Free The Dragon and the Jewel by Virginia Henley

followed his finger as he pointed up to the crenellated roof and guard towers. He showed her the dog kennel where the hounds were kept penned and even took her to a loft above the stables where the hunting birds were housed. “Well, what do you think of it?” he asked seriously, watching her very closely for her reaction.
    “I love it. Odiham is quite perfect, I think.” She knew that anywhere on earth would be perfect if only William was there with her.
    “Come up on the parapets and I’ll show you the view,” he invited. Once there he stood behind her, lightly resting a strong brown hand on her shoulder. With his other arm he pointed out the various landmarks close by, then he made a wide arc. “Directly to the south is the sea. You can smell the tidewrack if you breathe deeply, and over to the west is Salisbury Plain … there where it’s so flat, and beyond is Stonehenge.”
    “How fascinating. I’ve learned all about it.” She looked up at him over her shoulder. “Will you take me to see it sometime?”
    He drew her back against him and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “I would like to take you everywhere and show you everything …” His voice trailed off.
    Eleanor finished the thought for him. “But you do not have time. Your duties as Marshal of England leave you no time for life’s pleasures. I wish it were otherwise, my lord. I wish we could fly away where no one could find us … where we could be completely alone and I didn’t have to share you with anyone else.”
    Her impassioned words flattered him beyond measure. From behind he enfolded her in his arms and said against her cheek, “We have this day.”
    Eleanor would have liked to stay clasped to him forever, but he released her almost instantly and led her downstairs to the great hall. He dispatched a page to summon the entire household, and within minutes the hall filled to capacity.
    “Are all your servants in all your manors and castles this well trained, my lord?”
    “Oh, this place doesn’t belong to me,” he told her solemnly.Her mouth formed an O of surprise, then he whispered, “It belongs to you.” He raised his voice then, so that the scores of Odiham servants assembled could hear him. “I want to introduce you to the Countess of Pembroke. We will all celebrate tonight because Odiham now belongs to her. I ask that you serve her as faithfully as you have served me.”
    A great cheer filled the hall and Eleanor graciously acknowledged their good wishes and their homage. Tears gathered on her dark lashes and William squeezed her hand, hoping he had pleased her. She smiled her thanks to him, but inside she was crying,
William, I don’t
want your presents, I want you!
    The evening meal in the great hall was nothing less than a banquet. The entire household was invited to the celebration. Even the scullery maids and stableboys drank toasts to the Marshal of England and the king’s sister and brother. Odiham had never seen the like. Anyone with a talent for music was encouraged to play for the merry company, then everyone began to sing. Richard’s deep voice rang out.
    “Each must drain his cup of wine,
And I the first will toss off mine.”
    William persuaded Eleanor that a cup of wine would not be amiss, and soon the laughter almost raised the rafters. After her second cup she seemed to see everyone about her in a different light. Her brother was enjoying himself immensely, yet she could tell he had an air of suppressed intensity about him. His eyes were fever bright with excitement over something—some knowledge or secret. Whatever it was he was hugging it to himself, savoring it. Her eyes were drawn to the knights, who were laughing and teasing the maids. There was Brenda gazing at Mick de Burgh with a look of raw hunger. She could certainly understand her attraction to the handsome Irish knight, but why in heavens name didn’t the girl eat something if she was that ravenous?
    Suddenly she looked at William’s