The Miracle at St. Bruno's

She nodded and sat down on a chair. She waved her hand in front of her face like a fan. She was now quite pale and was implying that she was about to faint. I thought how like her it was to faint in a crisis. It had been her way out of a difficult situation more than once. I forgot that she was my mother.

I despised her in that moment because Simon Caseman was so hateful to me and now that I was home the enormity of my father's loss was brought back afresh.

I said: "So you are going out of mourning for your murdered husband and putting on wedding garments ready for your next.'“

"Damask," she said, "you must try to understand.”

"I understand too well," I said.

Her hands fluttered helplessly. "We should have been homeless. It seemed the only thing to do.”

"You think he chose you for his wife?”

"You see, Damask, he has the estates now and it is the best thing for us all, that was why he chose me....”

"You mistake me. I know very well why that man chose you. I am surprised that my noble father should ever have married a woman who could forget and forgive his murder when his body is scarcely cold, and be ready to dance at her wedding.”

"It will not be a grand affair, Damask. A quiet wedding, we thought.”

I laughed scornfully. She would never understand anything but her garden and her herbs and how to make her pastry light. I felt a sudden pity for her-poor helpless woman, who had never really made a decision for herself.

"Simon Caseman," I said. "You can consider him... after you have been Father's wife!"

 "Your father is dead.”

I turned away to hide my emotion.

"Oh, Damask," she went on. "I know how close you two were. He cared more for you than for me. It was always Damask...”

"He was the best of husbands as well as fathers," I said fiercely.

"He was a good man, I know.”

"And so you have decided to put this adventurer in his place.”

"I don't think you have realized what is happening, Damask. Your father's estates are confiscated.”

"And passed to Simon Caseman. Why, do you think? Why?”

“Because he was your father's right-hand man. They have worked together. This is his home too. And he will marry me and we can go on as in the old way.”

"As in the old way! When he is not here. I would to God we could go on in the old way. Do you think it will be the same with your new master? Mother, I know a daughter should not say this, but I will. You are a fool.”

"I think your grief has upset you so much that you do not know what you say.”

"I know this, that Simon Caseman came into this house with the express purpose of making it his. Did you know that he has asked me to marry him... many times. So devoted he was. So chivalrous! He thought to get possession of the place through me. I was not so susceptible to his charm as you are. I said, no, I would never marry you. So he casts about for other ways. Who else is there? There is my mother. But she has a husband. Let us get rid of him and marry the accommodating widow.”

"Damask. Damask, what are you saying?”

"I am saying that I am very suspicious of a man who asks the daughter to marry him and when she refuses and the mother is in a position to give him what he seeks, promptly decides to take her.”

"My child, be careful. Do not say such things. They are wild. They are impossible.

But they could mean disaster for you.”

"To speak against the King's man, yes. I'll dareswear you are right.”

"All wise men are the King's men. You should know that.”

"So my father was unwise?" Whenever I mentioned his name words seemed to choke me.

My emotion gave my mother the advantage. She came to me and laid a hand on my shoulder.

"Listen to me, Damask," she said, "this terrible thing has happened to us. Your father hid that priest in the nuttery cottage. In doing so he risked his life, our estates and our future. I know that he was a saintly man, but saints who endanger their lives and those of their family are not acting wisely. What would become of us, Damask, if I do not make this marriage? We should be thrown out onto the roads as beggars or onto the mercy of our relations. I daresay Remus would help us. But when I marry Simon we shall continue to live here. It will be as before....”

"It will never be as before," I said. "He is gone.”

"My child, you have to grow away from this. Some are taken... in that way. How do any of us know where we shall be tomorrow? I thought of the house and everything here. I thought of you and the home... and Simon will be a good husband to me.”

I said: "You are older than he is.”

"It is of no moment.”

"How could I stay here and see that man in my father's place?”

"You will become accustomed to it. Simon is a good man of business. He has prospered and he will continue to do so. The choice is stay here and live in comfort or go out penniless into the world and starve or live on the bounty of relations. Simon has come to me with his offer of marriage. I have accepted it.”

"You want this marriage," I said. "When you speak of it there is a gleam of pleasure in your eyes."