him startle, attracted and amused. The young one saw nothing but a man's fair face smiling at her, and smiled in response, marvellously. She hung between woman and child then, the child having the upper hand. And truly she was very comely, more than she knew.
"My son Rhodri. Your Grace is advised already that my eldest son, Owen, is prisoner with his father, in defiance of all honour."
"I do know it," said the king. "Child, you are welcome." Not a word of Llewelyn, the second son. He could not advance her cause here, he was put out of mind, as though he no longer lived.
"My youngest son, David."
I loosed his hand, and gave him a gentle push towards the throne, but he did not need it, he knew all that was required of him, and went his own God-given step beyond. He danced, there is no other word, to the step of the throne, and laid his flower of a mouth to the king's hand. He looked up and smiled. I heard all the women there—they were not many, but they were noble and of great influence—breathe out a sound like something between the sighing of the sea and the cooing of doves, for he was indeed a most beautiful and winning child. And the king, amused and charmed, lifted and handed him gently to his mother, and he stood by her unabashed and looked all round him, smiling, aware of approval. I drew back very quietly into the shadows, for I was not needed any more, not until he remembered and wanted me, and that he would not do while his interest was held. He had never been happier, he knew every eye was on him, and every lip smiled on him, even the king's. For Henry left a finger in his clasped hand, and withdrew it only when the hand relaxed of itself, and let the royal prisoner go.
They say he was a fond, indulgent father to his own children, though apt to tire of their company if they were with him long, and to grow petulant if they plagued him. His son and heir was then just past his second birthday, and the queen had a second babe in arms, but these were all left behind in the south, and I suppose it was pleasant to him to play gently for some minutes with a pretty child of whose company he could be rid whenever it grew irksome. For in that audience he spoke as often to the boy as to his mother, and got his answers just as readily. He asked after his adventures on this great journey, and David chattered freely about the ride, and about the wonders he had seen in Shrewsbury. And when he was asked what he would be and do when he was grown, he said boldly that he would be one of the king's knights. His mother gave him a swift, narrow look then, as doubtful as I if that was said in innocence, for clever children, even at five years old, know very well what will please. But since it did give pleasure she said no word of her qualms, then or afterwards. There is no harm in accepting aid where you find it.
So this open audience went very well, and gave promise for the closed conference which was appointed to follow the next day, and the Lady Senena made her withdrawing reverence and led her procession back to its lodging reasonably well content.
And for the hard bargaining that went on at this council at the abbey, the earnest after the show, I was not present, and cannot speak as to what passed. There were present at first only the Lady Senena and her steward on our part, and on the part of the crown King Henry himself for a part of the discussion, and with him his chancellor and his secretary. And after the terms were agreed certain of the marcher barons and the Welsh chiefs were called in to approve and to sign as guarantors. But the terms themselves I do know, for I was set to work making fair copies before ever the agreement was made public, two days later. They seemed to me curious enough, for I knew nothing of money, the minted money they valued, and could not conceive of a man's liberty and rights being reckoned in terms of the round pieces of metal they struck here in this town.
Yet
"My son Rhodri. Your Grace is advised already that my eldest son, Owen, is prisoner with his father, in defiance of all honour."
"I do know it," said the king. "Child, you are welcome." Not a word of Llewelyn, the second son. He could not advance her cause here, he was put out of mind, as though he no longer lived.
"My youngest son, David."
I loosed his hand, and gave him a gentle push towards the throne, but he did not need it, he knew all that was required of him, and went his own God-given step beyond. He danced, there is no other word, to the step of the throne, and laid his flower of a mouth to the king's hand. He looked up and smiled. I heard all the women there—they were not many, but they were noble and of great influence—breathe out a sound like something between the sighing of the sea and the cooing of doves, for he was indeed a most beautiful and winning child. And the king, amused and charmed, lifted and handed him gently to his mother, and he stood by her unabashed and looked all round him, smiling, aware of approval. I drew back very quietly into the shadows, for I was not needed any more, not until he remembered and wanted me, and that he would not do while his interest was held. He had never been happier, he knew every eye was on him, and every lip smiled on him, even the king's. For Henry left a finger in his clasped hand, and withdrew it only when the hand relaxed of itself, and let the royal prisoner go.
They say he was a fond, indulgent father to his own children, though apt to tire of their company if they were with him long, and to grow petulant if they plagued him. His son and heir was then just past his second birthday, and the queen had a second babe in arms, but these were all left behind in the south, and I suppose it was pleasant to him to play gently for some minutes with a pretty child of whose company he could be rid whenever it grew irksome. For in that audience he spoke as often to the boy as to his mother, and got his answers just as readily. He asked after his adventures on this great journey, and David chattered freely about the ride, and about the wonders he had seen in Shrewsbury. And when he was asked what he would be and do when he was grown, he said boldly that he would be one of the king's knights. His mother gave him a swift, narrow look then, as doubtful as I if that was said in innocence, for clever children, even at five years old, know very well what will please. But since it did give pleasure she said no word of her qualms, then or afterwards. There is no harm in accepting aid where you find it.
So this open audience went very well, and gave promise for the closed conference which was appointed to follow the next day, and the Lady Senena made her withdrawing reverence and led her procession back to its lodging reasonably well content.
And for the hard bargaining that went on at this council at the abbey, the earnest after the show, I was not present, and cannot speak as to what passed. There were present at first only the Lady Senena and her steward on our part, and on the part of the crown King Henry himself for a part of the discussion, and with him his chancellor and his secretary. And after the terms were agreed certain of the marcher barons and the Welsh chiefs were called in to approve and to sign as guarantors. But the terms themselves I do know, for I was set to work making fair copies before ever the agreement was made public, two days later. They seemed to me curious enough, for I knew nothing of money, the minted money they valued, and could not conceive of a man's liberty and rights being reckoned in terms of the round pieces of metal they struck here in this town.
Yet
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