“I’d guess so,” I remarked.“But what did you mean by‘perhaps’ until after his trial?”
“Tor is traveling here to sit and hear his defensepersonally.”
The king was coming to sit in judgment on Dad-not-Dad?
“Holy cow times a thousand.Really?”I asked.
More smiling and nodding from Loren.
“Will I meet him?”
“I’m afraid you’ll have no choice.He and Cora will beexpecting us for dinner after they arrive in Newton.”
This just kept getting better!
“I get to meet the queen too?”
“Indeed.”
This was awesome!
“Do you think he’ll keep Father’s access to his assetsfrozen while he’s in jail?”
“The impression I get is that Tor is frustrated with hisnobles behaving like they have the run of the country and can do anything theywish at any time to anyone, without any consequences.His father was a goodman, a fine king, but he was a traditionalist.He tended to let the peers ofhis realm act as they always had, with veritable impunity.Tor is a far moremodern sort of king.”
Wow.
How cool.
Loren went on, “And he’s felt he’s done what he can to makehis statement moderately, but there are those who aren’t catching on, forinstance, your father.So he’s looking to set an example.”
I could not for the life of me stop my smile.
Loren returned it.
“So what does that mean?”I asked.
“I’ve no idea, darling.But unless Tor’s mood improvessignificantly before your father’s trial, or Derryman finds some adequatedefense, I’m afraid things aren’t looking good for him.”
“Good,” I whispered.
“Indeed,” he replied.
Except…
“Hang on, do you guys behead people or anything?”I asked.
“Not anymore,” he answered.
“Ithinkthat’s good.”
He chuckled.
“Okay, that wasalmostworth you stopping kissingme.”
His frame locked, weirdly, and his eyes bored into mine.
Then his lips stated, “You are extraordinary.”
