01 carr, philippa - daughters of england - miracle at st. bruno's

8/13/2019 01 Carr, Philippa - Daughters of England - Miracle at St. Bruno's

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Miracle At St. Brunos (1972 )(The first book in the Daughters of Englan series)

A Gothic love story played out against the intrigue and pageantry of King Henry VIII Fs

England.

!lot"

The fascinating worlds of Henry VIII and his various off spring are seen through the eyes ofDa as!. "arrator #hite fails to find the right voice for this $right% stu$$orn% principled% youngwo an adopting clean% hushed tones as though she were reading a $edti e tale to a recalcitrantchild. There&s little echo of the passions and intrigues in the story.

The 'irac(e at )an *runo

+hilppa ,- /0 was $orn in the )epte $er of 1234% nine onths after the on!s had discovered

the child in the cri$ on that ,hrist as orning. 'y $irth was% y father used to

say% another iracle5 He was not young at the ti e $eing forty years of age. . .

. 'y other% whose great pleasure was tending her gardens% called e Da as!% after

the rose which Dr. (inacre% the King6s physician% had $rought into England that year.7

Thus $egins the story narrated $y Da as! Farland% daughter of a well8to8do lawyer

whose considera$le lands ad9oin those of )t. *runo6s A$$ey. It is a story of a life

ine:trica$ly en eshed with that of *runo% the ysterious child found on the a$$eyaltar that ,hrist as orning and raised $y the on!s to $eco e a an at once0handso e

and saintly% $ut also $rooding and o inous% tortured $y the secret of his origin

which loo s ever ore enacingly over the huge a$$ey he co es to do inate.

This is also the story of an engaging fa ily% the Farlands. -f a father wise enoughto understand /the happier our King is% the happier I as a true su$9ect ust $e%7a wife twenty years his 9unior% and a daughter whose intelligence is constantly towar with the strange hold *runo has upon;

,ontinued on $ac! flap?
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/years/1972.htmhttp://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/years/1972.htm


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i i@ii The 'iracle at )t. *runo6siii +E"A(TIE)1. The re oval of a $oo! fro 1he (i$rary suireptitiously or without the co6isenioi6 the (i$rary is larceny% punisha$le $y fine and i prison ent.

3. Any one who shall wilfully cut. utilate% ar! or otherwise in9ure any $oo!%volu e%

ap% chart% aga ine% newspaper% painting or engraving% or other property of% ordeposited in any free (i$rary shall $e dee ed guilty of a isde eanor% and ay $e

prosecuted $efore any court of co petent 9urisdiction% and lia$le to a fine of B32.==%or i prison ent at the discretion of the court.4. A" A,T relating to (i$raries5 'a!ing it unlawful to retain any $oo!% pa phlet%newspaper% anuscript% ap% or any other property $elonging to a (i$rary after noticeto return the sa e. Any person violating the provisions of this Act shall upon convictionin su ary proceedings% $e sentenced to pay a fine of not ore than Ten Dollars.Act of 33 nd of 'ay% 1C441 +hilippa ,anTHE 'I A,(EAT )T. * "-6)G. +. +utna 6s )ons% 'ew or! 3FI )T A'E I,A" EDITI-" 1C


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;EM A ( on ,hrist as Day of the year 1233 the A$$ot of )t. *runo6s A$$ey drew aside

the curtains which shut off the (ady ,hapel fro the rest of the A$$ey ,hurch and

there% in the ,hrist as cri$% which *rother Tho as had so s!illfully carved% lay%

not the wooden figure of the ,hrist which had $een put there the night $efore% $uta living child.

The A$$ot% an old an% i ediately thought that the candles flic!ering on the altar

had played so e tric! on his failing eyesight. He loo!ed fro the cri$ to the inani ate

figures of oseph% 'ary and the three wise en@ and fro the to the statue of the

Virgin set high a$ove the altar. His eyes went $ac! to the child e:pecting it to

have $een replaced $y the wooden i age. *ut it was still there.

