Part 51 (1/2)
He lifted his head.
”If Your Majesty permits, I would suggest that Jar- rod Courtak is beyond reach at this point, short of as- sa.s.sination. If you attack him, the people will rise on his behalf. As a Mage, he oppresses no one; as a land- owner, on the other hand, he will rouse his share of opponents. Therein may lie Your Majesty's advantage.”
”There is no advantage to the throne in that man's a.s.sumption of the Dukedom of Abercorn. It puts en- tirely too much power in the hands of the Discipline.
Besides, he has too much money as it is.” She sounded peevish.
This was obviously not the time to remind the Queen that she herself was a Magician. ”Your Majesty can impose a very stiff inheritance tax.” Brynhaven sug- gested.
280 ”Indeed we can.” The Queen smiled a small, unpleas- ant smile. ”And who knows, our young Mage will yet be tempted into politics.” The smile broadened. ”Once that happens, a charge of treason is a relatively simple thing and then we can confiscate the lands.” She nod- ded two or three times before fixing him with a glitter- ing eye. ”See that the estate is a.s.sessed at the absolute maximum,” she said. ”You may go.”
Lord Brynhaven backed from the presence pro- foundly grateful that he had survived the ordeal. Life at Court had become as unsettled and unsettling as it was said to be at Angorn.
The news of the birth came just as the welcoming feast was reaching its climax. The oohs and aahs that greeted the appearance of the elaborate desserts were silenced by the abrupt cacophony of a bell. Jarrod glanced inquiringly at Lady Aylwyth and then the meaning struck him. He pushed his chair back and jumped to his feet as the cheering broke out. He raced from the dais without a word to his dinner companions and took the stairs two at a time. He pulled up in front of Marianna's antechamber and did his best to get his breathing under control.
He walked quietly through the empty outer room and entered the bedchamber without knocking. Mar- ianna was lying in the bed with the covers pulled up to her chin. Her eyes were closed, her face was white except for the black half-circles under her eyes, and her hair was dark with sweat. The coverlet was almost flat. Mrs. Merieth was sitting on the far side of the bed and the Wisewoman was standing on the near side.
She turned and he saw a bundle in a white blanket in her arms. She smiled broadly at him and dropped a little curtsy.
THE UNICORN PEACE.
”You have a bonny daughter, my lord,” she said and held out her arms.
He walked over, feeling suddenly unsteady, and looked down at the small, creased, red face. Fine brown hair was plastered to the skull. The eyes, like her moth- er's, were closed.
”Is she ... ?”
”Indeed she is. Perfect in every limb. She screamed the place down until she was washed and then the little beauty went straight to sleep.”
”It'll be nice to have a girl to tend again,” Merry put in.
”And my wife?” Jarrod asked.
”Sleeping too. She'll be braw when she wakes and better still when she's fed the bairn.” Merry nodded at her own wisdom and knowledge.
”Did she have . . . ? Was it difficult?”
Merry smiled, revealing missing teeth. ”Och, she wailed and cursed like a dying soldier, but it was no harder than her first. She always was one for the dra- matics.”
Jarrod found himself grinning inanely at the women.
He was a father. That miniature ancient in the Wise- woman's arms was his daughter. He reached out an enormous forefinger and smoothed the slick, silk hair, marveling at the tiny perfection of ear and mouth. He felt the rising euphoria that he a.s.sociated with Magic making. He blinked and found that his eyes were full of tears, blurring his sight of her. He looked mutely from one woman to the other and swallowed convul- sively. He brushed the tears away and caught his lower lip between his teeth. He walked softly to the bed, stooped and kissed the sleeping Mananna.
He straightened up, beamed at the two women, blinked hard again, and then made his way carefully to the door. He turned.
282 ”Regrettably, I have guests below. Thank you, la- dies,” he said. ”If I am not here when the Lady Mar- ianna wakes, tell her that I love her.”
He bowed to each in turn and let himself out. His whoop of joy rang clearly through the doors and the two women smiled at one another knowingly.
”Mayhap she's made a good choice this time, m'dear,” Mrs. Merieth said.
ChAptCR 24
^B arrod spent the next two days in a state of intoxi- cation that had little to do with alcohol, although he was required to drink more than a few toasts. In an effort to break free from the castle's attentions, he rode out to visit Sir Ombras. The old man was glad to see him-inactivity obviously weighed on him-but Jarrod found himself feeling sad at the way that old age had treated the Seneschal and oddly resentful of the way that the feeling intruded on his happiness. Nothing, however, could cloud his mood for long. He relished the banquet that was held to celebrate his daughter's arrival. Flushed with wine, he went so far as to kidnap the baby from a protesting Merry and parade her around the Hall as if she were a special dish, which, from his point of view, she was. Merieth followed be- hind them muttering imprecations and cautions, but making no overt moves to restrain him.