it's had the force of law. And that notification is supposed to be given well before the actual birth of the child in question!'
'Quite a few erroneous practices had the 'force of law' prior to the reestablishment of the correct provisions of our written Constitution, My Lord.' For the first time, there was a very definite iciness in Reverend Sullivan's voice. 'Those errors are still in the process of correction. They are, however, being corrected.'
Mueller started to reply angrily, then clamped his jaw and visibly made himself reassert control of his temper.
'Your Grace, I suppose you're technically correct about the letter of the written law,' he said, after several moments, speaking very carefully. 'Personally, I disagree with your interpretation. You are, however, as you pointed out a short time ago, Father Church's steward. I will, therefore, not contest your interpretation at this time, although I reserve the right to do so without prejudice at another time and in another forum.
'Nonetheless, the fact remains that Steadholder Harrington isn't married; that our law, unlike that of the Star Kingdom of Manticore, clearly does recognize the concept of bastardy and regards it as a bar to inheritance; and that we don't even know who the father of this child is.'
'No, Lady Harrington isn't married,' Sullivan agreed. 'And, you're quite correct that Grayson law, as presently written, does recognize bastardy and the disabilities and limitations which normally attach to it. However, it's incorrect to say that we-in the legal sense of Father Church and the Sword-don't know who the father of Lady Harrington's son is.'
'You know who the father is?' Mueller demanded.
'Of course I do, as does the Protector,' Sullivan said. For that matter, he thought, everyone on the entire planet knows, whether they're prepared to admit it or not.
'Even so,' Mueller said after a brief pause,' the child is clearly still a bastard. As such, he must be unacceptable as the heir to a steading.'
His voice was flat, hard, and Sullivan nodded mentally. Mueller had finally and unambiguously thrown down his gauntlet. Whether or not a majority of the Conclave of Steadholders would agree with him and sustain his position was another matter. It was possible a majority would, but even if-as Sullivan thought was far more likely-the majority didn't agree with him, he would gleefully take advantage of the opportunity to do all he could to blacken Honor Harrington's reputation in the eyes of Grayson's more conservative citizens.
'It occurred to me, when Lady Harrington first informed me she was pregnant,' the Reverend said mildly after a long, thoughtful moment, 'that a view such as that might present itself. Accordingly, I asked my staff to conduct a brief historical review.'
'Historical?' Mueller repeated, against his will, when Sullivan deliberately paused and waited.
'Yes, historical.'
The Reverend opened a desk drawer and withdrew a fat, old-fashioned hard-copy folder. He laid it on the blotter, opened it, glanced at the top sheet of paper, and then looked back at Mueller.
'It would appear that in 3112, nine hundred and ten T-years ago, Steadholder Berilynko had no legitimate male children, only daughters. The Conclave of Steadholders of that time therefore accepted the eldest of his several illegitimate sons as his heir. In 3120, Steadholder Elway had no legitimate male children, only daughters. The Conclave of Steadholders of that time therefore accepted the eldest of his several illegitimate sons as his heir. In 3140, Steadholder Ames had no legitimate male children, only daughters. The Conclave of Steadholders of that time therefore accepted the eldest of his several illegitimate sons as his heir. In 3142, Steadholder Sutherland had no legitimate male children, only daughters. The Conclave of Steadholders of that time therefore accepted the eldest of his several illegitimate sons as his heir. In 3146, Steadholder Kimbrell had no legitimate male children, only daughters. The Conclave of Steadholders of that time therefore accepted the eldest of his reportedly thirty-six illegitimate sons as his heir. In 3160, Steadholder Denevski had no legitimate male children, only daughters. The Conclave of Steadholders of that time therefore accepted the eldest of his illegitimate sons as his heir. In 3163 -'
The Reverend paused, looked up with a hard little smile, and closed the folder once more.
'I trust you'll observe, My Lords, that in a period of less than seventy years from the founding of Grayson, when there were less than twenty-five steadings on the entire planet, no less than six steadholderships had passed through illegitimate-bastard-children. Passed, mind you, in instances in which there were clearly recognized, legitimate female children. We have nine hundred and forty-two years of history on this planet. Would you care to estimate how many more times over that millennium steadholderships have passed under similar circumstances?' He tapped the thick folder on his desk. 'I can almost guarantee you that whatever total you guess will be too low.'
Silence hovered in his office, and his old-fashioned chair creaked as he sat back in it and folded his hands atop the folder.
'So what we seem to have here, My Lords, is that although the stigma of bastardy legally bars one from the line of succession of a steadholdership, we've ignored that bar scores of times in the past. The most recent instance of which, I might point out, came in Howell Steading less than twenty T-years ago. Of course, in all the prior instances of our having ignored the law, the bastards in question were the children of male steadholders. In fact, in the vast majority of the cases, there was no way for anyone to prove those steadholders were actually even the fathers of the children in question. However, in the case of a female steadholder, when the fact that she's the mother of the child in question can be scientifically demonstrated beyond question or doubt, suddenly bastardy becomes an insurmountable bar which can't possibly be set aside or ignored. I'm curious, My Lords. Why is that?'
Four of the Reverend's visitors looked away, unable-or unwilling-to meet his fiery, challenging eye. Mueller only flushed darker, jaw muscles ridging, as he glared back. And Jasper Taylor, Steadholder Canseco, looked just as stubbornly angry as Mueller.
'Very well, My Lords,' Sullivan said finally, his voice hard-edged with something far more like contempt than these men were accustomed to hearing, 'your... concerns are noted. I will, however, inform you, that neither Father Church nor the Sword questions the propriety of this child's inheriting Steadholder Harrington's titles and dignities.'
'That, of course, is your privilege and right, Your Grace,' Mueller grated. 'Nonetheless, as is also well established in both our Faith and our secular law, a man has both the right and the responsibility to contend for what he believes God's Test requires of him, whatever the Sacristy and Sword may say.'
'Indeed he does,' Sullivan agreed, 'and I would never for a moment consider denying you that right, My Lord. But before you take your stand before God and man, it might, perhaps, be prudent of you to be certain of your ground. Specifically, this child will not be illegitimate.'
'I beg your pardon?' Mueller jerked upright in his chair, and the other steadholders with him looked equally confused.
'I said, this child won't be illegitimate,' Sullivan repeated coldly. 'Surely that should satisfy even you, My Lord.'
'You're God's steward on Grayson, Your Grace,' Mueller shot back, 'but not God Himself. It's been well established, in both Church and civil law, that no Reverend-not even the entire Sacristy in assembly-can make falsehood true simply by saying something is so.'
'Indeed I cannot,' Sullivan said icily. 'Nonetheless, this child will not be illegitimate. You will not be given the opportunity you so obviously desire to use Lady Harrington's child as a weapon against her. Father Church won't permit it. I won't permit it.'
He smiled once again, his eyes frozen agate-hard.
'I trust that is sufficiently clear, My Lord?'
Chapter Twenty-Six
'Ma'am, I hate to disturb you, but I think you'd better see this.'
Rear Admiral Jennifer Bellefeuille, the Republican Navy's senior officer in the Chantilly System, turned towards the dining cabin hatch with a scowl that was angry, despite her best effort to control her temper.
'What is it, Leonardo?' She tried to keep herself from chopping the words off in small, icy chips, but it was more than she could manage.
