exactly what had happened. She didn’t think he would and was ready to lie about why she was there, but obviously the news had got there before she arrived. I should imagine he had a pretty efficient spy network. He mentioned the death of her husband.’

‘What did he look like?’ Simon had leant forward towards her. He was holding his breath.

‘He was a large man, tall, but big in every way, with huge muscular arms and a thick neck, and he was wearing a coronet I suppose you would call it. A breastplate type thing with a heavy cloak trimmed with white fur. He had faded reddish hair – he wasn’t a young man by any means – and was dripping with jewels. Rings on every finger. He spoke, they all speak – English – my English. At least, I understood everything they said. His voice was loud and confident and his eyes were blue and he was prepared to play with her a bit – tease her. But there was no question of his power. The hall was full of armed men. There were women there too, but mainly men.’

Simon was staring at her, speechless.

‘Does that sound like him?’ she prompted.

‘I don’t know,’ he said at last, ‘but there are descriptions I can check. I do know he was the most powerful man in the western world at the time. He had an empire that included most of modern France and Germany and Holland and parts of Italy, but it all fell apart eventually after his death and no one managed to even try to replicate his power till centuries later.’

‘Don’t tell me what happens in my story. Not yet.’

‘I’m not sure anyone knows what happened to Eadburh, apart from what Asser tells us, which was that at some point she disappears from history.’ He sat back in his chair and stared at her. ‘I can’t believe I’m even listening to this, but after my experience with Elisedd, if it was Elisedd, I don’t know what to think any more.’

‘Don’t put it in your book as gospel.’

‘No. I won’t,’ he said with fervour. He sighed. ‘How does Em fit into all this?’

Bea hesitated. ‘I have my theories, but they don’t necessarily fit into my experiences. I’m not sure exactly what it is that she has picked up, and I don’t want to commit myself until we have done some more work together. I only hope she will allow me some time before she has to go back to school.’ She paused. ‘Has this ever happened at home, Simon? Does her mother know about these moments when she is distracted, or perhaps abstracted is a better word, somewhere else in her thoughts?’

‘Don’t all children do that to some extent?’

‘Yes, but this would have been different, different enough for her to notice and have some concerns.’

‘Val’s never said anything to me. I think she would have told me if anything like this has happened in front of her. I …’ he grimaced, ‘I haven’t mentioned any of this to her. Emma has begged me not to, and I think she’s right. Val is not …’ he hesitated again, ‘not a particularly sensitive type. She is down to earth. A realist, like me. The trouble is, she even finds my fascination with history difficult to cope with.’ He stopped abruptly.

‘That must be very hard,’ Bea said gently.

‘Indeed. Most of the time we’re fine. We cope. As you know, I do a lot of my writing in private places.’

‘Where you can feel the spirit of the place,’ she said with a smile. ‘I remember you using that phrase when we first met.’

‘Did I?’

‘A Freudian slip perhaps.’ She laughed. ‘But I do see that you wouldn’t want your wife to hear about Eadburh and Elisedd.’

‘Completely off limits. Both the kids are well aware of their mother’s trigger points and are circumspect with all the wisdom children have about these matters.’ He hesitated. ‘Val and I have a complex relationship, Bea. We need to be apart, but we need each other too.’ He looked away as though considering what he had just said.

Bea nodded slowly, then tactfully changed the subject. ‘Will you ask Em to ring me? I would like at least one more session with her before she goes home.’

‘Of course.’

‘And Simon, if you need help, let me know. I’m not convinced we are done with the royal family of Mercia yet.’

He nodded. ‘I ought to go. I’m not super convinced they will stick to the revision plan if I’m not there. Felix doesn’t seem to think he needs to revise at all, and only time will tell, but for Em the stress of these wretched A levels is not helping with this one bit, though she’s bright enough. She should walk it, but this