按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
is matter is that most men prefer their brides unsullied。 Kings and princes insist upon it。〃
〃This king would not！〃
〃No？〃 she returned。 〃Would you marry her； then； my lord？ I think not。 Nor would your lords of state permit it； even if you so desired。 Besides； could you truly take her to your sacred marriage bed； knowing that Ithel of Meara had had his pleasure of…〃
〃Pleasure？〃 Kelson remembered only just in time that he must keep his voice down and managed not to shout。 〃Madame； there was precious little of pleasure in that act； for either of them！…as you； yourself； should know！〃
Rothana recoiled a step at that； herself obviously reminded of the intimacy of that moment when she had forced the memory of Janniver's rape upon him in the ruins at Saint Brigid's…and what else had passed between them。
〃Forgive me； Sire。 I should never have done that to you；〃 she whispered。 〃I am occasionally far too willful for a nun。 It was an unconscionable liberty on my part。〃
Breathing out audibly； Kelson managed a taut； careful nod。
〃Aye； it was；〃 he conceded； at least partially mollified。 〃But probably a valuable piece of education for a king。 And you're right that I wouldn't marry Janniver…though not because of anything that happened to her at Saint Brigid's。 I suppose I still dare allow myself to hope that love will have a part in the selection of my next wife。〃
〃I hope that it may； my lord；〃 Rothana murmured。
〃And I。 Still； I won't have you speaking that way of Janniver。 The poor girl didn't ask to be raped； after all…though one might think she had； judging from the correspondence I've had in the last six months from her father and her former husband…to…be。〃 He sighed。 〃I'm afraid they're two princes of the kind you were talking about。〃
〃Alas； I must agree。 Sire；〃 Rothana replied quietly。 〃But your Jatham； I pray； is not a prince； or even such a man。〃
〃No。〃
〃Then； would he have her to wife； do you think？〃
Kelson managed a wry smile。 〃I think he might； given the slightest encouragement。〃
〃Royal encouragement； Sire？〃 she asked； looking at him sidelong。
〃Well； I can't mand the man to fall in love。〃
〃Oh； no one said anything about manding。 Sire。 You need not even persuade him； as only one of our blood could do。〃
She turned her gaze to the forgotten garden once more。
〃Well； then； that's settled；〃 she murmured。 〃Just say that you will do your best to encourage him…and then we can get on with this dreary business of picking out the greenery。〃
〃Dreary…greenery ？〃
〃Well； that is why we're standing here； looking out at the garden； is it not？〃
〃Why； Sister Rothana； you love this； don't you？〃 Kelson blurted； in that instant； amazed beyond thinking of his own romantic interests。 〃Can it be that the little nun is actually called to be a matchmaker？〃
He regretted that； the instant he had said it； for it was all too near his own wishes in the matter。 He was horrified to realize that he was blushing； but mercifully she had kept her gaze riveted to the garden； pretending that she had not heard。
〃Now； then；〃 she breathed； after he had had time to recover。 〃We were selecting greenery…and we really should go back to the others。 Yes； ivy； I think； for the knighting of a winter king and his pan…〃
〃Kelson； should you not be in seclusion； preparing for your impending knighthood？〃 a cool female voice asked； unexpectedly close behind them in the opening of the window embrasure as they turned to go。 〃And Sister； I cannot imagine that your lady abbess would approve of private speech with a young gentleman。〃
The speaker was Jehana； Kelson's mother； and where she had e from； Kelson had no idea； for she had not been in the hall when he entered。 He wished she were not now； for he had no energy to spare for dealing with her； especially after the exchange he had just had with Rothana。
Jehana had returned to court the previous spring； immediately stating her intention to have a hand in the choosing of Kelson's next wife； for she believed that the right woman could make him renounce his powers as she had done with Kelson's father； thereby mitigating the evil of his Deryni blood。 She had brought her chaplain and a sister called Cecile and continued to wear the stark white habit of a novice of Saint Giles' Abbey； but she had not yet managed to reconcile the vast potential of her own Deryni blood。 Nor had the renunciation of her own powers been nearly as successful as she might have wished。 More than once； since her return； she had been driven to use those powers； always at great cost to her notions of morality about such use。
She still paid lip service to her intention not to use them again； however； and heartily resented any Deryni who did use the powers she believed Satan had given。 Rothana's abbess and the rest of the sisters of her order continued to reside within the castle precincts； awaiting the milder days of summer before journeying back to abandoned Saint Brigid's； so Jehana had taken to attending their Masses and other offices； though she habitually shunned Rothana。 She deemed it an abomination that the Deryni girl should have presumed to take religious vows…a thing she longed to do； but dared not。
〃Sister； I am speaking to you；〃 Jehana continued pointedly； when the two merely turned to gape at her。 〃Should you not be about your devotions？ I would have speech with my son。 Please be so good as to leave us。〃
Rothana lowered her eyes and made the queen a dutiful curtsey； ready to obey； but Kelson stayed her with an arm out…stretched to bar her way。
〃Sister Rothana and I have not yet finished our conversation； Mother；〃 he said crisply。 〃And for your information； I was preparing for my impending knighthood。 We were discussing the altar decorations for the vigil tomorrow night。 Is it to be ivy； then。 Sister？〃
He could sense the smile Rothana dared not show as she made him a slight bow； hands tucked demurely in her sleeve openings and eyes still downcast。
〃I think so； my lord。 And holly； if there's any left this late。 That will lend some color。 I would suggest mistletoe as well…that's apt； for virgin knights…but the archbishop would probably forbid it as a pagan practice。 If you will excuse me。 Sire； I'll see to it。〃 She made him a curtsey that included Jehana； though with just a hint of defiance。 〃Good day。 Your Majesty。〃
Jehana was speechless until Rothana had entirely quit the hall。
〃The insolence！ The cheek！〃 she murmured。 〃I'll speak to her superior。〃
〃You'll do no such thing；〃 Kelson replied； firmly taking her arm to lead her deeper into the window bay。 〃You were very rude。 That's graceless in any woman and inexcusable in a queen。〃
〃How dare you speak to me that way？〃
〃If you wish to continue wele at this court； you'll curb your tongue； madame！〃 He had not raised his voice； but there was no mistaking his anger。 〃You were rude because she is Deryni。 I won't tolerate that。〃
〃But she's a nun。 Kelson。 As Deryni； her soul was already in jeopardy； but to take vows…〃
〃I believe the lady's soul is her own business； Mother… and that of her confessor。〃
〃Who is； himself； Deryni； and he a bishop！〃 Jehana challenged。 〃Or didn't you know she'd begun going to your precious Bishop Duncan？〃
〃Careful； Mother。