I have also instructed Odile to put a mark on the chimney face at each full of the moon, thirteen marks in a row, starting the next row beneath. In that way I will know how much time has passed. She’s a sensible woman, strong and stout and still quite young. She should last longer than I do. I have already carried a pile of clothing over to the kitchen and stored it in a locked chest together with Mama’s box. Looking through the box, I came upon that last hank of thread. When I see Mama, I must ask her what it is for.
The key to the chest is around my neck on a ribbon. As soon as I have taken care of a few things here, I am ready to go. I have told Odile to stay in readiness, that I will let her know when she is to start.
LATE JUNE
Surprise! Just as I was about to leave for Faery this very morning, I received a messenger with a letter from King Zot. He says Snow is very pregnant. He says he’s much afraid the father may not be the mad young prince, but he’s making nothing of that, because it may be for the best. The messenger who brought the letter is the putative father of Snow’s baby: that nice young courtier, Vincent, the one who tried so hard to keep his young master in check.
“Well, this is a fine thing,” I said, waving the letter at him so the seals and ribbons flapped. “Why on earth?”
He shrugged, blushing. “I didn’t mean to,” he said weakly. “She’s so lovely. And she has no sense of the fitness of things. And her husband was away, hunting, and I was rather drunk. And she gets prettier and prettier.”
I should have brought her back and locked her up in a monastery. I know I should. “She’s not intelligent, you know.”
“Oh, I know.” He sounded guilty about that, too, as he well might. “One is constantly aware of that. It is like making love to a beautiful talking doll. She keeps saying, ‘Oooh, that’s so nice.’ ”
“What’s the King doing about her?”
“He’s sent me away,” he said, shamefaced. “And he’s appointed all women to look after them from now on. Old women. You know. Past the age when …”
“I know,” I snarled at him. “What will the King do when the baby arrives?”
“The King plans to send it here to be fostered and educated. The King doesn’t want the baby around the prince, just on the chance that … I mean …”
“I know what you mean,” I said. “The child, if it’s a boy, might by some chance get into the succession, and the King doesn’t want him to be infected with madness. If madness is infectious.” It was no time to give Vincent a lesson in genetics. “What are you going to do now?”
“The King heard that your friend died.” (I had given it about that Giles had died.) “So I’m to stay here and look after you,” he said. “For my sins.”
Well! This postpones my return to Faery for a time. I can’t wait to see the baby. Also, it will be nice to have a man around again.
FALL 1418
The baby arrived today. King Zot said I was to see to the naming of him and the rearing of him. The King is getting even with me for Snow, I’m sure of it. The baby’s name will be Giles Edward Vincent Charming, honoring everyone who deserves to be honored and at least one who doesn’t.
Since I knew the baby was coming, I’ve a wet nurse already hired. The one who came with him wants to go back to Nadenada. I also have a nursery maid and a pleasant young boy who will play with him when he gets a bit older. It isn’t good for boys to have only women around them.
Since it is also not good for a young man to be alone, exposed to the temptations of the world, I have arranged a marriage for Vincent. She is the daughter of a local baron, fallen upon hard times, but of impeccable lineage. Her name is Elizabeth. She is quite pretty, extremely intelligent, and, thanks to her father, well-educated. We took her without a dowry, since the poor man had none to offer, and both she and Vincent feel grateful and relieved to be so well arranged for.
Since the Dower House is large enough for all of us, young Giles will grow up in a house with two parents and one old aunt!
CHRISTMASTIDE 1418
I am having such fun with the baby! Elizabeth is a treasure, such a sweet, helpful girl. I hope Vincent loves her as much as I already do. Both of them are quite sweet with baby Giles, almost as though he were their own. I feel fortunate that they are here.
WINTER 1419
Today, while I was telling cook at some length what I wanted prepared for dinner, I surprised upon Elizabeth’s face an expression which was so familiar and yet so elusive that I spent a good part of the morning figuring it out. It came to me at last. With considerable shock I realized it is the same expression that I used to feel upon my own face when one of the aunts did something so outrageous that I could not believe it, yet had no recourse but to accept it. It is an expression of bemused fury.
Well, during my converse with the cook, I had changed my mind several times about the menu. I really had. There was a time when that would have annoyed me.
