enough. “But I swear to you, I would never harm her.”
“I do not speak plainly to embarrass you, Lord FitzAlan.” It was only a partial falsehood. As it was in service of a worthy
purpose, God would forgive her. “I have known Lady Catherine since she was a babe. Perhaps I can help you understand her.”
“I would be most appreciative, Lady Abbess,” FitzAlan said with a touch of desperation in his eyes.
“I understand you have been patient with Catherine.” Giving him a pointed look, she added, “For the most part.” It would not
be wise to be too soft on the young man.
“I am not sure how much you know of her marriage to Rayburn.” She could barely say that horrid man’s name without spitting.
“If Catherine’s mother had been alive, she would have been able to guide Catherine’s father and the king in choosing a better
man to serve their purposes. Without her good influence, they chose a perfectly loathsome man who mistreated Catherine horribly.
“I, for one, was not surprised when Rayburn turned against the king.” The abbess hoped she did not sound as if she thought
the king deserved to suffer for his bad choice, though she did.
“Catherine got her loveliness from her mother.” She sighed. “Before Rayburn, she had something more—a radiance about her,
a light in her eyes. He took that from her.”
She was frustrated at not being able to describe it more clearly, but FitzAlan nodded as though he understood.
“I counsel more patience. Give her time to trust you, and she will be a good wife to you.”
“I want her to be content with me,” FitzAlan said, “for the sake of our children, as much as for me.”
Abbess Talcott sensed from the way he said this that he wanted something for his children he had not had himself. Aye, she
was pleased with him. Very pleased, indeed.
“If you can bring that spark back into her eyes, I promise she will bring you joy—and many children.” She hoped she had not
winked at him, but old habits die hard.
“My wife’s coming here could have caused difficulties for you and the abbey,” FitzAlan said. “I apologize for that.”
The abbess nodded. “I could not have allowed her to remain here. In her haste, Catherine forgot the king gave her but two
choices—and one of them was not joining a nunnery.”
The abbess signaled to Sister Matilde, who rose immediately and went to speak to someone just outside the door.
A few moments later, they heard light footsteps coming up the stairs. FitzAlan got to his feet, but the abbess signaled for
him to wait where he was. She stepped outside the open door and met Catherine at the top of the stairs.
“Tell me,” she asked in a low voice as she took Catherine’s hands, “have you decided to comply with your marriage vows and
go with your husband?”
Catherine nodded, her eyes cast down.
“Surely, it is God’s will that you do.”
Though FitzAlan was only a few yards away, Catherine did not even glance in his direction.
“Your new husband seems to be an honorable man who cares for your happiness. A woman cannot ask for more.” His fine looks
were certainly an added blessing, but the abbess did not say this aloud.
She embraced Catherine and took the opportunity to whisper in her ear. “I will soon learn what message the emissaries from
the French court have brought to Owain Glyndwr.”
“You will send me news when you have it?” Catherine whispered back.
“Aye.” The abbess released her and said, “God bless you both.”
She turned and went down the stairs with Sister Matilde, leaving Catherine alone to face her husband.
Catherine clasped her hands together to control their shaking and entered the parlor. Unable to look into her husband’s face,
she fixed her eyes on his boots and walked across the room to him. She’d practiced her apology in the chapel. But when she
opened her mouth to give it, her throat closed.
William’s face was suddenly in her line
“I do not speak plainly to embarrass you, Lord FitzAlan.” It was only a partial falsehood. As it was in service of a worthy
purpose, God would forgive her. “I have known Lady Catherine since she was a babe. Perhaps I can help you understand her.”
“I would be most appreciative, Lady Abbess,” FitzAlan said with a touch of desperation in his eyes.
“I understand you have been patient with Catherine.” Giving him a pointed look, she added, “For the most part.” It would not
be wise to be too soft on the young man.
“I am not sure how much you know of her marriage to Rayburn.” She could barely say that horrid man’s name without spitting.
“If Catherine’s mother had been alive, she would have been able to guide Catherine’s father and the king in choosing a better
man to serve their purposes. Without her good influence, they chose a perfectly loathsome man who mistreated Catherine horribly.
“I, for one, was not surprised when Rayburn turned against the king.” The abbess hoped she did not sound as if she thought
the king deserved to suffer for his bad choice, though she did.
“Catherine got her loveliness from her mother.” She sighed. “Before Rayburn, she had something more—a radiance about her,
a light in her eyes. He took that from her.”
She was frustrated at not being able to describe it more clearly, but FitzAlan nodded as though he understood.
“I counsel more patience. Give her time to trust you, and she will be a good wife to you.”
“I want her to be content with me,” FitzAlan said, “for the sake of our children, as much as for me.”
Abbess Talcott sensed from the way he said this that he wanted something for his children he had not had himself. Aye, she
was pleased with him. Very pleased, indeed.
“If you can bring that spark back into her eyes, I promise she will bring you joy—and many children.” She hoped she had not
winked at him, but old habits die hard.
“My wife’s coming here could have caused difficulties for you and the abbey,” FitzAlan said. “I apologize for that.”
The abbess nodded. “I could not have allowed her to remain here. In her haste, Catherine forgot the king gave her but two
choices—and one of them was not joining a nunnery.”
The abbess signaled to Sister Matilde, who rose immediately and went to speak to someone just outside the door.
A few moments later, they heard light footsteps coming up the stairs. FitzAlan got to his feet, but the abbess signaled for
him to wait where he was. She stepped outside the open door and met Catherine at the top of the stairs.
“Tell me,” she asked in a low voice as she took Catherine’s hands, “have you decided to comply with your marriage vows and
go with your husband?”
Catherine nodded, her eyes cast down.
“Surely, it is God’s will that you do.”
Though FitzAlan was only a few yards away, Catherine did not even glance in his direction.
“Your new husband seems to be an honorable man who cares for your happiness. A woman cannot ask for more.” His fine looks
were certainly an added blessing, but the abbess did not say this aloud.
She embraced Catherine and took the opportunity to whisper in her ear. “I will soon learn what message the emissaries from
the French court have brought to Owain Glyndwr.”
“You will send me news when you have it?” Catherine whispered back.
“Aye.” The abbess released her and said, “God bless you both.”
She turned and went down the stairs with Sister Matilde, leaving Catherine alone to face her husband.
Catherine clasped her hands together to control their shaking and entered the parlor. Unable to look into her husband’s face,
she fixed her eyes on his boots and walked across the room to him. She’d practiced her apology in the chapel. But when she
opened her mouth to give it, her throat closed.
William’s face was suddenly in her line
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