The Miracle at St. Bruno's

"I am well, Bruno.”

He had scarcely glanced at me. He had indeed changed toward me since the coming of Honey. Kate, as she always had, dominated the scene. A vivid memory came to me of her turning somersaults on the Abbey grass diverting his attention from me to herself.

It was rather like that now. She was trying to hold him with her glowing beauty; it was as though she were saying: compare me with your plain little Damask.

"So you are visiting us...”

"I have come for the christening of the Caseman babies and to see Damask and you..." She lingered on the last word.

"And you have found many changes?”

"What changes in the Abbey! They are talking of nothing else throughout the countryside.”

"So you came to see for yourself. And how do you find it?”

"Even more wonderful than I had thought to.”

She was looking at him eagerly, calling attention to herself. I knew her well. She had no scruples.

How affected was he? What was he remembering?

"My son is not with me," she said. "But one day I will bring him to show him to you.”

"I shall want to see him," he said.

I put in: "We will choose a time when Bruno has the time to spare.”

"Tomorrow I must come again," said Kate. "My stay here may not be of long duration and there is so much we have to talk about. I want to hear your plans for this wonderful place. Damask has been showing me. I had no idea that there was so much... only having seen it from the gatehouse and as tall gray walls, and of course what I saw when I came through the ivy-covered door.”

He was watching her intently. I wondered what he was thinking- We returned to the Abbot's Lodging and all the time he talked to her earnestly of the great plans he had for the Abbey.

"There will not be a larger estate for miles round," he said with pride. "Once it is in order, once the farms are producing you will see.”

"Oh, yes," said Kate, "I shall see. And deeply shall I envy you from my castle keep.”

The next day the twins were christened in the chapel at Caseman Court. I had never seen my mother so happy. Simon Caseman was a proud father too.

The boys were named Peter and Paul, and Paul bawled lustily throughout the proceedings, a fact which made my mother delight in his show of manhood while at the same time Peter's docility showed her what a good child he was.

The following day Kate again visited the Abbey. We went to the solarium and indulged in her favorite occupation of gossiping.

Remus, it seemed, had taken on a new lease of life since his marriage and the birth of his son. She seemed a little rueful about this which I found shocking. She laughed at me.

"Rich widows," she said, "are so attractive.”

"Is it your next ambition to become one?”

"Hush. Why, if Remus died in his sleep from an overdose of poppy juice I should be suspected of having administered it.”

"Don't talk of such things even in a jest.”

"Still the same old Damask. Afraid. Always looking over your shoulder for the informer.”

'There have been informers in my life once. They shattered it.”

She laid her hand over mine. "My poor poor Damask. How well I know! Your good faithful heart was broken for a time. How glad I am that it has healed! And now you are so lucky. …I am sorry I recalled that sad time. And I did not mean to suggest that I would be rid of Remus. He is a good husband and is sometimes better to have an aging one than a young one. He was so grateful, poor Remus; and I verily believe that if I were to take it into my head to adventure a little-he would not take it amiss.”

"I hope you do not... adventure... as you call it.”

"That is a matter on which I propose to keep you in doubt. And I do not see why if Remus were ready to turn a blind eye you should show a censorious one. But talking of wayward wives, I must tell you the latest Court scandal. It concerns the Queen.

Are you listening?”

"I am all ears.”

"I fear our dear little Queen may well be in trouble. Cruel men and women are closing in on her and she, poor soul, is in no position to oppose them.”

"This marriage surely is a happy one.”

"It was. How amusing to see the King's Majesty in the role of uxorious husband. She is such a charming little creature. By no means beautiful. Though the cousin of Anne Boleyn, she is completely without elegance. Poor little Katharine Howard. She reminds me of Keziah in a way. She is the sort who could never say no to a man and it seems that she has said yes very frequently.”

"Tell me what has happened. I have heard nothing.”

"You soon will for I believe all that her enemies would wish has been proved against the Queen.”

"The poor child," I murmured. "For she is little more.”

"She is a little older than you and a little younger than I, which I am ready to agree is young to leave this life.”

"It has not come to that.”

"If all that is rumored is proved against her she may well be walking out to Tower Hill as her fascinating cousin did some six years ago.”

"Can the King have had so many wives in such a short time?”

"Indeed he can. Was there not sly Jane to follow Anne who followed Spanish Katharine?