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

how he cannot wait to risk his life in some infidel hellhole. I truly think he must be mad," John said, with such sincerity that Will had to laugh."If you can coax Richard into giving me a landed wife, I'll be much in your debt. But now we do need to talk. I rode in from Fontevrault

45ith Geoffrey He's right bitter, John, like to say that which would be better left unsaid I thought I'd best get to you first, tell" "My lord7 My lord, your brother"Geoffrey did not wait to be announced, but shoved the servant side, and strode into the chamber "I do want to talk to you, John ""How lucky for me," John said coolly, signaled to the servant to pour them wine "What shall we drink to, Geoffrey7 Your good fortune7 Did he tell you, Will, that Richard has ordered the canons of York to elect Brother Geoffrey as their Archbishop7 Of course, there is still a minor matter of taking vows, but that is a small price to pay to become a prince of the Church, is it not7""I rather thought I had you to thank for that," Geoffrey said "But that is not why I'm here, and you damned well know it, John I'm going to tell you how our father died, and you're going to listen ""Am I indeed7" John's eyes had gone very green "I think not If you want to lay blame about, lay it where it belongson Richard's head Not mine If you have anything to say, say it then to Richard1""I did at Fontevrault He at least was man enough to hear me out Are you7"John had half risen from his chair With that, he sank back "Say what you have to say and then get out ""Gladly " Geoffrey reached over and, without asking, helped himself to one of the wine cups "I would to God I knew what Papa saw in you He kept faith to the end, you know Even your cowardly flight from Chmon did not open his eyesAlmost to the last, he kept expecting you to come back, even worned about you, if you can credit that'" "Geoffrey," Will said uneasily, "this does serve for naught " "Keep out of this, Will On July third, Tours fell, and Philip andRichard summoned Papa to Colombieres He was sick unto death, made it only as far as the Knights Templars at Ballan But when he sent word to Philip, Richard insisted he was malingering, playing for time By then he could barely stay in the saddle, but he refused a horse litter, somehow got himself to ColombieresEven Philip was moved to pity at sight of him, even Philip, offered to spread a cloak on the ground for him But he would not agree He was too proud, you see" Geoffrey's voice had thickened, he drank, keeping his eyes all the while upon John"They told him he was there not to discuss terms, but to yield to their demands They dared to speak so to him, and he could do nothing about it Then they told him what they wanted He must do homage to Philip for nis lands inNormandy and Anjou, accept Philip as his overlord He must pay Philip twenty thousand marks, must have all his barons swear fealty to Richard, must promise not to take vengeance

46upon those who'd betrayed him. All this they demandedand more. By then the noonday sky was black as ink, sweat ran off him like rain, and how he ever kept to his saddle, the Lord Christ Jesus alone does know. But they were not through yet. He must publicly give Richard the kiss of peace, they said. Even that he did, even that. . . and then hissed in Richard's ear, 'God grant I do not die ere I have revenged myself upon you.' Of course, you may already know that, John. I understand Richard told one and all at the French court, as if it were some droll joke!"We brought him back to Chinon by horse litter, and I watched through the night as his fever burned ever higher. The next day Roger Malchet rode in fromTours with a list of rebels, those men who'd gone over to Philip and Richard.Need I tell you, John, that your name did head the list?"Geoffrey paused, but John said nothing. "He did not believe it at first, cursed Roger, me, all within hearing, accused us of lying, of trying to poison his mind against you, his 'dearest born.' And when he could deny it no longer, he turned his face to the wall, said no more. Within hours he was dead. His last words to me were, 'You are my true son. The othersthey are the bastards.'"There were only a few of us with him at the last; most had already taken themselves off to Richard's encampment. Whilst I was in the chapel, his servants stripped his body, stole rings, clothing, whatever they could find.We'd have had to bury him mother-naked had not one of his squires let us wrap the body in his cloak, and as it was, we had not even money for alms."So died the greatest Prince in Christendom, our lord father. You think on that, John, think on how he died, and then tell me again that you bear no blame. Well? Have you nothing to say? Passing strange, neither did Richard."Geoffrey drained the wine cup very deliberately, turned and walked to the door. "Richard forced him from a sickbed, broke his power, his pride. But you, John, you broke his heart. I truly wonder which be the greater sin."Will shifted uncomfortably as the door slammed, slanted a surreptitious look toward John. It may have been the dim lighting, but John seemed to have lost color. He'd turned his head away; his face was in profile, utterly still, masklike. Will fidgeted, opened his mouth, and then sat back, defeated. What, after all, was there to say?

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLANDFebruary