The Shattered Rose Page 0,47

horses even as Hubert of Burstock came forward to welcome them. Aline's father was a short, compact man of great strength and shrewdness known far and wide for his bluff honesty.

With dangerous suddenness, Galeran relaxed. How could he ever have thought Hubert would be party to a meeting of illicit lovers? If the women had convinced him Jehanne was in danger of her life, he would take them in. But Hubert did not look wary so much as worried.

"A bad business, Galeran," he said with a frown.

That was certainly true. But to what business did Hubert refer?

"Is Jehanne all right?" Galeran asked, thinking it was the most noncommittal question that made sense.

""Yes, yes. Upset, of course, but unharmed. Come along in. Have you broken your fast?"

"No."

"Then you must eat! Come along." And Hubert shepherded them all toward the wide doors of the thatched manor house with no hint that he thought ill of Galeran. It was all very strange.

When Galeran walked into the long, beamed hall, supported along the sides by huge wooden posts, he immediately searched out his wife, but she was not to be seen.

Had Hubert lied to him?

But Hubert of Burstock never lied. Then it occurred to him that Hubert had not actually said that Jehanne was here.

Since he wasn't ready to search the place by force, and was almost faint with hunger, Galeran allowed himself to be steered into a seat at the long, fixed table, and plied with bread, meat, and ale.

Hubert sat by him. "What action are you planning?" he asked quietly, toying with a pot of ale of his own. "It's a delicate situation."

Galeran concentrated on a sausage. "True enough. What would you advise?"

"It might be no bad thing to be rid of the babe."

"Do you say so?" Galeran flashed the man a puzzled look. Was he recommending murder?

"The brat would doubtless be well enough cared for, and once you fill Jehanne again, she'll soon forget it."

"I'm not so sure of that."

A grimace told him Hubert agreed. "If it stings her, she deserves it! After her sin, what right has she to put her own concerns before those of the rest of us?"

Us? Galeran queried silently. This conversation wasn't making sense, but he was reluctant to confess as much just yet. But how could Hubert be jeopardized unless he thought he might have to go to war with Galeran over Jehanne?

"And," said Hubert, "once Jehanne bears another child, preferably a son, any claim this one might have to Heywood would be greatly weakened."

"That's true. But I have plenty of evidence that getting sons and having them survive is not always easy."

Hubert waved a hand. "That's in the past! Sometimes a woman needs loosening up for it to work right. And perhaps Jehanne's learned her lesson and will act more the gentle woman. That'll help the babes stick."

Galeran couldn't resist saying, "Gentle, like galloping over here as if the hounds of hell were after her?"

Hubert gave a sharp crack of laughter. "True enough. But it was the only thing to do, if you ask me, despite the affront to the Church."

"It's hardly a sin for a woman to ride at a gallop." Galeran wondered whether his earlier blood madness was with him still. This conversation was making no sense.

"Some might disagree with you there, Galeran. But," Hubert added testily, "you know what I mean. Flambard's not going to like Jehanne having carried Donata away. And he'll doubtless not be pleased that I've given them both shelter here. I don't like being at odds with the Church."

It was like a key turning in a lock. Galeran put down the remains of the sausage. "The Bishop of Durham wants Donata?"

"Aye. You know that, surely? Though how the idiots expected to care for her without women or wet nurse - "

"Galeran?" Jehanne burst out of one of the private rooms along the back of the hall. "Oh, praise heaven! What have you done about it?" Galeran rose to take her hands, grateful not to meet her with dark suspicions on his mind. "Nothing," he said. "I came straight here."

"Why?"

It was an excellent question. With his wife and her child safely elsewhere, he should have stayed behind to deal with the importunate churchmen. If, that is, he'd had any notion of what was going on.

"We had best talk privately."

Hubert waved his permission, and Jehanne led Galeran back into the room.

It was small, but had a large window onto the castle herb garden, letting in morning sunshine and sweet