[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.”We came to the stables within the walls of the castle.They had just been mucked, so the smell of manure was strong.I raised my scented handkerchief to my nose and mouth, grateful that Marie Helene had made me bring it.“I will leave you,” Margaret said.“I have much to do in the castle now that the king is here.”I did not ask what one of Eleanor’s waiting women had to do with the king.I had heard of King Henry’s fascination with women, and thought it better not to know.She left me with a curtsy and a smile, off to meet her lover, perhaps.My mind was full of such things, ever since I had seen and known Richard.The inner stable was dimly lit, and I could see that no one else was there.I could hear the sound of iron striking metal in the smithy not far away but the stable stood empty of all but horses.I knew that I should return to the palace.But I loved puppies; I had not seen one since I was a small girl, at home in France.I stepped into the dappled shade, surrounded by horses in their stalls on both sides.I looked around once more for a groom, but saw no one there.So when my veil slipped, I did not right it, but let it hang down my back.I saw no dogs at first, only horses in their stalls on either side of the central hall.I found the puppies finally tucked away in an empty stall, set behind a barrier of wood so that even their mother could not escape.The hunting hound eyed me at first, but when I let her sniff my hand, she licked me.Only then did I turn to her pups, who lay with their mother on a soft bed of hay.The dogs were so small that they had not yet been weaned.They were some breed of hunting hound I had never seen before.They would grow to be large someday, for even as newborn puppies they were each as big as my hand, with flopping ears and large paws.Heedless of my silk gown, I knelt in the straw beside them.One puppy bounded over to me, far bolder than the rest, his long ears almost brushing the straw, and yipped.I reached into the pen and drew the little dog up against my breast.He rested against my heart and nuzzled me, as if looking for warmth or milk.I laughed.“Sorry, little one, I am not your mother.”“You’re much more beautiful.”The voice sounded a little like Richard’s, and at the sound of it, my heart leaped.But when I rose to my feet, I saw that though the man who spoke was large like Richard, and had Richard’s dark red hair, that was where the resemblance ended.It must have been a trick of the fading light, for after first glance I saw that this man was poorly dressed in leather leggings and an old woolen tunic, rags Richard would never allow into his presence, much less wear.The man moved toward me.I stepped back, but the wall of a horse stall blocked my path.I stood still with my back against it.The man stopped moving and raised his hands as if in surrender.“Princess, I mean you no harm.I’m just a simple man, come to tend my dogs.”I raised my chin, angry with myself that I had shown this peasant fear.“These are the king’s dogs,” I said.“That they are.And I have the caring of them, from time to time.”My mask of dignity crumbled at the warmth of his voice.As he smiled, the skin around his eyes creased.His gaze reached for me, and held me, as if it might shelter me were a storm to come.The dog in my arms distracted me, for he had begun to gnaw on my veil where it fell across my breast.I wrested it from him, and gave him the edge of my hair to chew instead.“You are Alais, Princess of France and Countess of the Vexin?” the man asked, watching me.I eyed him warily, but saw no harm in him.Perhaps he was simpleminded, and that was why he was left to care for dogs.“I am,” I said, informing him of what all the castle knew.But before I could stand on my dignity again, I heard a yelp from the bed of straw at my feet.Another puppy had come forward at the sound of our voices, crying to be picked up.I turned from him and knelt, drawing the second puppy into my arms.The man watched in silence as I played with the dogs.“Am I interfering with your work?” I asked.“If you need to tend them, I will go.”“No.” He held up one big hand to stop me, so I stayed where I was, my skirt and veil trailing in the straw.The puppies turned back to their mother to be fed.I set down the two I held, who quickly found a place at their mother’s teats.When I looked up, I found the man still there, watching me.“You are different than I thought you would be,” he said.I did not point out that it was impertinent for him to think anything of his betters.I saw that his eyes were a light gray.He had come no closer, but I could feel the strength of his gaze on me.“I am as God made me,” I said.“We can all say the same,” he replied [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]