He hurried fro the chapel. He ust have witnesses.

In the cloister he ca e face to face with *rother Valerian.

/'y son%7 said the A$$ot% his voice tre $ling with e otion. /I have seen a vision.7

He led *rother Valerian to the chapel and together they ga ed down on the child in

the cri$.

/It is a iracle%7 said *rother Valerian.

A$out the cri$ stood a circle of $lac!8ro$ed figures8*rother Tho as fro the woodhouse%

*rother ,le ent fro the $a!ehouse% *rothers Arnold and Eugene fro the $rewhouse%

*rother Valerian whose delight was the scriptoriu where he wor!ed on his anuscripts%and *rother A $rose% whose tas! was to till the soil.

The A$$ot watched the closely. All were silent with awe and wonder% e:cept *rother A $rose% who e:clai ed% his voice tenseDu ; r NOO1=The 'iracle at )t. *runo6swith e:cite ent% / nto us a child is given.7 His eyes were glea ing with an e otion

he could not suppress. He was a young on!8twenty8two years of age8and of all his

sons A $rose gave the A$$ot ost concern. -ften he had wondered whether A $roseshould

re ain in the co unity@ yet at ti es this on! see ed to e $race onasticis ore

fervently than his fellows. The A$$ot had recently co e to the conclusion that *rother

A $rose could either $e a saint or a sinner and whosoever it was who clai ed hi 8God

or the Devil8*rother A $rose would $e a ost devoted disciple.

/#e ust care for this child%7 said $rother A $rose earnestly.

/Is he sent to stay with us thenP7 as!ed *rother ,le ent% the gentle% si ple one.

/How did he co e hereP7 as!ed *rother Eugene% the worldly one./It is a iracle%7 retorted *rother A $rose. /Does one Question a iracleP7


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)o this was the iracle of )t. *runo6s A$$ey. )oon the news spread through the countrysideand people traveled far to visit the $lessed spot. They $rought gifts for the ,hildli!e the wise en of old and in the years that followed rich en and wo en re e $ered)t. *runo6s in their wills@ so that in due ti e the A$$ey% which had $een in diredecline8a fact which caused its A$$ot grave concern8$eca e one of the ost prosperous

in the south of England.13 +art I14I #A) *- " in the )epte $er of 1234% nine onths after the on!s had discovered the

,hild in the cri$ on that ,hrist as orning. 'y $irth was% y father used to say%

another iracle. He was not young at the ti e% $eing forty years of age@ he had recently

arried y other who was ore than twenty years his 9unior. His first wife had died

giving $irth to a still$orn son after having ade several atte pts to $ear children

all of which had failed@ and $ecause y father at last had a child% he called that

a iracle.

It is not difficult to i agine the re9oicing in the household. Ke iah% who was y

nurse and entor in those early days% was constantly telling e a$out it.

/'ercy eR7 she said. /The feasting. It was li!e a wedding. ou could s ell the venison

and suc!ing pig all over the house. And there was tansy ca!e and saffron ca!e with

ead to wash it down for all who cared to call for it. The $eggars ca e fro iles

around. #hat a ti e of plentyR +oor soulsR p to )t. *runo6s for a night6s shelter%

a $ite to eat and a $lessing and then to the *ig House for tansy and saffron. Andall on account of you.7

/And the ,hild%7 I re inded her% for I had very Quic!ly $eco e aware of the iracle

of )t. *runo6s.

/And the ,hild%7 she agreed@ and whenever she spo!e of the ,hild% a certain s ile

illu ined her face and ade her $eautiful.

'y other% whose great pleasure was tending her gardens% called e Da as!% after

the rose which Dr. (inacre% the King6s physician% had $rought into England that year.

I $egan to grow up with a sense of y own i portance% for y other6s atte pts to $ear ore children were frustrated. There were three9niscar8rSyni1riages in the five years that followed. I was cosseted% watched over% cherished.

