Remington gazed back a bit fearfully. “But…but he kept his devotion secretive. How can I obtain eight testimonies if no one knew of his lust?”
“As I said, it may not be so easy,” the priest glanced to the tower room again, shaking his head. “Yet, mayhap with my own witness, the church will relax the lady’s restrictions. But you realize, of course, that not only must the lady’s marriage be annulled, but Sir Gaston’s marriage to his deceased wife must be annulled as well.”
Gaston nodded faintly; he knew that, but he was not concerned. The only matter that concerned him was GuyStoneley. “I am aware of that, priest. The church shall have their eight depositions from the most powerful men in Henry’s court.”
The priest snorted. “No doubt one from Henry himself.”
Gaston lifted an eyebrow in response.
Without another word, the priest descended the stairs, leaving Gaston and Remington standing in the doorway to the tower room. When they heard the door slam below, they looked at each other.
Gaston smiled warmly at her. “My compliments, Lady Remington. A most brilliant move on your part.”
She flushed. “I hoped he would believe it.”
He took her in his arms. “Apparently he did,” he said softly. “Is that book really bound in human skin?”
She nodded. “It really is. But it is also over one hundred years old, from Egypt. ’Tis a book of ancient recipes.”
He laughed softly, rocking her tenderly in his arms.
She clung to him. “It is almost too good to believe, Gaston. Will he truly help us?”
“It would seem so, and without my having to blackmail him,” Gaston replied.
“Is that what you were going to do? Force him into helping us?” she asked softly.
“’Twas my intention,” he admitted. “I was going to pay several serving women to say that the priest slept with them if he refused to assist us with the annulment. As much as I loathe devious means to gain my ends, I would have done it. Anything for you.”
“You said when you first entered the solar that you had a proposition for him,” she said. “What was it?”
“That he help us attain our annulment and in exchange, I would not ruin his secular life,” he replied. “As it stands, I may not need to resort to bribery at all. You, my brilliant little tart,seemed to have spared the priest and I a most uncomfortable situation.”
She lowered her lashes shyly. “It wasn’t much.”
“Ha.” He took her hand and preceded her down the stairs. “You are incredibly astute, my lady. Our son will be the most intelligent, brilliant being on the face of the earth.”
She was rosy with the compliments as he led her to the second floor landing and opened the door.
“I must find Charles and tell him what I have done,” she said. “I would not want something to slip out inadvertently before we leave.”
“Agreed,” he said. “Inform your sisters, too.”
“I will,” she nodded. “I shall do it now, before I retire.”
They walked hand in hand down the corridor until they reached the main stairs, listening to the sounds of revelry floating up from the grand hall. There, he released her hand, but his gaze was soft on her face.
“And by the way,” he said, a bit of reproval in his tone. “You told your sister of your condition, did not you?”
She looked a bit stunned, trying to play off her surprise but not succeeding. “What… why do you say that?”
He tapped her under the chin. “Because I know. What did you tell her?”
There was no use in denying it. However, she put her hands on her hips and turned it around. “And do you know what else?” she said sternly. “It seems that we were not the only ones who couldn’t keep our hands off each other. Jasmine is pregnant, too.”
He did not look surprised. “Antonius will marry her.”
“And so is Skye.”
