Read Online The Sword and The Swan by Roberta Gellis - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Roberta Gellis
Tags: Fantasy
Ads: Link
Because that is life."
"Nay, Sir Rannulf. Because that is England." The men stared purposefully at each other, faintly hostile. "What will you do," Hereford continued, well knowing that they favored his cause, "if the vassals of Soke will not accept you?"
Rannulf slid a glance at his wife, his face black with fury, and Catherine held her breath. "Do you think I cannot beat them into submission? Those who do not submit, I will slay. There are enough younger sons among my own vassals to take the lands and serve me loyally."
"Perhaps you can do as you say, but think of the cost. There should be no need for you to think of such matters. If the transfer of Soke to your hands is ordered by the king, there should be no chance of resistance. The law should be obeyed."
Rannulf burst into mirthless laughter. "If the sun were made of gold and I could reach it, I would surely be a rich man. Why do you frown? It is equally reasonable."
"Aye, with the king we have, it is equally reasonable."
"Do not talk treason to me, Hereford!"
"I have no intention of talking treason to any man, but tell me this. If all the earls in the land agreed that Soke was rightfully yours and would aid you to it, would any vassal then dare say you nay?"
There was a momentary silence. Rannulf's eyes dropped, and then he sighed. "Aye, then," he said regretfully, "but you have the question of reaching the sun again. Men seek their own interest first." So this was what had caught Leicester's attention. It was an attractive idea, but not new, and Rannulf's eyes held only sadness.
Catherine was fascinated. Her menfolk had left the fighting to their vassals and dealt with politics through account books. In any case, they had never talked of such matters in her presence. She was frightened by Rannulf's attitude toward her father's men, but interested enough to be annoyed when a touch on her hand drew her attention away.
Lady Warwick was well pleased with the results of her interference. There was an aliveness in Catherine's face, and she decided to take the next step in her education of this very sheltered young woman. A moment or two passed in the expected platitudes while Lady Warwick listened to the men to be sure they were involved in a sufficiently interesting subject. She could see Catherine's attention wavering, although she was turned politely enough toward her, and she came to the point with deliberate bluntness.
"Now that you have had some talk with Sir Rannulf, what do you think of him?" Catherine glanced uneasily at Rannulf's back and Gundreda laughed. "He will hear nothing. When men talk together they are deaf to women's voices. After all, of what can a woman speak besides cookery and children?"
"I cannot think anything, madam," Catherine replied cautiously. "I have scarcely exchanged twenty words with him in the hurry of this day, but the king and queen have no cause to use me ill and Sir Rannulf's reputation is as high as a man's can be."
"Oh, yes," Lady Warwick said with an odd smile. ''As I told you, I have known Rannulf of Sleaford for many years, and he is truly a man whose pride and honor go before all else."
"Is that not a good thing?"
"Is it? My husband, too, is of that sort. Pride often goeth before a fall, and honor can lead to disgrace. You are young. You may live many years beyond this husband. Do not allow him to become your disaster."
Catherine's fears returned at flood tide. "You cannot mean that he would harm me to steal my lands," Catherine forced herself to whisper. "He has no need. The king has granted them to him."
It was time, Gundreda knew, to resolve Catherine's fear. Terror does not lead to clear thinking. "Good God, no!" she exclaimed. "Rannulf? He would as soon cut out his own heart and eat it. You need not have any fear of that, nor that he will yield a tittle of it to any man through force, but he might drain lands dry in this senseless war for the succession. He will breed with you—he gave his other wives sons.
"Nay, Sir Rannulf. Because that is England." The men stared purposefully at each other, faintly hostile. "What will you do," Hereford continued, well knowing that they favored his cause, "if the vassals of Soke will not accept you?"
Rannulf slid a glance at his wife, his face black with fury, and Catherine held her breath. "Do you think I cannot beat them into submission? Those who do not submit, I will slay. There are enough younger sons among my own vassals to take the lands and serve me loyally."
"Perhaps you can do as you say, but think of the cost. There should be no need for you to think of such matters. If the transfer of Soke to your hands is ordered by the king, there should be no chance of resistance. The law should be obeyed."
Rannulf burst into mirthless laughter. "If the sun were made of gold and I could reach it, I would surely be a rich man. Why do you frown? It is equally reasonable."
"Aye, with the king we have, it is equally reasonable."
"Do not talk treason to me, Hereford!"
"I have no intention of talking treason to any man, but tell me this. If all the earls in the land agreed that Soke was rightfully yours and would aid you to it, would any vassal then dare say you nay?"
There was a momentary silence. Rannulf's eyes dropped, and then he sighed. "Aye, then," he said regretfully, "but you have the question of reaching the sun again. Men seek their own interest first." So this was what had caught Leicester's attention. It was an attractive idea, but not new, and Rannulf's eyes held only sadness.
Catherine was fascinated. Her menfolk had left the fighting to their vassals and dealt with politics through account books. In any case, they had never talked of such matters in her presence. She was frightened by Rannulf's attitude toward her father's men, but interested enough to be annoyed when a touch on her hand drew her attention away.
Lady Warwick was well pleased with the results of her interference. There was an aliveness in Catherine's face, and she decided to take the next step in her education of this very sheltered young woman. A moment or two passed in the expected platitudes while Lady Warwick listened to the men to be sure they were involved in a sufficiently interesting subject. She could see Catherine's attention wavering, although she was turned politely enough toward her, and she came to the point with deliberate bluntness.
"Now that you have had some talk with Sir Rannulf, what do you think of him?" Catherine glanced uneasily at Rannulf's back and Gundreda laughed. "He will hear nothing. When men talk together they are deaf to women's voices. After all, of what can a woman speak besides cookery and children?"
"I cannot think anything, madam," Catherine replied cautiously. "I have scarcely exchanged twenty words with him in the hurry of this day, but the king and queen have no cause to use me ill and Sir Rannulf's reputation is as high as a man's can be."
"Oh, yes," Lady Warwick said with an odd smile. ''As I told you, I have known Rannulf of Sleaford for many years, and he is truly a man whose pride and honor go before all else."
"Is that not a good thing?"
"Is it? My husband, too, is of that sort. Pride often goeth before a fall, and honor can lead to disgrace. You are young. You may live many years beyond this husband. Do not allow him to become your disaster."
Catherine's fears returned at flood tide. "You cannot mean that he would harm me to steal my lands," Catherine forced herself to whisper. "He has no need. The king has granted them to him."
It was time, Gundreda knew, to resolve Catherine's fear. Terror does not lead to clear thinking. "Good God, no!" she exclaimed. "Rannulf? He would as soon cut out his own heart and eat it. You need not have any fear of that, nor that he will yield a tittle of it to any man through force, but he might drain lands dry in this senseless war for the succession. He will breed with you—he gave his other wives sons.
Similar Books