'y father was a good and gentle an% who went into the city to do his $usiness. Each

day one of the $oats at our privy steps would $e untied and a servant in dar!8$lue

livery would row hi upriver. )o eti es y other would carry e down to the steps

to watch hi go@ she would tell e to wave so that y father would ga e lovinglyat e until he was carried too far away to


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see e.

The $ig house with its ti $er fra e and ga$les had $een $uilt $y y father6s father@

it was co odious with its great hall% its nu erous $edcha $ers and reception roo s%

its winter parlor and its three staircases. At the east wing a stone spiral one led

to the attic $edroo s occupied $y our servants@ and in addition there was the $uttery%

the scalding house% the washhouse% the $a!ehouse and the sta$les. 'y father owned

any acres which were far ed $y en who lived on his estate@ and there were ani als

too8horses% cows and pigs. -ur land ad9oined that of )t. *runo6s A$$ey and y father

was a friend of several of the lay $rothers for he had once $een on the point of

$eco ing a on!.

*etween the house and the river were the gardens $y which y other set such store.

There she grew flowers ost of the year round8irises and tiger lilies@ lavender%rose ary% gillyflowers and of course roses. The da as! rose was always her favorite

though.

Her lawns were s ooth and $eautiful@ the river !ept the green and $oth she and y

father loved ani als. #e had our dogs and our peacoc!s too@ how often we laughed

at the strutting $irds flaunting their $eautiful tails while the far less glorious

peahens followed in the wa!e of their vainglorious lords and asters. -ne of y first

e ories was feeding the with the peas they so loved.

To sit on the stone wall and loo! at the river always delighted e. #hen I see it

now it suggests serenity and perfect peace ore than anything else I !now. And in

those days in y happy ho e M I $elieved I was no altogether unconscious of the

deep satisfying sense of security% although I didn6t appreciate it then@ I was not

wise enough to do so% $ut too! it for granted. *ut I was Quic!ly to $e 9er!ed out

of y co placent youth.

15 I re e $er a day when I was four years old. I loved to watch the craft oving along

the river and $ecause y parents could not deny the selves the pleasure of indulging

e% y father would often ta!e e to the river6s edge8I was for$idden to go there

alone $ecause they were terrified that so e accident would $efall their $eloved only

child. There he would sit on the low stone wall while I stood on it. He would !eep

his ar tightly a$out e% he would point out the $oats as they passed% and so eti es

he would say5 /That is y lord of "orfol!.7 -r% /That is the Du!e of )uffol!6s $arge.7

He !new these people slightly $ecause so eti es in the course of his $usiness heet the .


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-n this su er6s day as the strains of usic ca e fro a grand $arge which was sailing

down the river y father6s ar tightened a$out e. )o eone was playing a lute and

there was singing.

/Da as!%7 he said spea!ing Quietly as though we could $e overheard% /it6s the royal

$arge.7

It was a fine one8grander than any I had ever seen. A line of sil!en flags adorned

it@ it was gaily colored and I saw people in it@ the sun caught the 9ewels on their

dou$lets so that they glittered.

I thought y father was a$out to pic! e up and go $ac! to the house./-h% no%7 I protested.He did not see to hear e% $ut I was aware of his hesitation and he see ed differentfro his usual strong and clever self. oung as I was% I sensed a certain fear.

He stood up% holding e even ore fir ly. The $arge was very near now@ the usicwas Quite loud@ I heard the sound of laughter and then I was aware of a giant ofa an8a an with red8gold $eard and a face that see ed enor ous and on his head wasa cap that glittered with 9ewels@ on his dou$let ge s shone too. *eside hi was a

an in scarlet ro$es% and the giant and the an in red stood very close.'y father too! off his hat and stood $areheaded. He whispered to e5 /,urtsy% Da as!.7I hardly needed to $e told. I !new I was in the presence of a godli!e creature.

'y curtsy appeared to $e a success for the giant laughed pleasantly and waved a glittering

hand. The $arge passed on@

1f The 'iracle at )t. *runo6s

y father $reathed ore easily $ut he still stood with his ar s tightly a$out e

staring after it.

