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

explained to Isabelle that you thought it would be a kindness to delay the marriage. She assured me, however, that will not be necessary, told me she would like to be wed at once. Is that not so, Isabelle?""Yes, Papa." Isabelle gave John a dazzling smile. "That is indeed my wish."But only Will noticed as she then surreptitiously wiped the palms of her hands against her elegant silk skirt. Poor little lass, he thought; so she was not so different from his Ela, after all. And his heart went out to her in a surge of protective, paternal tenderness."Is that agreeable to Your Grace, then? Have I your permission to make plans for the wedding? As the Archbishop of Bordeaux is in your entourage, he could officiate. On the morrow, shall we say?"John had yet to take his eyes from Isabelle. "By all means, Aymer," he said, and smiled at Aymer's daughter. "The sooner the better.""OH, how beautiful! Is it truly for me?"John smiled. "Truly. Here, turn around and I'll fasten the clasp for you."Isabelle did as he bade, sitting beside him on the garden bench

123Because of her youth, she wore no wimple or veil, but let her hair fall , e down her back. John brushed it aside, fastened the necklet about her throat;even in the moonlight, the stones glowed, opals the shade of twilight and amethysts of deepest purple. "Emeralds would suit you better, I think. Do you like emeralds, Isabelle?""They are green, no? I've never owned much jewelry. I do have a betrothal ring from Hugh. But I suppose I must give it back now, must I not?" she said impishly, and John laughed."Indeed not; consider it a keepsake. You have no regrets, then? About not marrying Hugh?""Oh, no! I would have tried to be a dutiful wife, truly I would. But but I did not want to marry him." Isabelle hesitated, not sure whether such candor was permissible. "He was so much older than me, older even than my papa. He had salt-grey hair, not black and glossy like yours, and his eyes were always bloodshot and he ... he made me uncomfortable sometimes, the way he looked at me ...""As if he were starving and you were on the menu?" John suggested, and she gave a startled giggle."But I look at you that way, too; have you not noticed?""I do not mind it with you," she said softly, lowering her lashes to cast silky shadowed crescents upon skin so perfect it looked like porcelain. John reached over, stroked her cheek. When she did not pull away, he leaned closer still, touched her mouth with his. Her breathing quickened; he could see the rise and fall of her small breasts, budding against the bright silk of her bodice. He kissed her again, this time as a man would kiss a woman, and found that the entrancing flirt who'd invited such intimacies was but an illusion born of the moonlight and his own desire, found himself holding a fearful little girl. She submitted docilely to his embrace, let him explore her mouth with his tongue, but her body had lost all pliancy, was rigidly unresponsive under his hands. John released her, frowning, and tears filled her eyes."I did not please you?" she faltered. "Papa said I must, said I""Isabelle, hush. There is nothing about you that does not please roe. I do not expect you to know how to pleasure a man, will teach you all you need to know." He began to caress her hair, let his fingers trail across her throat."And they'll be lessons much to your liking, that I can Promise you."There was no anger in his voice, and Isabelle was emboldened to confide, "Papa told me I must not let Hugh touch me till we were wed, °ut.. . but he said Ishould let you do what you will. And I was so afraid because if we bedded together and then you did not want me as a wife, Papa would have blamed me for that, would have been so Wroth ..."

124"Isabella, listen to me. Forget what your father told you; it does not matter.You do not belong to him any longer. You belong to me, and I d0 want you. Iwant you as my Queen, I want you in my bed, and right now I want you on my lap." John smiled, but she reacted as if to a command, at once settled herself upon his knee, and put her arms shyly about his neck.Her obedience delighted him, and he realized suddenly that he wanted her as much for her youth as in spite of it; she was still unformed, as malleable as she was beautiful, soft clay to be molded and shaped as he desired. "You are so fair to look upon," he murmured, then began to laugh. "And I've done Hugh de Lusignan an even more grievous hurt than I dared hope for!"THE great hall was in utter chaos, as the entire household of the Count ofAngouleme labored to make ready for the wedding on the morrow. When Will could abide the confusion no longer, he escaped out into the gardens. It was becoming increasingly apparent to him that this wedding had been planned weeks in advance, so sure was Aymer of his daughter's power to enchant. He wondered briefly if he should mention this to John, decided it was pointless; John was not being shoved to the altar at swordpoint, after all.He was approaching an intricate arbor of white thorn and willow, walled by trellises and fragrant with summer honeysuckle. As he came nearer, he heard a man's voice, low and coaxing. "You have to trust me, love. You do, do you not?" The girl's voice came even more clearly to Will's ears, an innocent accomplice in her own seduction. "Oh, but I do, truly I do." Will was genuinely shocked; he'd recognized the male voice at once as his brother's, but he found it almost impossible to believe