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

tomb of the English King It gave him a curious kind of comfort to touch the cold marble of John's coffin Once he'd even spat onto it, knowing the gesture was childish and not caring in the leastBut as he moved now into the choir, he came to an abrupt halt, for he was not alone Two young boys were standing by John's coffin, a lone wall sconce spilling light onto their bowed heads, one bright as flame, the other black as jet His brother Davydd and the boy KingHaving offered a prayer, Henry carefully crossed himself, then reached out, ran his hand over the smooth surface of the tomb Davydd, to°, started to touch the coffin, but so tentatively that Henry said encouragingly, "Go ahead Papa would not mind You're his grandson, you have the right "At that, Davydd drew back My grandfather, he thought, and it did "ot seem real to him, not at all "Do you miss him7" he asked, and Hei*y noddedI did not see him all that often, but I always knew I would sooner ater Now, when I think that I'll never, never get to see him again, Betimes it it scares me "Uavydd gave Henry a look of sharp pity "You must miss your er/ too Why did she go7" He did not mean to be rude, but he

520found Isabella's mysterious departure very disturbing; it made him wonder if his own mother might not one day go back to England, leave him as Isabelle had left Henry."I do not know," Henry admitted. "She" His head came up "Davydd," he whispered, "someone is watching us. Over there, see?"Davydd peered into the shadows. "It's my brother," he said, but the sudden tautness in his voice and stance communicated to Henry an inexplicable sense of unease."Let's go," he urged, tugging at Davydd's sleeve.Davydd wanted to go, too, but he did not want Gruffydd to think he was running away. He circled around to the far side of the coffin. "Do you like your brothers, Henry?"Henry smiled at the silliness of the question. "Of course I do. I like Richard and Oliver best, and I love my little brother Dickon; he's nine, like you.""We Welsh have a saying about brothers," Davydd said, so loudly that Henry flinched. "Gwell ceiniog na brawd.""What does that mean?""Better a penny than a brother.""I do not understand.""Gruffydd does.""Not so loud," Henry cautioned, "lest he hear you. I do not like being watched. Think you that we can slip out without him seeing us?""No," Davydd said, but then he sighed. "It's all right. He's gone."One of the monks was moving sedately up the cloister walkway, toward the south door of the church. He stumbled backward as Gruffydd burst through the doorway, his box of candles spilling onto the cloister tiles. Gruffydd did not offer assistance; he'd not even noticed the man. He continued rapidly up the walkway, not pausing until he neared the Chapter House. At this time of day it would be empty/ would be a good place to be alone. He was reaching for the latch as the door swung open and his father and the Earl of Chester emerged onto the walkway.Llewelyn had often deplored his eldest son's sense of timing, but never more than now. "Were you looking for me, Gruffydd?"Gruffydd shook his head. They'd been laughing together; he even thought he'd heard his father call Chester by his Christian name, call him Ranulf as if he were a friend, a comrade-in-arms."You know my son, of course, Ranulf," Llewelyn said, an Gruffydd stiffened. Ranulf. So he'd not imagined it. Ranulf."Indeed. I was present at Dover Castle the day he defied King J° I've never forgotten it, for that was one of the most courageous aI've ever seen." In Chester's considered opinion, it was also one is a* of*6

r527jjiost foolhardy, and he might have said that to Llewelyn But h (-jj-uffyddhe knew instinctively that this was one young man ^t. never learned to laugh at himself ."You might as well be the first to know," he said, and smiled . lord father and I have pledged to forget past differences, to act as t from this day forth " He heard Llewelyn's indrawn breath, and krv 'ples, his anger had turned inward, and he felt suddenly sick'ost track of time when the creaking of the door jolted him upright,

522Wr523he'd hoped Chester would have the common sense to leave him al0n The door opened wider. Not Chester. Morgan.Llewelyn's mouth twitched, in what was almost a smile. "You i ways know whenI have need of you. What have yousecond sight?-, Morgan shook his head. "Gruffydd has gone."Llewelyn closed his eyes again, then felt the priest's hand on h' shoulder."What can I do, Morgan? He's my son. Christ Jesus, but vhat can I do?"5DOLWYDDELAN, NORTH WALESApril 1220JOANNA was accustomed to having her bedchamber appropriated whenever her husband required a particularly private meeting place. She was not accustomed, however, to being present at such times, and was attracting more than her share of curious, covert looks. When Ednyved sauntered over to her window seat, she murmured, "If I tell them I'm here at Llewelyn's bidding, will they stop staring at me as if I'm a Norman spy in their midst?""Even after fourteen years in Wales, do you still know so little of our ways?They've never thought of you as a Norman spybut rather as an English one."Joanna bit her lip, but once more he'd won; she was unable to suppress a smile. She gestured for him to join her in the window seat, ma velingnot for the first timehow unlikely and yet how dear a "ien this man had become. Not that he'd changed any; he still had a stia tongue, a sardonic eye, and spared none the cutting edge of his h11"1. But now she caught the glint of amusement behind the heavy ' ' caught the echoes of