/Father%7 I cried% /who was thatP7

He answered5 /'y child% you have 9ust $een recogni ed $y the King and the ,ardinal.7

I had caught his e:cite ent. I wanted to !now ore of this great an. )o he was the

King. I had heard of the King@ people said his na e in hushed tones. They revered

hi @ they worshiped hi as they were supposed to worship God alone. And ore thananything they were afraid of hi .

'y parents% I had already noticed% were wary when they spo!e of hi % $ut this encounter

had caught y father off his guard. I was Quic! to reali e this.

/#here are they goingP7 I wanted to !now.

/They are on their way to Ha pton ,ourt. ou have seen Ha pton ,ourt% y love.7

*eautiful Ha ptonR es% I had seen it. It was grand and i posing% even ore so than

y father6s house.

/#hose house is it% FatherP7 I as!ed.


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/It is the King6s house.7/*ut his house is at Greenwich. ou showed e.7/The King has any houses and now he has yet another. Ha pton ,ourt. The ,ardinalhas given it to hi .7/#hy% FatherP #hy did he give the King Ha pton ,ourtP7

/*ecause he was forced to.7/The King . . . stole itP7/Hush% hush% y child. ou spea! treason.7I wondered what treason was. I re e $ered the word $ut I did not as! then $ecauseI was ore interested in !nowing why the King had ta!en that $eautiful house frothe ,ardinal. *ut y father would tell e no ore./The ,ardinal did not want to lose it%7 I said.

/ ou have too old a head on those shoulders%7 said y father fondly.

It was a fact of which he was proud. He wanted e to $e clever. That was why even

at such an age I already had a tutor and !new y letters and could read si ple words.

Already I had felt the $urning desire to !now8and this was applauded and encouraged

$y y father so I suppose I was precocious.

17 /*ut he was sad to lose it%7 I insisted. /And% Father% you are sad too. ou do not

li!e the ,ardinal to lose his house.7

/ ou ust not say that% y dearest%7 he said. /The happier our King is the happier I as a true su$9ect ust $e and you ust

1 / $e. .../And the ,ardinal ust $e%7 I said% /$ecause he is the King6s su$9ect too.7/ ou6re a clever girl%7 he said fondly./(augh% Father%7 I said. / eally laugh with your outh and your eyes and your voice.It is only the ,ardinal who has lost his house. ... It is not us.7

He stared at e as though I had said so ething very strange and then he spo!e to

e as though I were as old and wise as *rother ohn who ca e to visit hi so eti es

fro )t. *runo6s.

/'y love%7 he said% /no one stands alone. The tragedy of one could well $e the tragedyof us all.7

I did not understand the words. I did !now what tragedy was and silently pu led

over what he had said. *ut I did re e $er it later and I thought how prophetic were

his words that day $y the river.

Then he diverted y attention. /(oo! how pretty the loosestrife isR )hall we gather

so e for your otherP7

/-h% yes%7 I cried. For I loved gathering flowers and y other was always so pleased

with what I found for her@ so as I ade a nosegay of purple loosestrife with the


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flowers we called crea 8and8codlings I forgot the sadness the sight of the King and

the ,ardinal in the royal $arge together had wrought in y father.

That had $een a terri$le su er. "ews ca e to us that the plague was raging through

Europe and that thousands had died in France and Ger any.

The heat was terri$le and the fragrance of the flowers of the garden was overlaid

$y the stench that ca e off the river.

I heard what was happening fro Ke iah. I had discovered that I could learn far ore

fro her than fro y parents% who were always cautious in y hearing and a little

afraid% while they were i ensely proud% of y precocity.

)he had $een along to the ,hepe and found that several of the

1

shops were $oarded up $ecause their owners had fallen victi to the sweating sic!ness./The dreaded sweat%7 she called it and rolled her eyes upward when she spo!e of it.

It carried off people in the thousands.

