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

to lay claim to the crown.""I know that, and I know, too, what you fear. But you're seeing Davydd with a mother's eye. Do not underestimate the lad, Joanna. He is stronger than you think.""I am not saying Davydd is weak! I am saying he is young, too young. He's just nineteen, Ednyved, and Gruffydd is thirty-two, with years of battlefield experience. Can you honestly tell me you believe Davydd could hold his own against Gruffydd?""Not now," he conceded. "Not yet." A silence fell between them He watchedJoanna pace, finally said, "I can think of only one way to solve the problemGruffydd poses. But I doubt you could bring yourself to do it, not even forDavydd. Hire men to arrange a killing."Joanna recoiled, and he said dryly, "You see? I knew you could never do it.""Neither could you." Joanna moved toward him. "But you've given me an idea, Ednyved. What if Gruffydd were banished from Llewelyn's court, banished fromWales?"He looked thoughtful, nodded slowly. "Yes, that might well give Davydd the time he'd need. But you'd best think this through, Joanna You're talking about causing Llewelyn a great deal of pain.""I know." She shook out her crumpled veil, stared down at the bloodstains."Will you help me, Ednyved? If not for Davydd, for Gwynedd?""Yes," he said. "I'll help you. How?""I do not know yet," she admitted. "But I'll find a way. Somehow I'll find a way."JOANNA'S mission to Shrewsbury met with surprising success. She was able to patch up another peace, to stave off a confrontation between Llewelyn and theEnglish crown. But she was not sanguine about the long-term prospects of this truce, suspected it would be of fleeting dura tion, for Hubert de Burgh was not content with his acquisition of Mon gomery Castle, was casting covetous eyes upon the neighboring We commote of Ceri.Gruffydd reacted with predictable fury to Llewelyn's announ^ ment of a truce, and after quarreling bitterly with Llewely1' withdrew from his father's court for several weeks. Joanna usual y corned his absences, but for the first time she found herself waltl"glvto patiently for Gruffydd's return. She had finally hit upon a plan/Jl e

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584maned male lion, awesome to behold but actually dependent upon h' less flamboyant mate, the rangy lioness who did the hunting. Seneria of the watchful cat-eyes, Senena who was more calculating than her tem pestuous husband, and thus more dangerous. But no, she was bein unfair now, letting her dislike of Senena lead her astray. How could sh blame the woman for being loyal to her husband, her children? Thev had three now: nine-year-old Owain, six-year-old Gwladys, and a second son born just that spring, named afterLlewelyn.Joanna frowned, brought her mental ramblings to an abrupt halt Why was she going on like this? Yes, Gruffydd was a caring husband, a loving father. What of it? Why was she culling out his virtues from amongst his failings, searching for those few traits she might justifiably honor?After some moments of conjecture, she thought she knew. It was as if she were seeking to reassure herself, to show that she was not acting out of malice, that her hatred of Gruffydd played no part in what she was about to do. Well, mayhap her motives were not as pure as she'd have liked, but she'd not be lying when she answered to the Almighty for this, when she avowed that she could see no other way, no other choice.At last Senena was moving away. Joanna laid her scissors down, stood up. Her eyes searched out Ednyved. He nodded almost imperceptibly, started toward the door. Joanna braced herself, then crossed the hall, sat down beside Gruffydd in the window seat.Gruffydd could not hide his surprise. "Yes, Madame?" he said coldly, warily."I thought you might want to congratulate me. I did avert a war, did I not?"This was so unlike Joanna that Gruffydd's suspicions kindled like sun-dried straw, and he responded with uncommon caution. "No, you did not. You did but delay it. You did my father no service by you! meddling, for Hubert de Burgh will take our restraint as weakness. Hell be all the more likely now to move into Ceri, because we failed to hai him at Tre Faldwyn ... or as you Normans call it, Montgomery.""I'm sorry you take that view. But I cannot say I'm surprised. AKe all, you have such a limited