Here Be Dragons - 1 (98 page)

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She must avoid him whenever possible, and if that meant open ness, so be it.
She could only hope Davydd would understand. But 6 if he could not, that changed nothing. en even
She took several books and a candle with her to bedand T
for the spaniel always took shameful advantage of Llewelyn's absen *'
abandoning its sleeping basket for its mistress's feather bed. Joann $ moved her bedrobe, gave the dog an indulgent pat, and reached for th books.
The first she discarded at once, a romance of the ill-fated love Tristan for his uncle's wife, the beguiling Iseult. There was a perver comfort in attributing adulterous passion to a love potion; Joanna vvrv! wished she could so easily explain away her own infidelity. But she wa in no mood for an object lessonhowever lyricalin the inevitable wages of sin, and she chose instead a
French translation of a lengthy English poem, The Owl and the Nightingale.
Even this selection was not as innocuous as it first seemed. A cynical couplet could have served as John's epitaph: "The dark way he so fully knows, that in the bright he never goes." Other lines struck too close to home. "A woman may sport beneath the sheet, in wedded love or lustful heat." "For sure it is a better thing, for wife to love her husband pure, than wanton with a paramour."
Joanna dropped the book into the rushes, blew out the candle.
She was almost asleep when Topaz began to whine. The door creaked; she heard the bolt slide into place. Glynis. She pulled the pillow closer. But Topaz continued to whimper. She was rolling over, a drowsy reprimand forming on her lips, when the bed hangings were drawn back. A candle still burned on the table; framed in flickering light, a man was standing by the bed. Llewelyn?
Joanna sat up, blinking sleepily. But then he moved, and the candle caught the sheen of flaxen hair. Joanna gasped, grabbed for the sheet. "Will?"
"Did you think I was not coming? I did not want to be too obvious, love, waited nigh on an hour." He grinned. "And I know what you re going to ask now.
But no one saw me; it's full dark." As he was spea ing, he was unfastening his mantle. Tossing it onto a coffer, he beg unbuckling his scabbard and sword.
"Will, no! My God, you're mad! Someone could come in moment!"
at any
? Only
"Who'd dare enter your private chamber at such an hour. _ Glynis, love, and she's over in the great hall, dallying with my ^ t< Sometimes the more unlikely a trysting place, the safer it actua ) ^
Unbelting his tunic, he pulled it over his head, and Joann suddenly gave way to outrage. "You truly think I'd do this to suddenly gave way to outrage.

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I d lay wltn y°u m my husband's own bed7 Get out, get out ere I start to scream'"
He dropped the tunic onto the floor, stared at her in surprise What game are you playing now, Joanna7 You know you want me '. jjj you depart the hall like that if you did not expect me to fol-
"I expected nothing1 I'll take no blame for your mistakes, for your ursed, overweening pride For months now I've told you that it was er And even if I
were utterly besotted with you, I'd never have mted you into Llewelyn's bedchamber, never1"
Will gave a half-angry laugh "You make it sound as if we're about to defile a sacred shrine1" Yet he was not as irked as he might otherwise have been, she was clutching the sheet up to her breasts, but the matenal was soft, clinging, adhered to the curves of hip and thigh, and her hair spilled over her breasts, onto the pillow in a midnight cloud "Mayhap I did misread you, Joanna," he conceded "But I'm here now, and I cannot believe you truly want me to leave
You admitted it yourself at Shrewsbury, how much you still wanted me You remember how it was between us " He leaned over the bed, his mouth seeking hers, and Joanna screamed
Will never had more reason to bless his quick reflexes As stunned as he was, he reacted instinctively, swiftly clasping his hand over her mouth, choking back her cry He'd encountered resistance from women before, but it was usually playfully offered, a lover's game Joanna was struggling in earnest, in panic, trying to bite his hand, to scratch, to roll off the bed He realized at once that he could not restrain her without truly hurt.ng her, and when he loosened his grip on her mouth, she succeeded in giving another muffled scream
Never had Will's desire diminished so rapidly, never had he lost an wection with such speed He was no longer aware of the soft female v thrashing under his, was aware only of that unshuttered window, h« hysterically barking dog
Joanna, calm yourself I do not want to hurt you Joanna, listen to
L>o you know what will happen to me if anyone heard your scream7
f£"st Jesus, I'll be gelded with a dull knife' I'll not force you, I swear If rny hand away, let you up, do you promise not to scream7" tt, 6 noc^ed'
after an unnervmgly long pause He released her ^ ' ery cautiously She was gasping for breath, but she did not cry UU7 relaxed somewhat, enough for anger "Whatever possessed j °0ci Christ, woman, you almost got me killed1" ne Pul?na Was to° shaken for speech, half blinded by her own hair the sheet up, panting, rubbing her wrists
But when Will