Ke iah went to the woods to see 'other )alter who everyone was afraid of offending@

at the sa e ti e she was said to have cures for every !ind of ail ent. Ke iah was

on very good ter s with her. )he would proudly toss her thic! fair curly hair% her

eyes would crin!le with erri ent and she would s ile !nowingly when she tal!ed of

'other )alter. /)he6s y old Granny%7 she told e once in sudden confidence.

/Then are you a witch% Ke ieP7 I as!ed.

/There6s so e that have called e so% little Nun.7 Then she ade claws of her hand

and prowled toward e. /)o you6d $etter $e a good girl or I6ll $e after you.7 I sQuealed

with the delight Ke iah could arouse in e and pretended to $e afraid. #ith her laughter%

so eti es sly% so eti es war and loving% Ke iah was for e the ost e:citing person

in the household. )he it was who first told e of the iracle and one day when we

were out wal!ing she said that if I were a good girl she ight $e a$le to show e

the ,hild.#e had co e to that wall where our lands 9oined those of the A$$ey. Ke iah hoisted

e up. /)it still%7 she co anded. /Don6t dare ove.7 Then she cli $ed up $eside

e.

/This is his favorite place%7 she said. / ou ay well see hi today.7

)he was right. I did. He ca e across the grass and loo!ed straight up at us perched

on the wall.

I was struc! $y his $eauty although I did not reali e it then@ all I !new was that

I wanted to go on loo!ing at hi . His face was pale@ his eyes the ost startling


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dar! $lue I had ever seen@ and his fair hair curled a$out his head. He was taller

than I and even at that age there was an air of superiority a$out hi which i ediately

overawed e.

/He don6t loo! holy%7 whispered Ke iah% /$ut he6s too young for it to show.7/#ho are youP7 he as!ed% giving e a cold direct stare./Da as! Farland%7 I said. /I live at the $ig house.7/ ou should not $e here%7 answered the ,hild.1C/"ow% darling% we6ve a right to $e here%7 replied Ke iah./This is A$$ey land%7 retorted the $oy.Ke iah chuc!led. /"ot where we are. #e6re on the wall.7The $oy pic!ed up a stone and loo!ed a$out hi as though to see if he would $e o$served

throwing it at us.

/-h% that6s wic!ed%7 cried Ke iah. / ou wouldn6t thin! he was holy% would youP He

is though. -nly holiness don6t show till they get older. )o e of the saints have

$een very naughty $oys. Do you !now that% Da yP It6s in so e of the stories. They

get their halos later on.7

/*ut this one was $orn holy% Ke iah%7 I whispered.

/ ou are wic!ed%7 cried the $oy@ and at that o ent one of the on!s ca e wal!ing

across the grass.

/*runo%7 called the on!@ and then he saw us on the wall.

Ke iah s iled at hi rather strangely% I thought% $ecause after all he was a on!%and I !new $y his ro$es that he was not one of the lay $rothers who left the A$$ey

and ingled with the world.

/#hat are you doing hereP7 he cried@ and I thought Ke iah would 9u p down% lift e

down and run% for he was clearly very shoc!ed to see us.

/I6 loo!ing at the ,hild%7 said Ke iah. /He6s a $onny sight.7The on! appeared to $e distressed $y our wic!edness./It6s only e and y little Nun%7 said Ke iah in that co forta$le easy way which

ade everything less serious than others were trying to a!e it out to $e. /He wasgoing to throw a stone at us.7/That was wrong% *runo%7 said the on!.

The $oy lifted his head and said5 /They shouldn6t $e here% *rother A $rose.7

/*ut you ust not throw stones. ou !now that *rother Valerian teaches you to love

every$ody.7

/"ot sinners%7 said the ,hild.

I felt very wic!ed then. I was a sinner. He had said so and he was the Holy ,hild.

I thought of esus who had $een in His cri$ on ,hrist as Day and how different He

ust have $een. He was hu $le% y other told e% and tried to help sinners. I could


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not $elieve that He would ever have wanted to throw stones at the .

