Read Online The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwick - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Chadwick
Tags: Fiction, Historical
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"Thriving," Baldwin said with a shrug, "or I suppose so from the little I know of infants. And your own new little one?"
"A typical woman already." William grinned at the mention of his second daughter, born nine months to the day from John's coronation. "Seducing you with her eyes one moment, and bawling at you the next. Named for her mother who's an expert at both."
"I will tell your wife how you malign her," Baldwin threatened with a chuckle.
William sobered. "I may tease, but she knows her place…as the light of my life."
Baldwin laughed again but looked envious. "I am glad you and Isabelle have that kind of harmony," he said. "I rub along with Hawise, but neither of us pines much for the other. Then again, at least we don't hate each other to perdition like Ranulf of Chester and his wife."
"No," William agreed wryly.
A group of youngsters entered the garden from the direction of the keep and William's attention was caught by a girl who was as light and leggy as a young cat. She was just beginning to develop a figure: breasts the size of green apples were outlined by her close-fitting silk gown but her waist and hips were still flat and boyish. Her rich golden hair was tamed in a single braid woven with silver ribbons and she had large, wide-set eyes that in daylight were probably blue but just now looked almost black. She flickered William and Baldwin a startled look as she met their scrutiny, twisted to avoid the young squire who was trying to tag her in the game, and bumped into John, who had risen from his discussion with Count Aymer.
The girl obviously knew who John was, for she gasped and swept him a graceful curtsey. John raised her to her feet, and taking her right hand, lifted it to his lips and kissed her fingertips. He studied the gold ring she was wearing. "That's a pretty bauble, sweetheart," he remarked.
"It is my betrothal ring, sire," she replied breathlessly.
"Is it now?" John's voice was a caress. "How would you like to exchange it for a crown?"
She widened her eyes at him and gnawed her underlip uncertainly. "We were playing chase," she said, clearly feeling such a remark was safer ground than that of her ring. She looked over her shoulder at her young companions who were watching her with apprehension.
John's smile showed the merest glint of his fine teeth. "One of my favourite games," he said, and with a sardonic glance towards William and Baldwin, stood aside to let her pass.
***
The court stayed a second day at Lusignan and John went hunting with the lords Hugh and Aymer. The latter's daughter remained in the bower with the women, shut away from masculine eyes, but out of sight did not mean out of mind. William was not fond of hunting himself, but joined the pack because it was expected of him. However, his indifference to the chase gave him plenty of opportunity to observe the different kind of pursuit being played out between King John and Count Aymer with Count Aymer's absent daughter as the bait, and all under the nose of the unsuspecting bridegroom.
That evening after dinner, William sat in John's chamber, drinking wine and playing dice with Baldwin de Béthune and William, Earl of Salisbury. The latter was married to William's cousin, Ela. He was John's bastard half-brother, and his mother was Ida, Countess of Norfolk, with whom Isabelle had struck up a firm friendship at the coronation. Salisbury had his mother's beauty but rendered in a strong, masculine version, enhanced by vigorous dark curls and eyes of warm brown-hazel fringed by soot-black lashes. He was known as Longespée because he used a sword several inches longer than usual. Rumours abounded that the appellation didn't refer to his sword alone and Salisbury, a glint in his eye, had done nothing to curb them.
Throwing up his hands, he pushed away from the table. "You've wrung me dry, Marshal. My pouch is as flat as an old
"Thriving," Baldwin said with a shrug, "or I suppose so from the little I know of infants. And your own new little one?"
"A typical woman already." William grinned at the mention of his second daughter, born nine months to the day from John's coronation. "Seducing you with her eyes one moment, and bawling at you the next. Named for her mother who's an expert at both."
"I will tell your wife how you malign her," Baldwin threatened with a chuckle.
William sobered. "I may tease, but she knows her place…as the light of my life."
Baldwin laughed again but looked envious. "I am glad you and Isabelle have that kind of harmony," he said. "I rub along with Hawise, but neither of us pines much for the other. Then again, at least we don't hate each other to perdition like Ranulf of Chester and his wife."
"No," William agreed wryly.
A group of youngsters entered the garden from the direction of the keep and William's attention was caught by a girl who was as light and leggy as a young cat. She was just beginning to develop a figure: breasts the size of green apples were outlined by her close-fitting silk gown but her waist and hips were still flat and boyish. Her rich golden hair was tamed in a single braid woven with silver ribbons and she had large, wide-set eyes that in daylight were probably blue but just now looked almost black. She flickered William and Baldwin a startled look as she met their scrutiny, twisted to avoid the young squire who was trying to tag her in the game, and bumped into John, who had risen from his discussion with Count Aymer.
The girl obviously knew who John was, for she gasped and swept him a graceful curtsey. John raised her to her feet, and taking her right hand, lifted it to his lips and kissed her fingertips. He studied the gold ring she was wearing. "That's a pretty bauble, sweetheart," he remarked.
"It is my betrothal ring, sire," she replied breathlessly.
"Is it now?" John's voice was a caress. "How would you like to exchange it for a crown?"
She widened her eyes at him and gnawed her underlip uncertainly. "We were playing chase," she said, clearly feeling such a remark was safer ground than that of her ring. She looked over her shoulder at her young companions who were watching her with apprehension.
John's smile showed the merest glint of his fine teeth. "One of my favourite games," he said, and with a sardonic glance towards William and Baldwin, stood aside to let her pass.
***
The court stayed a second day at Lusignan and John went hunting with the lords Hugh and Aymer. The latter's daughter remained in the bower with the women, shut away from masculine eyes, but out of sight did not mean out of mind. William was not fond of hunting himself, but joined the pack because it was expected of him. However, his indifference to the chase gave him plenty of opportunity to observe the different kind of pursuit being played out between King John and Count Aymer with Count Aymer's absent daughter as the bait, and all under the nose of the unsuspecting bridegroom.
That evening after dinner, William sat in John's chamber, drinking wine and playing dice with Baldwin de Béthune and William, Earl of Salisbury. The latter was married to William's cousin, Ela. He was John's bastard half-brother, and his mother was Ida, Countess of Norfolk, with whom Isabelle had struck up a firm friendship at the coronation. Salisbury had his mother's beauty but rendered in a strong, masculine version, enhanced by vigorous dark curls and eyes of warm brown-hazel fringed by soot-black lashes. He was known as Longespée because he used a sword several inches longer than usual. Rumours abounded that the appellation didn't refer to his sword alone and Salisbury, a glint in his eye, had done nothing to curb them.
Throwing up his hands, he pushed away from the table. "You've wrung me dry, Marshal. My pouch is as flat as an old
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