The Miracle at St. Bruno's

"I dareswear you and your husband dine and sup here alone when he is in residence,”

I said.

She laughed again, her eyes flashing scornfully.

"You don't know Remus. What should we talk of, do you think? He is getting deaf too.

I should throw a platter at him if I had to endure him alone. No, we eat in style when he is here. We use the hall which you noticed when you came-or perhaps you didn't.

All Remus's relics of past wars-halberds, swords, armor look at us while we eat; I at one end of the table-and by the grace of God-he at the other. Conversation is lively or dull depending on the guests. We often have people from the Court here-then it can be very amusing; but often it is dull country squires who talk endlessly of plowing their lands and salting their pigs until I feel I shall scream at them.”

"I am sure Lord Remus finds you a most accommodating spouse.”

"Well, at least I am providing him with a child.”

"And he considers that the price he has to pay is worthwhile? You are"-I looked at her searchingly-"quite pleasant to the eye even in your present state of discontent.

And you have doubtless renewed his youth by proving that he is still not too old to beget children.”

She said quickly: "I said I was providing him with a child. I did not say it was of his begetting.”

"Oh, Kate," I cried, "what do you mean?”

"There! I talk too much. But you don't count. I just like to tell the truth to you, Damask.”

"So... you have deceived Remus. It is not his child. Then how can you pretend it is!”

"You have not yet learned much of men, Damask. It is easy to convince them that they have the power to do what they fancy themselves doing. Remus is so puffed up with pride at the thought of being a father that he is ready to forget it might have meant his playing the cuckold.”

"Kate, you are shameless as you ever were.”

"More so," she mocked. "You surely cannot expect me to improve with experience.”

"I don't believe you.”

"I am so glad," said Kate with a grimace. "My indiscretion is forgotten.”

"And here you are about to undergo the greatest experience any woman can and you lie here puling about it.”

"For two whole months I have lived in solitude-save for the guests who have come here. I have had to endure the solicitude of Remus. I have had to behave like a woman who yearns for her child.”

"And in your heart you do.”

"I don't think I was intended to be a mother, Damask. No. I want to dance at Court.

I want to hunt with the royal party. To return to the Castle or the Palace - we were at Windsor recently there we danced and talked and watched mummers or the a" and there is a ball.

That is the life. Then I can forget." P "What do you want to forget, Kate?”

"Oh " she cried, "I am talking too much once more.”

The gardens at Remus were beautiful. My mother would have been delighted with them.

I tried to remember details so that I could tell her about them when I returned home.

There was one very favorite spot of mine-a garden with a pond in the center surrounded by a pleached alley; because it was summer the trees in this alley were thick with leaves. Kate and I used to like to sit by the pond and talk.

I was gratified that she had changed since I had come. The lines of discontent had disappeared from her mouth and she was constantly laughing-often at me, it was true, but in that tolerant, affectionate manner with which I was familiar.

It was in the pond garden that she talked to me of Bruno.

"I wonder where he went," she said. "Do you believe that he disappeared in a cloud and went back to heaven? Or do you think it was to London to make his fortune?”

"He did disappear," I mused. "He was found in the crib on that Christmas morning and Keziah did seem to lose her senses when she met Rolf Weaver. Her confession may have been false.”

"What purpose was there in his coming?”

"St. Bruno's became rich after his arrival and it was due to him.”

"But what happened when Cromwell's men came? Where were his miracles then?”

"Perhaps it was meant that they should have their way.”

"Then what was the purpose of sending a Holy Child just to make St. Bruno's prosper for a few years so that greater riches could be diverted to the King's coffers? And what of the confessions of Keziah and the monk? Keziah could never have made up such a story. Why should she?”

"It may have been some devil prompting her.”

"You have been visiting the witch in the woods.”

'I did because of Honeysuckle.”

'You are foolish, Damask. You have promised to take this child, you tell me. And your father agrees. You are a strange unworldly pair. The child of that beast and a wayward serving girl. And she is to be as your sister!

What do you think will come of that?”

"I loved Keziah," I said. "She was a mother to me. And the child could be Bruno's sister. Have you thought of that?”

"If Keziah's stories are true they would be half-brother and sister, would they not?”

"The relationship is there.”