The Elephants of Norwich Read Online Free PDF

to an oak bench with her back straight and her hands folded in her lap. His gaze never left her. A tall, thin, angular man with a long face that tapered down to a pointed chin, he was now in his late forties, the once attractive features ravaged by a life of excess. The lady Adelaide would never have chosen him as a husband on the strength of his appearance. It was his other assets that appealed to her. Livarot was a wealthy man with estates in England and Normandy. He was also a skilful politician, employed by the King on occasional diplomatic missions abroad and, it was rumoured, destined for high office in the fullness of time. His bride might find that she had wed a future sheriff.
    ‘I hear that the lord Richard is having domestic problems,’ he said, complacently.
    ‘You have keen ears, my lord.’
    ‘Little that happens in Norwich escapes me.’
    ‘Then you’ll know the circumstances in which the robbery took place.’
    ‘I can guess at them.’
    ‘Go on.’
    ‘Richard de Fontenel acquired some costly gifts in the hope that they might make you look more favourably upon his ugly visage. Exactly what they were I don’t know, but they seem to have disappeared.’ Another grin surfaced. ‘I must confess that I regard the theft as an act of God.’
    ‘Can crime ever be providential?’
    ‘This one is.’
    ‘Evil can surely never come out of good.’
    ‘To steal from such a confirmed thief as the lord Richard is not exactly an evil act. He’s spent the last twenty years grabbing land at will from those too weak to defend themselves. The loss of a little gold is small retribution for his misappropriations.’
    ‘They were elephants, my lord.’
    ‘Elephants?’
    ‘Fashioned out of gold. Objects of great beauty.’
    ‘He’ll need more than two elephants to plead his case.’
    ‘They were powerful advocates,’ she admitted. ‘I coveted them.’
    ‘Then I’ll have something similar made for you.’
    ‘Why bother when the originals may soon be recovered?’
    ‘Whatever he offers you,’ said Livarot, jealousy flickering, ‘I’ll match. Remember that, my lady. There’s no gift that the lord Richard can dangle in front of you that I’ll not give you as well. Simply name it and it’s yours.’
    ‘There’s nothing I want.’
    ‘You wanted those gold elephants.’
    ‘I was tempted by them,’ she corrected, ‘but the animals did not, alas, come alone. They bore the lord Richard on their backs. His gift
was conditional upon my accepting his hand in marriage.’
    ‘That would be a disaster for you.’
    ‘Not necessarily.’
    ‘Look at his reputation,’ he urged, leaning forward to gesticulate. The man is a household tyrant. He’s already buried two wives and their deaths were a blessed release from a bullying husband. Do you wish to be his third victim?’
    ‘You’ve been married yourself,’ she noted, bluntly, ‘and that union was scarcely an example of wedded bliss.’
    Livarot was stung. ‘My wife and I were reasonably happy together.’
    ‘Reasonably?’
    ‘We had no more unhappiness than most marriages.’
    ‘Then why did she try to flee back to Normandy?’
    ‘She didn’t, my lady,’ he retorted, smarting at the accusation. ‘That was a wicked lie put about by the lord Richard. Judith was a good wife to me and bore two fine sons. But she could never settle in England. Judith missed her parents sorely. That was why she longed to return to Normandy.’ He sat back with a sigh. ‘Her death came as a great shock to me. I mourn her still.’
    ‘I didn’t mean to offend you,’ she said, adopting a more conciliatory tone. ‘Only those involved in a marriage know its true nature. But I must warn you that you’ll not win my hand by speaking ill of the lord