20 / ou6re loo!ing well% *rother A $rose%7 said Ke iah. )he ight have $een tal!ing

to torn )!illen% one of our gardeners to who she did tal! very often. There wasa little trill at the end of her sentence which was not Quite a laugh $ut served

the sa e purpose since it $etrayed her refusal to ad it anything was very serious

in any situation.

The ,hild was watching us intently% $ut strangely enough I found y attention $eco ing

fi:ed on Ke iah and the on!. The ,hild ight $eco e a prophet% I had heard% $ut

at this ti e he was si ply a child% though an unusual one% and I accepted the fact

that he had $een found in the ,hrist as cri$ as I accepted the stories of witches

and fairies which Ke iah told e@ $ut grown8up people interested e $ecause they

often see ed to $e hiding so ething fro e and to discover what was a !ind of challenge

which I could not resist eeting.

#e saw the lay $rothers now and then in the lanes% $ut not the on!s who lived the

enclosed life@ and I had heard that in the last years when the fa e of )t. *runo6s

had spread the nu $er of lay $rothers had increased. )o eti es they went into the

city $ecause there were the products of the A$$ey to $e disposed of and $usiness

to discuss@ $ut they always went into the world outside the A$$ey in twos. #ealthy parents sent their sons to the A$$ey to $e educated $y the on!s@ en see!ing wor!

often found it in the A$$ey far % ill or $a!e and $rew houses. There was a great

deal of activity% for not only was there the onastic co unity $ut endicants% and

poor travelers would always $e given a eal and a night6s shelter for it was a rule

that none who lac!ed these should $e turned away.

*ut although I had seen the $rothers in pairs wal!ing along the lanes% usually silent%

their eyes averted fro worldly sights% I had never $efore seen a on! and a wo an

together. I did not !now then what !ind of wo an Ke iah was% $ut in spite of y youth

I was very curious on this occasion and surprised $y the challenging and the 9ocular

disrespect which Ke iah see ed to show toward *rother A $rose. I could not understand

why he did not reprove her.

All he did say was5 / ou should not loo! on what you are not eant to see.73131Then he too! the ,hild fir ly $y the hand and led hi away. I hoped the $oy would

loo! around $ut he did not.#hen they had gone Ke iah 9u ped down and lifted e off the wall.


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we not% a es% as to no other outside the A$$ey wallsP7

/That is true%7 said a es.

/It was a sad day%7 went on *rother ohn% /when you ade up your ind to leave us.

*ut ayhap you were wise. ou have this life. . . . Has it $rought you the peace

you wantedP ou have a good wife. ou have your child.7

/I a content if everything can re ain as it is at this ti e.7/"othing re ains static% #illia .7/And ti es are changing%7 said y father sadly. /I li!e not the anner of their change.7/The King is fierce in his desires. He will have his pleasure no atter at what price.And the Lueen ust suffer for the sa!e of her who co es fro Hever to disrupt our

peace.7/And what of her% ohnP How long will she !eep her hold on his heart and his sensesP7They were all silent for a while.Then *rother ohn said% /-ne would have thought we should34have $eco e spiritual with the co ing of the ,hild. It is Quite different. I re e $era day ... a une day so e si: onths $efore he ca e. The heat was great and I ca eout into the gardens hoping to catch a cool $ree e fro the river. I was uneasy%#illia . #e were very poor. The year $efore our harvest had $een ruined. #e wereforced to $uy our corn. There had $een sic!ness a ong us@ we were not paying ourway. It see ed that )t. *runo6s for the first ti e in two hundred years would fallinto decline. #e would stay here and starve. And in the gardens that day I said to

yself% N-nly a iracle can save us.6 I a not sure whether I prayed for a iracle.I $elieve I willed a iracle to happen. I did not as! in hu ility as one does in

prayer. I did not say% NHoly 'other% if it is thy will that )t. *runo6s $e saved%save us.6 I was angry within e% in no ood for prayer. It see s to e now that yspirit was $old and arrogant. I de anded a iracle. And afterward when it ca e Ire e $ered that day.7/*ut whatever it was your words were heeded. In a few years the A$$ey has $eco e

rich. ou have no fear now that *runo will fall into decay. "ever in the A$$ey6s

history can it have $een so prosperous.7

/It6s true and yet I wonder. #e have changed% #illia . #e have $eco e worldly% have

we not% *rother a esP7

a es grunted agree ent./ ou do great good to the co unity%7 y father re inded the . / ou are leading useful

lives. +erhaps it is ore corn enda$le to help one6s fellow en than to shut oneself

away in editation and prayer.

