«You are asking me to deceive her», she finally said, «to use the trust her father placed in me as a tool for your purposes».

«I am asking you to serve the future of my line», he replied. «Of a time, you believed that to be a worthy cause. Worthy enough to bear me a son in secret, to be the protector and boon companion of Gwynedd's next king».

«A son who now is dead», she said bleakly. «And you would attempt this experiment again?»

«Yes».

She rose, turning to rest both hands on the lid of Krispin's sarcophagus.

«I will not have her reputation sullied. She must be safely married first».

«Of course».

«And she must never know what you do to her. She must believe that any child is her husband's».

«I would treasure such a child as well, for Sir Kenneth Morgan is a good and faithful servant of the Crown, as well as a friend. And there is time for many children of his loins. My time is limited».

«Not so limited as mine», she retorted. «Still, I will do as you ask. But you are not to have her maidenhead. At least grant her husband that grace!»

With obvious reluctance, he inclined his head.

«There is still the matter of her excommunication», he said. «Once my own is lifted, I shall be free to see to hers. Meanwhile, I believe that she has summoned her family chaplain from Cynfyn, who will perform the marriage regardless. I would hope for a wedding in May or June. And after that…»

Jessamy slowly nodded. «I will need to make certain preparations», she said. «I have made little use of the triggers set by her father; those must be assessed, to be certain they shall serve our needs».

«Could not the same purpose be served by a flask of good wine, suitably embellished?» Donal said lightly.

«Once, perhaps. But the getting of a child may take several attempts — though I shall enlist one of the laundresses to begin making note of her monthly courses. From that, I shall be able to ascertain the spans when she is likely to be fertile. And once she is married, you, in turn, must be certain to keep her husband from her during those days, until the time is propitious for your own endeavors».

He gave a nod, closing his eyes briefly against the sight of her, remembering the getting of that son who was lost, and praying that the getting of another would be as expeditious.

«Thank you», he whispered. Silence had settled in the cathedral above as he reached up to take her hand, pressed it to his lips.

«I must go now», he murmured, reluctantly getting to his feet. «I fear that I have an appointment with an archbishop. Be sure that, for the sake of our sweet Krispin, I shall offer up my penance gladly».

Much later that night, when the king was safely returned to his bed, his stripes dressed, and Kenneth left to keep watch outside his door, Seisyll Arilan reported to the Camberian Council on what had transpired.

«He had not truly prepared us for what was to happen», Seisyll said, «though we knew that the meeting had something to do with the reconciliation in progress between king and Church. He had gone down into the royal crypts beforehand — to pray, he said, though we had earlier seen Lady Jessamy enter there as well. One may surmise that perhaps he told her of the price he was about to pay for having avenged her son.

«He looked shaken when he came out — though perhaps that was the effect of three days' fasting. We went next to the chapter house, where the monks had been gathering for the past half hour. The archbishop was there, waiting before the sedilla, and so was Bishop de Nore, the brother of the priest who was executed.

«Before entering the room; the king removed his cloak, his sword, his boots, his over-robe, and gave them into our care, then lay himself prostrate before the two bishops, with the monks ranged around the edges of the room. I could not hear what was said between them, but after a little while, the king came onto his knees and put off his shirt before lying down again, this time with his arms outstretched in a cross».

Seisyll shook his head and let out a sigh, still much affected by what he had seen.

«They flogged him then: thirty strokes, as he had meted out to Septimus de Nore, five strokes each from six different monks. Thank God it was not the flagellum, as was used on de Nore. The weals glistened with royal blood — and it is red, not blue or purple, as some would have it — but he uttered not a sound.

«When it was done, he took back his shirt, kissed the hand of each of the six monks who had flogged him, then knelt before Archbishop William to receive absolution and Holy Communion. He spoke not at all as we rode with him back to the castle. Lady Alyce came to bathe his stripes and anoint them with soothing salves. I do not think he spoke with her, either, though it was clear how he had incurred them.

«I left him sleeping peacefully — on his stomach, to be sure. I think there will be no scarring, but he will not soon forget this night, or the cost of his momentary defiance. At least he is restored to grace».

The others were shaking their heads by the time he finished.

«This is bad business, with the bishops», Barrett said. «I like it not, that the king yielded to their pressure».

«He had little choice», Khoren retorted. «Your bishops in Gwynedd are not like ours in Andelon. Headstrong they are, and blind in the matter of anything Deryni. There will be more trouble, mark my words».

Chapter 29

«Marry thy daughter, and so shalt thou have performed a weighty matter; but give her to a man of understanding».[30]

Headstrong the bishops of Gwynedd might be, but there was at least one man prepared to beard them in their den — though in the subtle way only possible for a Deryni. Despite a flurry of letters from Alyce de Corwyn, none finally reached Father Paschal Didier until mid-April. It was early May before he was able to present himself in Rhemuth.

«This should never have happened», he told her, when she had given her rendition of the events of the Twelfth Night previous. «You have done nothing wrong. It cannot be considered a sin to discern the truth — and the truth, in this instance, enabled true evil-doers to be brought to light».

«Nonetheless, I am excommunicate», she replied. «Nor have I been able to ascertain what would satisfy the archbishop. And until the ban is lifted, I am barred from reception of the sacraments. Including marriage».

«Quite so», Paschal said. «And I am of the distinct impression that you favor the prospect of marriage with Sir Kenneth Morgan, and may even be eager for it». He smiled and shrugged at her look of surprise. «A good confessor can sense a change of heart, dear child. I have known since your childhood that the dynastic expectations of your eventual marriage were a cause of concern to you. But Sir Kenneth is not what you feared, is he?»

She shook her head. «Not at all. He is a good man, Father», she said shyly, «tender and kind. To have come to care for him is nothing that I ever could have anticipated, but it… happened. And to know that marriage with him would also serve the king's needs is both happy coincidence and an answer to my prayers. With the king's blessing, I would marry him even without the Church's blessing — but I should rather have both. It was Sir Kenneth who suggested that I approach you about blessing our union, since he knows of the affection that has bound you to my house for many years. But I cannot ask you to intervene if it would leave you in the ill graces of the archbishop».

«I have been obliged to tread a narrow line with your Gwynedd clergy», he admitted, «but in this, it may be possible to… adjust the archbishop's attitude».

She looked at him sharply. «You don't mean to tamper with his mind? His absolution must be honest, else it is nothing worth».

30

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