"Sharon K. Penman - The Sunne In Splendour" - читать интересную книгу автора (Penman Sharon K)

As he set Richard back on his feet, footsteps sounded behind them and George dived breathlessly behind
the screen. For a long moment nothing was said, and then Richard whispered, "Tell us, Ned . . . please."
Edward glanced at Edmund, who shrugged. His eyes flicked back to Richard and George. "Aye, it's best
that you know. We've been betrayed. Look around the hall. There's one face you'll not see here, one we
were foolish enough to trust. Andrew Trollope has gone over to Lancaster, and with him, the whole of his
Calais garrison. Moreover, he has full knowledge of what our battle captains planned to do on the
morrow."
"What will you do?"
Edward shrugged. "What can we do, George? We haven't the men to fight, not with Trollope's defection.
And Ludlow could not withstand a siege. We can only order our army to disperse, to scatter. And then
ride like the Devil were on our tails."
They were both staring at him, stunned. George, recovering first, blurted out, "You mean . . . run away?"
And then shrank back before their rage.
"What would you have us do?" Edward flared. "Keep our pride and lose our heads? Need I tell you
what will befall us if we're in Ludlow come the morrow? Every man in this hall would be dead by sunset."
"No!" Richard gasped. "No, you mustn't stay!"
Edmund, no less angry than Edward, was glaring at George. "Send them back to bed, Ned," he said
curtly.
Edward, though, was belatedly remembering that a ten-year-old boy could not, in justice, be held
accountable for all that he said. He felt a pressure against his arm, saw that Richard had moved closer.
Until this moment, he'd not given much thought to Richard and George, beyond assuring himself that none
would harm a child, not even Lancaster's vengeful Queen. Thinking now of what the little boy would face
on the morrow, he realized, somewhat to his surprise, that he'd have given a great deal to be able to
spare Richard what lay ahead when Ludlow fell to the forces of Lancaster.
As if sensitive to his thoughts, Richard asked uncertainly, "Do we go with you, Ned?" And his heartbeat
seemed to speed up, to fill his ears with the sound as Edward shook his head.
"That's not possible, Dickon. Not the way we must ride."
"You're leaving us to Lancaster?" George demanded incredulously, sounding so horrified that Edward
was at once upon the defensive.
"You needn't make it sound as if you're being given over to infidels for ritual slaughter, George!" he said,
rather more sharply than he intended. He caught himself, marveling how George had so unerring an
instinct for irritating him, and then said, more gently, "You needn't fear, George. Lancaster does not take
vengeance upon children. You'll be safe enough; far safer, I warrant, than if we tried to take you with us."
Edmund had been shifting impatiently, too tense not to begrudge this time being squandered upon
children when time was their only lifeline.
"Ned, our cousin Warwick beckons to us."
Edward nodded, but continued to linger, reaching out to ruffle first George's fair head and then Richard's
dark one. Never had they looked so young to him, so utterly defenseless as now, when they were to be
left to face an enemy army. Forcing a smile, he gave George a playful blow on the arm.
"Don't look so woebegone," he said lightly. "In truth, there's no need to fear. You'll not be ill-treated by
Lancaster."
"I'm not afraid," George said quickly, and when Edward said nothing in response, he fancied he could
read skepticism in Edward's silence and repeated insistently, "I'm not afraid, not at all!"
Edward straightened up, said dryly, "I'm gratified to hear it, George."
He started to follow after Edmund and then, on impulse, turned back to Richard. Kneeling by the boy, he
looked intently into his face, said softly, "What of you, Dickon? Be you afraid?"
Richard opened his mouth to deny it and then slowly nodded his head. "Yes," he confessed, almost
inaudibly, flushing as if he'd made the most shameful of admissions.
"I'll share a secret with you, Dickon. ... So am I," Edward said, and then laughed outright at the
astonished look on the boy's face.