The Miracle at St. Bruno's

"He to whom you gave your hand would be doubly favored. A beautiful and clever wife.

What more could any man ask? He would be fortunate above all men.”

"I have no doubt that any who asked my hand in marriage might well have his thoughts on my inheritance.”

"My dear Mistress Damask, he would be too dazzled by your charms to think of such a matter.”

"Or so dazzled by my inheritance that he might well be mistaken about my beauty and erudition, don't you think?”

"It would depend on the man. If he were, he deserves to be...”

"Well? Hanged, drawn and quartered?”

"Worse than that. Rejected.”

"I had no idea that you have such a talent for gallant speeches.”

"If I have it is you who have inspired them.”

"I wonder why.”

"Do you? You, who are so clever, must have been aware of my intentions.”

"Toward me?”

"Toward no one else.”

"Master Caseman, is this a proposal?”

"It is. I should be the happiest of men if I might go to your father and tell him that you have consented to be my wife.”

"Then I am afraid I cannot give you that pleasure.”

I had risen. But heart was pounding for I felt afraid; and I could not tell why this sudden desire to run should have come to I was here in my mother's peaceful rose garden with a man who was a member of our household, a friend of my father and one of whom he thought highly, and yet I experienced this sudden revulsion.

Simon Caseman had risen too. He stood beside me. He was not a big man-only two inches or so taller than I, and his face was very close to mine. His eyes were warm, alert and golden brown; his hair had a reddish tinge too; and the lines on his face made it appear to me, seen so close, like a fox's mask. I knew in that moment that I was afraid of him.

I turned to go but he caught my arm. His grip was firm as he said: "What have you in mind, Mistress Damask? Is it to marry someone else?”

I wished the color would not flame into my cheeks. I said: "I had not thought of marrying anyone.”

"You do not plan to enter a convent?" His lips curled slightly. "That would be an unwise plan... at this time when so many of our convents have gone the way of our monasteries.”

I withdrew my arm and said coldly: "I do not think I am of an age to consider marriage.”

His hand lightly brushed the front of my gown. "Why, Mistress Damask, you are a woman already. You should not delay your enjoyments of womanhood, I do assure you. Pray do not reject me without consideration. I do verily believe that your father would not object to our unity. I know that he wishes to see you under the protection of one whom he trusts. For these are troublous times in which we live.”

"I shall make my own choice," I said.

And I walked out of the rose garden.

I was very shaken. I was not yet seventeen and I had already had two proposals of marriage whereas beautiful Kate, who was two years older, had not had one.

Or had she? But who could have proposed to Kate?

It was strange that I should have had this thought about Kate because a week or so after that scene in the rose garden Lord Remus called at the house.

We had known that he was coming because my father had settled some matter of law for him and as he was a very rich and powerful nobleman my mother was making a very special occasion of his visit.

All that day Clement had been working in the bakehouse; he had made pies with fancy crusts and there was one in the form of the Remus coat of arms. Clement was delighted with it because in the Abbey kitchen he had not had the opportunity of indulging in such frivolity. My mother was in her element for if there was anything she liked better than working in her garden it was preparing for visitors in the house. She took on a new authority. It was clear that she wished we entertained more.

Kate and I watched the arrival of the visitors from the window of her room. We were disappointed in Lord Remus who was fat and walked with a stick, wheezing as he made his way up the slope of the lawn from the privy steps. But he was very richly clad and quite clearly a man of great consequence.

Father led him into the hall where we were all waiting to greet the visitors. Mother first and Lord Remus was very gracious to her, then myself as the daughter of the house and the others, Rupert, Kate, Simon and Bruno. (I was delighted to see he was included.) My family, Father called us.

Kate swept a beautiful curtsy which she had been practicing all day; her long hair was caught up in a gold net and she looked beautiful.

That Lord Remus thought so was obvious for his eyes lingered on her, a fact of which no one was more aware than Kate.