Read Online Godiva by Nicole Galland - Free Book Online

course,” she said with an artificially flustered laugh. “It would be seduction.”
    He chuckled knowingly. “No, it would not. For all your teasing, you would never willingly let any man but Leofric lay hold of you. Which is admirable, of course—I do not say it as a criticism.” He mirrored her own teasing smile. “Only a lament.”
    â€œVery gallant of you,” she said. “Although somewhat underinformed.”
    â€œI beg your pardon?”
    She wished there were more lights around them, that they might read each other better. So much was easily miscommunicated in grey half-light. “I assumed you knew the whole truth,” she said. “About myself and Leofric.”
    He gave her what she took, in the darkness, to be an amused look. “I believe I do, lady,” he said. “You counterfeit in public to have no particular affinity for him, and then you twist other men around your finger by dangling unspoken, unspeakable offers before them. Offers you will never act on. Your cunning little secret is that you are entirely devoted to your husband.”
    â€œThere is more to it than that,” she said. “Perhaps I was expecting too much, to think you had grasped it all.”
    He held up a hand to silence her. A pause. Then he very deliberately took one large step back, away from her. “Stay there,” he said. “Continue.”
    She wished he had not done that. “I am devoted to Leofric, in that I act always with his interests at heart. But there is a considerable age difference between us; we have different appetites, he already has an heir, and he trusts me to keep my heart in check.”
    A silence.
    â€œMeaning?” Sweyn demanded.
    â€œTo further confound everyone around us—and to accommodate my surplus of appetite—I do, in fact, take the occasional lover.” How she wished she could see his face more clearly.
    Another silence. “I do not believe you,” Sweyn said flatly into the chill darkness.
    â€œWhy not?” she asked, arch. “Is your ego so wounded that I have not chosen you already?”
    â€œI am not wounded, and I do not believe you,” Sweyn said.
    â€œI am barren,” she whispered. “Not that I was desperate for motherhood anyhow, in this world where someone else nurses the babe and someone else yet raises it. Where is the motherhood in that? No wonder the likes of Queen Emma became such a heartless and conniving monster. My very womb rebelled against it early. So you see, there is not the slightest danger of embarrassment to Leofric, and he knows I would never make a fool of myself.”
    â€œBarren women have no appetites,” said Sweyn, crossing his arms.
    â€œThat is not true, as I would be delighted to demonstrate,” she retorted, almost fiercely.
    He released a short, nervous bark of a laugh. “I do not know why you are doing this, Godiva, you have already played me for all I’m worth this Council—”
    â€œThat’s true, I have,” she said. “So I need not play you now. Nor am I so desperate or besotted that I have come to throw myself at your feet and beg you to ride me.”
    â€œMy lady—” Sweyn said, and took an even larger step back away from Godiva, his arms clutching against his chest as if he would break his own ribs.
    â€œI am simply inviting you to enjoy yourself with me, if you are so inclined.” She reached toward her brooch and began to unclasp the cold metal.
    He twisted his upper body so that he scanned the courtyard from one side to the other without turning his head. “What, now ?”
    â€œI leave tomorrow morning between Prime and Terce for Coventry. It would be challenging to arrange a tryst from such a distance.” The brooch unclasped, she held the mantle closed at her right shoulder with her left hand.
    Sweyn closed his eyes and shook his head briefly. “This is most