“Details of the room, I suppose,” de Tormo eyed Gaston with a silent apology for his slip. “Do you have any knowledge of devil worship?”
“No,” she insisted, slighted.
He put up his hand supplicatingly. “I did not mean to insinuate anything, as you know. I simply meant to know if you had ever read anything, or heard anything.”
She shook her head. “Nothing.”
The priest thought a moment. “I could tell you several things, but I have a better idea,” he looked at the two of them. “It will make your testimony far more compelling if your sisters were to testify to support your statements. Mayhap we should gather them together and prepare one story. One story that we will all memorize until we know it better than we know our own name.”
Remington looked to Gaston for his approval; he looked intrigued. “A simple story that will stand up under cross-examination?”
“Absolutely,” de Tormo said firmly. “Nothing terribly detailed, but enough to lead the council to their own conclusions.”
Remington was torn between hope and reluctance. “Must my sisters be pulled into this?”
De Tormo looked to Gaston. “We must do what is necessary, angel,” Gaston said quietly. “And we must trust the priest in this matter. He knows far more than we.”
She nodded faintly. “If you say so.”
Gaston enfolded her in both arms, fixing his gaze on the de Tormo. “Gather the flock then, priest. We shall meet you in the solar in an hour.”
Remington watched de Tormo walk down the battlement. “Guy will deny everything, Gaston. ’Twill be our word against his.”
“And he has already proven himself to be difficult and noncommittal, and the council is aware of his characteristics. Our story will work. It must, else there will be no annulment.”
She shuddered involuntarily. “And if it does work? What will happen to Guy, a proven devil-worshiper?”
“He will be executed, most likely.”
She thought a moment. “And what of Dane? Surely it will get around that his father was executed for devil-worship. It will reflect badly on him.”
“It will be forgotten,” Gaston assured her quietly. “Believe me, it will pass in time and people will see him for his great skill and forget about his long-dead father.”
She sighed. “I worry for him.”
“Do not,” Gaston turned her around to face him, a smile on his lips. “You worry overly for your children, angel. From what de Vere has told me, Dane will be promoted from page to squire come his birthday in August. John says Dane is the best page he has, next to Trenton, of course.”
“He is?” she asked, her mood lightening. “I am so glad to hear that.”
He put his arm around her shoulders and led her toward the narrow stairs leading to the courtyard. “John also says he had grown considerably. The other pages look to him as their leader.”
She bristled with pride. “Truly? But what of Trenton?”
Gaston shrugged, helping her take the top stair. “He acts at Dane’s side. Trenton was never much of a leader, really. More of a follower.”
She gathered her surcoat, taking the stairs carefully. He was directly behind her, taking her hand as they strolled back acrossthe bailey. Above them, the moon was bright and somewhere in the still night air, a night bird sang sweetly.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Gaston and Remingtonslept past dawn the next morning, unusual for both of them. The babes were taken care of by a wet nurse throughout the night, giving the exhausted parents time alone.
A stray beam of sunlight pierced thought the gap in the heavy curtains, hitting Gaston right in the eye. He twitched, rolled away from it, but by that time he sleepily realized Remington was out of his arms and he rolled back over to correct the situation. The bright light was annoying and warm on his eye once again.
He muttered a curse and burrowed down into the covers, burying his face in the back of Remington’s neck. Unfortunately, all of his fidgeting awoke her and she sighed heavily.
“Gaston, stop moving,” she mumbled into her pillow.
He grumbled something into her hair, pulling her tighter. She lazily opened her eyes, noticing how radiant the room was and wondering what time it was. She reached behind her and touched him.
