Flambard, for he wanted rid of it. With luck the bishop would not see the absurdity, for many clever people did not. It would satisfy Galeran to see the man build a rich reliquary for it. If Flambard did see it for a fraud, he could read into it what he wanted.
After all, Galeran had only promised the bishop something from the Holy Land, and it was that.
He had the scribe write a courteous letter. In it, he thanked the bishop for his assistance in smoothing the problems between himself and Raymond of Lowick, and begged him to accept the gift and remember all in Heywood in his prayers.
Jehanne joined him just as he was dispatching the messenger. He told her what he had done, but didn't tell her what the relic was. When, he wondered sadly, would the freedom to share such a joke return to their lives? __ "I suppose it's wise to thank him," she said, inspecting the other items reverently. "Though it seems a waste."
More and more he wished he could tell her, and was even tempted for a moment, but - taking strength from Christ on the mountain - he resisted.
She felt the leathery palm fronds. "What sort of tree is a palm? These are more like the leaves of a bullrush."
So he described palm trees to her as the bath was prepared, and olive trees as well. He told her of heat and desert and how ordinary Bethlehem was.
"Were you disappointed?" she asked as she supervised the addition of cold water to hot.
"Only for a moment. Then I liked the thought that our Christ lived as an ordinary man. Not the glowing prince of the manuscripts, but a man with dust on his skin and calluses on his hands."
He spread his own hands thoughtfully and Jehanne took them, turning them to trace the tough pads of skin created by a lifetime of training for war.
"How else would a man's hands be?"
"It sustains me," he said, "that thought. That Christ really was a man for a time, and perhaps understands men."
"I feel the same way about Christ's mother." She helped him off with his shirt, shaking her head over the blood. "Though I don't like this new idea that she was a virgin."
"It does seem strange. . . ." Galeran sank into the water with a pleased sigh.
"Two baths inside a week. Luxury!"
As she began to help him to wash, Jehanne said, "Tell me more about those baths in Constantinople."
So he did so, and went on to talk of other matters such as the food, and the costumes of the various lands he had seen. He avoided all mention of fighting, though.
When he was drying himself and the servants were emptying the tub, Jehanne said, "I wish we had a bathroom like the one at Burstock."
"It would have to be out in the bailey near the kitchens, I think. What's wrong with the arrangement here?"
"Nothing, I suppose." She smiled. "I'm really thinking that I'd like a sunken marble bath big enough to swim in."
He smiled back. "I'd give you the moon and the stars if I could, Jehanne, but a sunken marble bath is beyond me."
She blushed and laughed, and it was the first time he'd heard her laugh like that since his return.
She glanced once at the bed. His body reacted, but he stayed where he was.
Though it would be sinfully easy to slide back into their old ways, he mustn't until he had made sense of it all.
"Jehanne. I need to know exactly what happened between you and Raymond."
She paled. For a moment he thought she wouldn't speak, but then, clearing away damp cloths, she said, "I never betrayed you in my heart, Galeran. I never desired him. Can we not leave it at that?"
"No. Did he rape you?"
She stared at him. "No!"
"If you didn't desire him, and he didn't force you, what did happen?" When she remained silent, he said, "Jehanne, how I handle this matter in the future, what I can expect Lowick to do, all depends on what happened here the night of Gallot's death."
It was as if she'd turned into a painted statue, standing there clutching a damp drying cloth. But then she dropped it and sank to kneel by him in a swirl of colored cloth. "I'm afraid you'll hate me."
He wanted to gather her in his arms and reassure her, but her fear sparked fear in himself. Jehanne was not stupid. He'd forgiven her for infidelity, so