Here Be Dragons - 1 by Sharon Penman (best ebook reader android TXT) 📗

generosity, Brother. You may count upon that."SUPPER was generally an afterthought, but that evening's meal was an unusually bountiful one; in his relief that his risky role as peacemaker

72had met with such success. Archdeacon Alengon emptied his larders set beforeRichard a succession of meat and fish dishes, highly seasoned venison and salmon swimming in wine gravy. The salmon Richard dispatched to John's end of the table, with a good-humored but heavy, handed jest about the Prodigal Son and the Fatted Calf. To John, the taste was bitter as gall, and as soon after the meal as he could, he escaped the hall, out into the dark of the gardens.He was alone but a few moments, however. Joanna had followed, came forward to sit beside him on a rough-hewn oaken bench. "Here," she said, thrusting a wine cup into his hand. "I think you're in need of this."They'd gotten on well as children; she was only two years older than he, and he'd been sorry when their father had sent her off to Sicily as an eleven-year-old bride for William the Good. When he thought now upon his humiliation in the great hall, it was Joanna's presence there that he minded the most, and he said sharply, "If you've come to offer pity, I do not want any!""You need not worry; I do not think you're deserving of any. You were not led astray,' knew exactly what you were doing . . . and got what you deserved."But then she gave him a direct, searching glance."Does that offend you, Johnny?""No," John said, surprised to discover that he actually preferred her matter-of-fact rebuke to Richard's contemptuous pardon, and when she smiled at him, he smiled back."I'm glad," she said simply. "I can tell you, then, that I think Richard erred. A pardon should be generously given or not at all. For all that Richard has a fine grasp of tactics, he's always been woefully lacking in tact!"And what was he expected to say to that, John wondered, agree and incriminate himself? But after a moment to reflect, he dismissed the suspicion as unwarranted. For all the love that lay between them, he could not truly seeJoanna as Richard's spy. Nor, were he to be fair, was that Richard's way, either. Richard would not take the trouble."I'd rather not talk of that, Jo." The childhood name came without thought, was curiously comforting, evoking echoes of an almost forgotten familiarity."You're beautiful, you know, you truly are. Not at all the skin-and-bones sister I remember! Joanna Plantagenet, Queen of Sicily, Duchess of Apulia, Princess of Capua. Were you happy, Jo, in Sicily?""Not at first. I was too young, too homesick. But William meant well by me, gave me no cause for complaint. He was some thirteen years older, treated me like a daughter until I was ready to be a wife. Yes, I was happy enough. But at thirty-six he died, leaving no heirs, and as you know, his bastard cousinTancred seized the throne. Tancred not

73only denied me my dower nghts, he put me into close confinement at Palermo Isometimes wonder what would have become of me, Johnny, f not for Richard He landed at Messina on his way to the Holy Land, and when Tancred balked at releasing me, restoring my dower, Richard laid siege to the town, forcedTancred into submissionYes, John thought, and then he took you with him to the Holy Land, where he offered you to the brother of the infidel Prince Saladm But he said nothing"Richard's arrival at Messina was a godsend, in truth, and 1 will be ever grateful to him Yet I do not doubt you'd have done as much for me, too, JohnnySo would our brother Henry Even Geoffrey, provided it did not inconvenience him unduly Any one of you would have come to my aid, I know that And yet none of you would eer have come to the aid of each other I've often thought on that""When I was sixteen, Jo, Papa sought to persuade Richard to cede the Aquitame to me Our brother Henry was a year dead, and Papa promised to name Richard as his heir, but he thought it only fair that Richard should then yield upAquitame in return Richard did not see it that way, flared into a rage and swore he'd be damned ere he'd agree Papa flew into an equal rage, told me thatAquitame \as mine if I could take it from Richard A sixteen-year-old boy has no money for troops But the Duke of Brittany does, and Geoffrey offered to provide the men and money, told me this was the chance of a lifetime SoGeoffrey and I led an army into Poitou, and Richard burned damned near half ofBrittany in retaliation until Papa made haste to summon us all to London, told us he had not meant to be taken senously "They were both silent for a time after that John leaned over, plucked a primrose from the closest bush, and presented it to Joanna with self-mocking gallantry "Tell me, Jo, why did you follow me out to the gardens? What did you want to say to me''"Do you remember what I would call you whenever we'd have a falling-out?Johnny-cat, because you were always poking about where you had no nght to be ""I remember I never liked it much ""I could not help thinking of that as I watched you and Richard in *e great hall You offered up your eighth life in there, Johnny-cat You do know that7""Christ, Joanna, of course I do Do you think anything less than that could have brought me to Lisieux?""Thank God you see that," she said somberly " was so afraid you ^ould notBecause I know Richard, he'd not forgive you again, Johnny J116 next time you fall from grace will be the last time For your sake, I do »ope you never forget that "

nip!7YORKSHIRE, ENGLANDSeptember 1196JLoo excited to sleep, Joanna awakened just before dawn on the morning of