The Shattered Rose Page 0,28

by three women. It would have been a remarkable feat to arrange an assignation in that company.

"Sir Raymond was always a competent knight," Galeran said. "I assume he ran the castle affairs well."

"Aye, lord." But it was said grudgingly.

"Why the scowl?"

"He was a proud man and acted as if it were all his."

"Had he reason to?"

Matthew knew what Galeran was asking, and shook his head. "I don't think so, my lord."

A fragment of good news. "So, the next thing that happened was word of my supposed death."

"Aye, lord. A monk it was who'd heard news from Rome of deaths against the infidels, and counted you one of them. It was a night for tears, my lord."

The man cleared his throat and looked away.

It was nice, Galeran supposed, to be mourned. "And within days Gallot was dead."

"Aye, lord."

Galeran was beginning to feel uneasy about the questions he was asking and the interpretation that could be put on them. He trusted Matthew, however. He was an honest, shrewd man who could hold his tongue.

"How did my wife react to the news of my death?"

The older man took his time in replying. "You know the Lady Jehanne, Lord. She's never done what anyone expected. The news hit her, that's for certain. She asked the monk a great many questions and was clearly upset.

But then she regained her spirits and said she'd not believe it unless she had proof. After that she seemed to put the matter out of her mind, apart from the fact that she prayed more than usual. I remember Sir Raymond talking to her, trying to make her accept the news, but she shrugged it off. Turned quite sharpish with him, in fact. He did persuade her to go to your father about it, but I don't know what happened there. She came back as if nothing were amiss, so we all took her lead. None of us wanted to think you dead, my lord."

"Thank you."

"But after that," added Matthew, "Sir Raymond grew bolder. I think he truly thought the place was his for the taking."

"And then Gallot died."

"Aye, Lord. And the lady changed."

"So I would hope."

Galeran wanted to ask whether Jehanne had truly taken Lowick as her lover, but of course she had.

He wanted to ask whether she had truly taken him to her bed within days of the news of her husband's possible death, and the certain death of her son.

But she had done that too, or she could not have born a babe a nine-month later.

Why?

Why?

Why?

It was, he discovered, not something he could talk about yet, not even with Matthew. So he asked another question. "Matthew, tell me honestly, what do you think caused my son's death?"

"The honest truth, my lord, is that I don't know. I'm no believer in spells and wizardry, but something like that is the only explanation."

"Such things do not exist."

"Miracles do, my lord."

"Perhaps."

"Then why not works of the devil?"

Galeran sighed. "An excellent question."

"One thing I do know, Lord."

"What?"

"It would have been better if Lady Jehanne had taken to her bed with grief alone instead of with Sir Raymond."

Galeran didn't want to know more, but the man continued doggedly. "The very day the babe was buried, she slept the night with Lord Raymond, and all knew it."

Galeran turned away, blocking talk he could not yet bear. "Where is Gallot buried?"

"In the churchyard, near the wall, lord. There's a stone."

Galeran waved the man away and stayed on the battlements for a while, his mind wandering aimlessly in random patterns over his shattered life. It did no good, however, and so he went and prayed by the stone that marked the brief life of his child.

Someone had planted a rosebush there, but it was young and feeble yet.

However it, unlike his son, would grow.

Galeran spent an hour in the darkening garden seeking the spirit that was his flesh and blood but finding nothing. He forced himself to leave the small grave and to return to the solar. He'd prayed and thought through most of the last night, and when he'd slept he had been cramped in the open air. It would be foolishness to do it again when he needed strength and wits to cope with all his problems.

All the same, he was reluctant to face the chamber he'd shared with Jehanne. He wasn't sure he could sleep there with the memories of past pleasures for company, but he couldn't face the talk he'd cause by sleeping anywhere else.

Jehanne and her closest ladies would be