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took a step toward the bed, she cried, "If you dare to tou K
// *-*^ri TY)Q
again . . . ne
Her voice had risen and he hastily backed away. "What d think, that I had rape in mind? At your own court, in your own h U chamber? What kind of a bloody fool do you think I am?"
They glared at each other, but his protest had the ring of tn Joanna acknowledged that by reaching for the spaniel, seeking to a it. Will moved to the table, poured himself a double measure of mead "i cannot remember when
I've felt death so damned close," he confess d "Between you and that wretched dog, I expected half the court to corn bursting in at any moment."
"You're luckier than you deserve. I want you out of here . now1" "You do want me to dress first? I'd look somewhat conspicuous wandering about the bailey in my shirt and chausses." Will set the cup down, studied Joanna with baffled, angry eyes. He still could not believe he'd not have been able to bring her around, if only he had enough privacy and time. But not here, not now, not when a single scream could bring a dozen men on the run.
"Here," he said, moving warily toward the bed. "Take the rest of this mead. If your nerves are half as frayed as mine, you need it."
Joanna did, but she shook her head. "Just put it down and get out."
She was still rubbing her wrist, and he said, "Are you hurt? In truth, Joanna, I did think you were expecting me, that I was welcome in your bed. I suppose every man has coerced a consent at one time or another. But I would never, in this lifetime or the next, force a woman like you. A Prince's wife, the King of England's sister? That mad I am not! I frightened you, I know. But you gave me a turn, too. Let's call it check and mate, and"
"I do not want to talk. I just want you to go." "All right. I'll go." It was for the best; she was too distraught to be trusted. But on the morrow he'd have to find a way to talk privately with her, to mollify her somehow. Women could be vindictive, unforgiving, and she was in a unique position to do him harm, to poison the ^"8 mind against him. "I'll go," he repeated, but instead he turned, moved swiftly toward the window. u
Joanna sat up in alarm. "Now what are you about? Get back les , be seen!" , ut.
"Something is amiss." Very cautiously, he peered around the s^ ter edge.
"People are coming out of the hall. I cannot be sure, t>u I hear your name, hear 'Siwan.'" . £0&
Joanna heard it too, now, a confused babble of voices, barking
"What is it, Will?"

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"I do not know, mayhap a fire " He nsked another look, and drew back hastily "Christ, it's Llewelyn1"
Even then, Will kept his wits about him Llewelyn was dismounting front of his lodgings, but if the door was thus eliminated as a means
' f scape, that still left a side window Will darted toward it, began jyng at tne shutter latches "Joanna, hide my clothing and sword1"
I t Joanna was incapable of moving She sat frozen, staring at the door
"Joanna7 Joanna, are you all right7 Unbar the door'" The voice was Llewelyn's
She heard other voices, too, someone was pounding on the door, and Llewelyn was shouting for the key Will had the latches up , now, he jerked the shutters open, and then recoiled
"Jesu, there are men outside1 Quick, Joanna, where can I hide7" But Joanna did not reply, and as he swung about, he saw the latch begin to move As they watched, it was slowly, inexorably pushed upward, and then the door was thrust open
Llewelyn was not alone, and the chamber was cast into eerie brightness by the sudden flare of torches But Joanna saw none of the men No one existed for her but Llewelyn She watched, stunned, as he strode into the room, watched as he came to an abrupt halt, watched as his face changed, watched as her world fell apart
Llewelyn looked from Will to Joanna, and despite the irrefutable evidence of infidelity, there was still a moment in which he half expected Joanna to offer a rational, convincing explanation for Will's presence, half dressed, in their bedchamber But she had yet to utter a word, and all the color had drained from her face She looked up at him in stricken silence, silence more damning than any confession could have been and he could read in her eyes only horror, despairing entreaty, and an admission of a betrayal beyond forgiving
Will stood very still He'd talked his way out of awkward corners before, but none like this He'd seen the disbelief on Llewelyn's face give way to a far more frightening emotion, and he thought, Christ, he loves her1 He'd always prided himself upon his glibness of tongue, but as ne looked at Llewelyn, he knew suddenly that it would not avail him n°w that nothing would
He no longer had enough saliva for swallowing, had to try twice fore he could get the words out "I know this looks bad, but" He o no further, Llewelyn's sword was already clearing its scabbard He d nowhere to run, felt the wall at his back, and knew the last sight e d ever see was the light reflecting off that gleaming steel blade ^ Joanna was petrified, averted her eyes But she made no sound nroat had closed up, even if Llewelyn turned the sword upon her she d not have been able to cry out

