sat beside her, but not too close. He had not lived to the ripe age of twenty-eight by seducing virgins in their father's houses.
"So," he said, "what caused the Lady Jehanne to flee here?"
Aline's pretty face turned sober and her gaze direct. "Raymond of Lowick, may God rot him in interesting places, has decided on a new line of attack.
He's made devout confession to the bishop and accepted penance. Seeing what turmoil his ungoverned lust has caused - I quote almost verbatim from the unctuous Brother Forthred, you understand - Raymond is resolved to ease the situation by taking upon himself the burden of raising the unfortunate product of his liaison."
Raoul leaned back against the wall behind and whistled. "Clever. His own plan, do you think?"
"I don't know. He's not totally stupid, but I'm not sure he would think of such a circuitous route to his goal. Perhaps the bishop . . . Though how it would serve Bishop Flambard, I can't tell."
"Ah, yes, Galeran mentioned this Bishop Flambard. The Church dearly loves to have men in its pocket, and I gather Galeran's father is a thorn in the flaming bishop's side. What sort of man is he?"
Though Aline's hair was almost as blond as her cousin's, her brows were darker and inclined to make a severe line. When she frowned, as now, they were formidable. "No one even knows where he came from, but he served the Conqueror and now holds the highest position under William Rums.
His chief talent is squeezing money for the king and himself. His name is virtually a curse with layman and churchman, for he spares neither."
Raoul wanted to smooth those creasing brows with his thumbs, but he kept his mind on the issue in hand. "So he survives because he is protected by the king?"
"Yes, though it's rumored that last year some men managed to seize him, intending to kill him. He escaped, unfortunately, and now he goes nowhere without heavy guard." She scowled at Raoul as if everything were his fault.
"It is most unfortunate that those men made a mess of it."
"Very." He cut to the point. "If this Brother Forthred had succeeded in taking the child, would the Lady Jehanne have gone too?"
"How could she do otherwise, when no wet nurse was provided?"
Raoul nodded. "Very clever."
Her eyes widened. "You mean the intent was to seize Jehanne, not Donata?"
"I very much doubt an elderly prelate and a young lord have much interest in a six-week babe."
Her face relaxed at last, but into deep concern. "Sweet Savior, but this frightens me." Before he could even think about offering comfort, she frowned again - this time while staring at him. "You are very bloody, sir.
In fact, not to put too fine a point on it, you stink of it. Is there fighting over this already?"
He looked down and realized he was well stained with gore. That's what tussling over severed heads did for a man. "There's no fighting yet, but you're right about my deplorable state. Perhaps if I take off my armor, it could be cleaned. I have no wish to offend your nose, Lady Aline."
"Much good that will do. Most of the gore is on your braies."
Strength and good intentions can take a lusty man only so far. "Then I suppose they must be cleaned too. Doubtless the blood has gone through to my skin, since my clothes are stuck to me in places. I fear, to be really worthy of your company, dear lady, I need a bath."
Seeing the trap too late, she stared at him like a startled bird. "Oh, no!" But then she turned bloodred herself. "Of course. Come. We have a room set aside for bathing here."
Intrigued, amused, and not too seriously aroused, Raoul followed her to another corner of the hall and through a door, to find a small room equipped with braziers and a wooden tub. Since it was summertime, the braziers were unlit, but a stone hearth in one corner radiated heat. Two large kettles hung over it, full of hot water ready for anyone wanting to bathe.
"An excellent arrangement," he said.
Aline had her head bowed over a chest from which she was taking the necessary cloths. Her lovely, ample rump drew his eye, therefore, especially as it was covered by rich red cloth. No nunlike clothes for Aline.
He wondered why not.
It might be safer for everyone if she were marked as Christ's.
"There are advantages to these old halls," she said. "It's easy to have small