“None.”
“You have only me. I can use you, and if you aid me, then I will reward you. So God command us. Those who serve will be given what they deserve.”
He nodded, having wandered by this time to a stand of skullcap. He twisted off a leaf. “The queen trusted me once. She may not do so again, even though I gave her no reason to distrust me. Yet if she refuses to trust me, there are ways to encourage her.”
The garden was still in its ragged spring garments; a few violets bloomed late; deep blue peeped from close stalks of rosemary. “So there are, but cautiously, Hugh. Cautiously.”
“I am ever so,” he agreed humbly, gaze cast down.
Satisfied, she beckoned for her attendants. “I will call for you later. Do not come to the feast tonight. We shall begin our persuasion of the queen tomorrow.”
3
LADY Elene always woke before dawn to pray. Because she had taken a liking to Brother Heribert’s strange manners, she insisted he climb the ladder to pray beside her every morning. Of course if Elene would pray, then Lord Berthold would come up with Heribert to pray also, Lord Jonas trailing at his heels. Blessing sulked on her pallet. Anna always dressed and knelt behind the nobles. Because she did not know the verses and psalms by heart, she must repeat them after the others had finished. Elene always remembered, as a courtesy, to ask the cleric who attended them to allow time for Anna’s response. In fact, to include Brother Heribert she had to, because he had not been quite right in the mind ever since the collapse of the hill on top of him and could scarcely recall his own verses and prayers, which he had once known better than anyone.
The others knelt on soft carpet. Anna knelt on the hard plank floor with her hands covering her face, the better to concentrate on God’s will. The better to disguise her words when she spoke “She” for “They.” No one knew that the phoenix had touched her heart. No one but Blessing, who had learned to keep silent about this one thing after that time when Prince Sanglant had punished his daughter’s servants for exposing her to heretical words. Blessing hated to see her servants punished, knowing she would never be punished herself. It was the one thing about her that gave Anna hope.
“Blessed be You, Mother and Father of Life,” said Lady Elene.
“Blessed be You, Holy Mother,” whispered Anna into her hands.
“Blessed be You,” repeated Brother Heribert in his awkward voice.
Lord Berthold yawned.
Lord Jonas made no sound. He often fell asleep kneeling, eyes open.