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"Llewelyn, wait!"
Joanna opened her eyes, saw that Ednyved had stepped bet Llewelyn and Will.
"No," he said grimly, "not like that. It's too ^ Give him the death he deserves. Hang him." ^
Will drew an audible breath. No one else spoke. And then Llew slowly lowered his sword. "Yes," he said in a voice Joanna had n heard before. "You're right.
It is too quick this way. Take him." *
For the first and only time in his life, Will panicked, made a sudd lunge for the window. But Llewelyn's sword came up with eye-blurri speed, and Will froze, his stomach muscles contracting, anticipatin that first thrust into the belly or groin. There'd be nothing easy or quick about such a death, not with
Llewelyn wielding the blade. Better to tak his chances with the hanging, for there was a hopehowever slightthat enough political pressure might reprieve him.
He no longer resisted, therefore, when Llewelyn's men laid hands upon him, but they treated him roughly all the same, jerking his arms behind his back and shoving him toward the door. He did not struggle, realizing that Llewelyn had only to say the word and they'd gladly hang him then and there, over the bed.
He stumbled, nearly fell, and for a moment his eyes found Joanna.
"I ought to be gallant and say you were worth it, darling," he said huskily, "but no woman is worth hanging for."
His words meant nothing to Joanna; she never even heard them. "Llewelyn . . ."
She had yet to take her eyes from her husband's face. "Llewelyn, I'm sorry . .
."
Llewelyn moved toward the bed. When he brought the sword up, he heard gasps.
Joanna's lips parted; her breath quickened. Tears had begun to streak her face. He knew suddenly that this was the way he would always remember her, clutching a sheet to hide her nakedness, dark hair falling about her face in wanton disarray, kneeling in the middle of the bed, the bed in which she'd betrayed him. Her deathbed. One downward stroke of his sword and the sheets would be soaked with blood. His hand tightened on the hilt, and then he thrust the sword back into its scabbard, turned to face the others.
"I want de Braose's men taken prisoner, too. See to it."
1 . . i _ ,,/-!!-
Men hastened to obey. Llewelyn became aware now of their au ence, of the people crowding into the antechamber. "Get them °u i. _...// i. _ i j _ . .1 .1 . ... _ .1. . _ i _i j -
:c U,r ma(ric. Wnl'e ivicii iiaaicucu lu uucy. i_,icwciyn uc^aiiic awaic n»^" ~- , ence, of the people crowding into the antechamber. "Get them °u here," he snarled, and the antechamber cleared as if by magic/ through the open window he could see Will de Braose being dragg across the bailey. . ^
"Llewelyn . . . Llewelyn, I did not ask him to come to me- ^ve over between us. Beloved, I swear it, I swear I never wou brought him here, into your bed .
. ."

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If her words had registered with him, Joanna could see no indicaof it in n's
^ace' ^e turned away from her, and as he moved through doorway, Joanna sobbed, begged him to wait, to listen, but he did nejther.
"Llewelyn ..." Joanna sobbed again, collapsed upon the bed. He gone and he would not be back. She'd lost him, lost all, all ... She , noj think it was possible to feel pain greater than this. But then she ar(] her son's voice, heard Davydd say, "Why, Mama, why?"
"Davydd?" Her voice broke. "Davydd . . . you saw? My God, oh, myGod, no..."
He moved from the shadows of the antechamber, stood there starjne at her as if he no longer recognized her. "Glynis sent word that you'd been taken ill, that the doctors feared a rupture . . ."He sounded dazed, his words labored, coming as uncertainly as if he were speaking a language not his own. "She said . . .
said you might be dying. Papa, he ..." He shook his head, as if to clear it.
"We half killed our horses, and when we rode into the bailey, no one knew, no one . . ." The words trailed off raggedly, his mouth contorting.
"What have you done, Mama? Jesus God, what have you done?"
DAVYDD had gone. Joanna was alone. She would never know how long she lay there in the darkness. Upon the table a solitary candle still sputtered, burning down toward the wick. When at last it flickered out, Joanna rose from the bed, groped her way across the chamber. She did not bother with stockings or chemise; finding a gown in one of her coffers, she pulled it over her head, began to search for her shoes. She did not braid her hair, merely brushed it back over her shoulders. She had to see Llewelyn. She had to tell him that she'd not lain with Will in his bed. Nothing else mattered. He could never forgive her, she knew that. But le' his grieving be for those October afternoons in the hafod. Not for this, "°t for a betrayal in his own bedchamber. She could at least do that for
"n. She could give him the truth about tonight and hope it might in "me help to heal some of his pain.
Once she was dressed, though, she found herself standing motionby the door.
How could she find Llewelyn? The thought of entering ^ 8feat hall in search of him was terrifying. She wanted only to stay m the dark, never to have to face others again. But she must somebra *^e Coura8e to do this, for
Llewelyn's sake if not her own. She arm nerself and then opened the door, only to find her way barred by
^ed guards.