more. St. Hilda's was not a dungeon or a place of terror. Doubtless the king had felt it safer to have the cause of contention kept out of sight Perhaps it had even been an attempt to protect Jehanne and the baby from the Church.
Though she could be said to be in the hands of the Church . . .
The mother superior's office was stark - plain whitewashed walls, plain benches and tables, and for ornament, just one ivory crucifix. It spoke of virtue of the more severe kind. The mother superior was equally plain, with sallow skin and a mighty nose, but like the room, her plainness gave her a kind of majesty.
"Lord Galeran," she said, gesturing toward a bench.
He didn't sit. "I wish to speak to my wife."
She folded her hands neatly on her desk. "For what purpose?"
"To ensure that she is well, and content to be here."
"And if she isn't?"
"Then to remove her."
The woman's bushy brows rose, pushing up her pristine veil. "Against the king's orders, my lord? I am ordered to hold the Lady Jehanne here until all matters concerning her and her child are settled."
"Are you ordered to prevent me speaking to her?"
The woman considered him a moment. "No," she said at last. "Wait here a moment, my lord, and I will see if she wishes to receive you."
If she wishes . . .
Galeran stared at the closed door, wondering for the first time whether Jehanne was pleased to be here, away from all the stress of their tangled situation. He put his hands to his head. Old suspicions of her feelings for Lowick still hid in his brain, waiting to ambush him at the slightest provo- cation.
He couldn't think straight about any of this anymore, but he had to.
Tomorrow he had to convince the king that it was right to let matters be, to leave Jehanne untouched and to leave Donata in their care.
The mother superior returned. "She will see you. By our rule, Lord Galeran, you may not touch each other."
I understand." He followed her along one side of the roofed cloister-walk to a door, which she opened to let him into a tiny room. A small high window let in little light, and it took him a moment to see a narrow bed, a bench, and a prie-dieu before a wooden cross.
This was no guest room. This was a nun's cell. Jehanne stood there alone.
Where were Aline and the baby?
"Are you all right?" he asked, silently cursing the fact that the mother superior had entered the room with him. If not for that, he would have held her, rule or not.
"Yes, of course. It was a bit of a shock. . . ."
"I'm sure it was. The king is to hear our matter tomorrow morning, so this shouldn't be for long."
"This is an excellent place to pray about it."
"I suppose it is." Something was wrong. This wooden calm was very unlike Jehanne. "Where are Donata and Aline?"
"In another room. They bring the baby for feeding. There's no problem, Galeran. Privacy gives me a chance to meditate and pray."
He didn't believe her, and yet he could see no problem other than the fact that she was a prisoner, and that would only be for another day.
Unless the king ordered her kept here for life.
Galeran would burn the place down before he'd permit that.
He put on a smile. "Don't worry. We can probably be on our way home tomorrow."
And she smiled back, a smile that traveled into her eyes. "Have pity! Having come so far, perhaps we can stay a day or two and enjoy the celebrations."
"If you wish, then we will." Galeran blew her a kiss and turned to leave, but she spoke again.
"When is the case to be heard?"
"At terce."
"Will I be able to attend?"
"What do you have to say that I cannot?"
"There might be something. . . ."
Galeran knew his Jehanne. She was keeping something from him. But he also knew she couldn't easily be made to tell it, especially with the nun as witness. He rather feared that Jehanne's new resolution to be a good, quiet woman and let the men handle things was proving hard to hold by. That could be disastrous. Galeran hoped to convince Henry that Jehanne had sinned out of weakness, overwhelmed by her loss.
"Jehanne," he said with heavy meaning, "leave this in my hands. I won't let harm come to you or the child. I promise it."