Here Be Dragons - 1 by Sharon Penman (best inspirational books txt) 📕

what she most needed, a sense of belonging. Llewelyn had somehow succeeded where they had not, and Richard was grateful to him for it. He knew Joanna had found more than contentment in her marriage, that she'd found a rare and real passion. He knew how deeply she loved Llewelyn, and he wished that she'd never laid eyes upon the WelshPrince, wished that he had the power to blot the past thirty-one months from her mind and memory, for he did not think her present happiness was worth the suffering that was sure to come.She had refused to answer his question, but he knew what her answer would have been, knew all too well what Llewelyn ab lorvvertn wanted. He wanted a Wales free of all English influence, wanted a united country under his own rule, a sovereign, independent kingdom like Scotland. And Richard knew his father would never allow it to be No English King could."Richard . . . was Papa very wroth with Llewelyn for laying claim Powys?""Yes, I fear so," he said reluctantly, hoping she would not intetf ate him further, not wanting her to know the true extent of John's rage [then he was told that Llewelyn's red-and-gold lions were flying over much of mid-Wales."I knew he"Joanna gave an audible gasp; her wine cup splashed fs contents onto the window-seat cushions."My God, Joanna, is it the babe? Do not move, I'll fetch your women ..."Joanna's breath was coming back. "You need not panic," she said, sounding faintly amused. "It was just a stray pain. They come and go in the last days, mean only that my time is growing nigh."Richard's relief was considerable. Like most men, he knew next to nothing about the birthing process, was quite content to keep it that way. "You']]have a midwife, of course, and women to help, to do whatever . . . whatever must be done?" he asked awkwardly."Two midwives, Dame Rhagnell and Dame Meryl. And Branwen and Alison, of course. I should have liked Catherine to be with me, but her youngest has been ailing." Joanna frowned; having Catherine with her would have gone far to allay some of her anxieties. "I wish I were not so fearful, Richard, wish I

did not dread it so, for when a woman is tense and fearful, the pain is worse.If I did not remember Elen's birth so vividly . . . But I will not be so afraid if I know Llewelyn is here. As long as he is close at hand . . ."Joanna's voice trailed off; after a moment, she looked up, gave Richard a shy smile. "I never knew it was possible to be so angry with a man and yet want him so much, too. But right now I think I'd gladly forgive him any sin onGod's earth if only he'd walk through that door, if only he comes back for the baby's birth ..."RICHARD would never have admitted his doubts to Joanna, but he thought it very unlikely that Llewelyn would return in time. Richard had known few husbands all that eager to endure long hours of waiting outside the birthing chamber, and he found it hard to believe a man would interrupt a military campaign because of a young wife's fears. Mayhap for a first child, but Llewelyn already had seven children, already had a son. He said nothing, however, did what he could to raise15 sister's flagging spirits, and was never so pleased to be proven Wrong as when Llewelyn rode into the castle bailey just before Vespers On November 20.mCHARD awoke with a start, a sleepy sense of disorientation. After aWent or so, he remembered where he was, in the great hall at Dol-elan, and glanced over at the pallet where his brother-in-law had

288289been sleeping. But Llewelyn's pallet was empty. Despite the hour, R^ ard felt no surprise; several times in the night he had heard Llewelyn rise, go out into the rain, and each time he returned, wet and shivering he had answeredRichard's low-voiced queries with a shrug, a shake of his head.Pulling on his boots, Richard moved to the heavy oaken door opened it a crack.It was just before dawn, a blustery, cold Monday; the wind was still gusting, and after a night of unrelenting rain, the bailey was ankle-deep in mud.Llewelyn was mounting the stairs up into the keep. He'd not be given entry, Richard knew; men were strictly barred from the birthing chamber. But Branwen or Alison would join him on the drawbridge in the forebuilding, would give him word on Joanna's progress.Richard retreated back into the hall, sent his squire for a chamber pot and then a cupful of ale. It was a quarter hour before Llewelyn returned. Moving at once to the center open hearth, he stood as near the flames as he could, blew on his hands to combat the crippling cold, and rejected an offer of bread and cheese to break his fast. In the harsh morning light, he looked to be a different man from the one who'd come back in such triumph just three days ago, jubilant after six weeks of successive victories. He suddenly seemed a stranger to laughter; lack of sleep and a failure to shave gave him a haggard, unkempt look. And remembering how he'd doubted that Llewelyn would return forJoanna's travail, Richard wondered how he could ever have been so stupid."How does she?" he asked, again got a weary shake of the head in reply."No change, or so they claim." Llewelyn accepted a cupful of ale, swallowed without tasting. "Eighteen hours it's been," he said, and Richard realized he did not even know if that was an excessive length of time."Is that overly long?""Not if the pains are light, feeble. But Branwen says Joanna's pains are right sharp, and coming close together. She got no rest at all last night. If the birth drags on ... So much can go wrong, Richard, so much. If the babe is lying in