The
With no sign of Cranwell, and although I had no desire to see him, I put together his breakfast tray and carried it up to his room.
He looked up with a smile, from buttoning his shirt, as I entered the room. He looked as if he’d just come from the shower. “Freddie, the book is really coming along! Did you know there was a love triangle?”
Not until just yesterday.
Cranwell jabbered on about the count and his cousin and Alix, but I had no interest in poor Alix and her love triangle. Triangles no longer seem so symmetrical.
“You’re feeling better.”
“Much. In fact, I’m making plans to go to Italy.” I set the tray on a chair and turned to leave.
“Can I come?”
I turned back to face him. “No. You’ll have to take yourself off to Paris and visit your friends.”
“What does Severine do when you leave?”
“Whatever she pleases.” And I could almost watch the thoughts work through that crafty mind of his. Some Christian he was. I was trapped. I couldn’t stay in my own home because I couldn’t stand to see them together, but if I went, I didn’t know if I could stand to think about them at the chateau… alone, while I was sipping limoncello on some shaded terrace in Sorrento.
I closed my eyes. Some bread dough to knead would have been perfect at that moment.
Cranwell came to stand behind me, and I felt his hands on my shoulders as he began massaging them. His voice, close to my ear, said, “You look tense.”
Is it possible to want to throw yourself at a man and kill him at the same time?
The dinner turned out perfectly. I would have served champagne, but Severine had been so moody lately that I didn’t want the evening to end in maudlin tears. And although I had envisioned a casual dinner, both Cranwell and Severine showed up dressed to the nines. They must have coordinated at some point. Why else would Cranwell have been wearing a tuxedo and Severine a floor-length designer knockoff? I wouldn’t have chosen pale green for Severine, but the shimmer of the material set off sparkles in her eyes and made her teeth even more white.
My own outfit was more traditional: I was wearing a very nice pair of faded jeans and a plain-Jane blue oxford button-down shirt. I had the sleeves rolled up for extra panache. I would have taken my hair down for dinner, but considering Severine looked like she’d spent hours getting hers just right, I decided to leave mine in its knot.
For several moments, I considered not giving Severine the bonnet. But then again, what would I have done with the hideous thing?
“Severine, I have a gift for you.”
As soon as she saw the hatbox, she knew what it was. “No, Frederique. This is not necessary.”
Oh, but it was.
“Cranwell, maybe you can do the honors while I get the
“Of course.” He took the box from my hands, opened the lid, took the hat from the box, and burst into laughter.
Severine could not have made a more ugly face if she’d tried.
“Is this part of the tradition?” Cranwell asked through his laughter.
“It’s part of the tradition.”
Cranwell placed it on Severine’s head and ceremoniously tied the hot pink ribbons underneath her chin.
She pouted.
At that point I turned around to cut the
Okay then.
Somehow dinner passed. I don’t remember saying much. I can’t even remember how the food tasted, although I do know that the
When Cranwell decided Severine needed twenty-five kisses, I excused myself to go to the bathroom.
When I returned, Cranwell was clearing the table, and Severine was untying her bonnet. “Thank you, Frederique. This was very kind.”
“You’re welcome.” I tried to smile. I’m not sure if I succeeded. What I really needed was to be alone in my kitchen. “Cranwell, Lucy looks as if she needs a walk.”
She really did. I wasn’t lying.
“If you don’t need any help-”
“No. I’m fine. You and Severine should… let this be. I’ll clean up.”
Severine didn’t wait to hear another word; she made a beeline for the stairs. And Cranwell strolled out the back door with Lucy.
It’s the last I saw of either of them that night.
17
year thirty-nine of the reign of Charles VII, King of France
day of Easter
It has been three months since my lord has rendered me a visit. But this night, after he commanded me to bed, instead of drawing the curtains, he demanded of me if he might sit on the bed beside me instead of the hard floor. My cheeks became red because, had I noticed before, I would have made offer.
I must learn to be a better wife. And in fact, I do know how, for I had done the study of the Holy Bible as Agnes had demanded of me. I must begin to practice it.
He sat beside me for a while, but then laid himself the length of the bed, with his head at the foot, crooked his arm at the elbow, and placed his head in his hand as he told me this story:
There lived in Bretagne a prince named Kulhwch who had fallen in love with a lady named Olwen, daughter of the giant Yspaddaden Penkawr. Olwen had hair the color of broom, exactly, my lord says me, like mine. She had eyes the color of doves, just like mine, and cheeks stained the color of thrift. The prince demanded of the giant the hand of Olwen.
The giant gave his accord, but only if Prince Kulhwch would go to Eire, a kingdom across the sea, and take from them the Graal, a cauldron which must be used in the marriage fest.
The Graal was so strong in magic that in spite of the number of persons taking food from the Graal, it never went empty; but food from the dishonorable could not be cooked in it. And when dead chevaliers were thrown into the Graal, they are alive the next day, more fit than before, but without a tongue to speak.
The prince demanded the aid of Arthur King of Bretons. To refuse would have been dishonorable, so Arthur sent a message to Odgar mac Aedh, King of Eire, and demanded of him the Graal.
Odgar the King told Diwrnach the Gael, keeper of the cauldron, to give it to Arthur.
Diwrnach promised God Arthur would never have it.
Arthur took a group of chevaliers and sailed on his boat to Eire. They rendered a visit to Diwrnach the Gael, who offered them to eat and sleep. Arthur and the chevaliers ate and slept and then demanded of Diwrnach the cauldron.
Diwrnach refused.
Lancelot du Lac took Kaledvoulc’h, the sword of Arthur, and killed Diwrnach the Gael. Then the Graal was given to Hywydd, the servant of Arthur, for to guard it.
And ever after this, it is for Hywydd to be keeper of the Graal and be ready to light the fire underneath it.
I demanded of my lord if I wasn’t as fair as Olwen.
Then he raised himself and came to sit by my side. He took a lock of my hair and stroked it and told me that I was still more fair.
This pleased me.