/I had thought so. *ut the change is ar!ed. The ,hild o$sesses everyone.7

/I can understand that%7 said y father% putting his lips on y hair. I nestled closer

and then re e $ered that I did not want the to !now that I was listening. I did

not understand a great deal of what they said% $ut I en9oyed the rise and fall of

their voices and now and then I got a gli er of light.


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/They vie with each other to please the $oy. *rother Arnold is 9ealous of *rother ,le ent $ecause the $oy is ore often in the $a!ehouse than in the $rewhouse@ heaccuses hi of $ri$ing the ,hild with ca!e. The rule of silence is scarcely ever o$served. I3

hear the whispering together and $elieve it is a$out the $oy. They play ga es withhi . It see s strange $ehavior for en dedicated to the onastic life.7

/It is a strange situation8 on!s with a child to $ring upR7

/+erhaps we should have put hi out with so e wo an to care for hi . 'ayhap your

good wife could have ta!en hi and $rought hi up here.7

I stopped yself protesting in ti e. I did not want the $oy here. This was y ho e8I

was the center of attraction. If he ca e people would ta!e ore notice of hi than

of e.

/*ut of a surety he was eant to re ain at the A$$ey%7 said y father. /That was

where he was sent.7

/ ou spea! truth. *ut we can tal! to you of our isgivings. There is in the A$$ey

a restiveness which was not there $efore. #e have gained in worldly goods $ut we

have lost our peace. ,le ent and Arnold% as I have said% share this rivalry. *rother

A $rose is restive. He spea!s of this to a es. It see s as though he cannot resist

this indulgence. He says that the Devil is constantly at his el$ow and his flesh

overpowers his spirit. . . . He ortifies the flesh $ut it is of no avail. He $rea!sthe rule of silence constantly. )o eti es I thin! he should go out into the world.

He finds solace in the ,hild% who loves *rother A $rose as he loves no other.7

/He has co e to $e a $lessing to you all. That uch is clear. The A$$ey was founded

three hundred years ago $y a *runo who $eca e a saint@ now there is another *runo

at the A$$ey and it prospers as it did in the $eginning. This young *runo has re oved

your an:ieties and you say he co forts *rother A $rose.7

/ et he is a child with a child6s ways. esterday *rother Valerian found hi eating

hot ca!es which he had stolen fro the !itchen. *rother Valerian was shoc!ed. The

Holy ,hild to stealR Then ,le ent pretended that he had given the ,hild the ca!es

and was caught $y Valerian win!ing in so e sort of collusion. ou see. . . .7

/Innocent ischief%7 said y father.

/Innocent to steal ... to lieP7/ et the lie showed a !indness in ,le ent.7/He would never have lied $efore. He is $eco ing fat. He eats32

too uch. I $elieve he and the $oy eat together in the $a!ehouse. And in the cellarsArnold and Eugene are constantly testing their $rew. I have seen the e erge flushedand erry. I have seen the slap each other on the $ac!8forgetting that one of our


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rules is never to co e into physical contact with another hu an $eing. #e are changing%changing% #illia . #e have $eco e rich and self8indulgent. It is not what we wereintended for.7/It is well to $e rich in these days. Is it true that certain onasteries have $een

suppressed in order to found the King6s colleges at Eton and ,a $ridgeP7

/It is indeed true and it is true that there is tal! of lin!ing the s aller onasteries

with larger ones%7 said *rother a es.

/Then it is well for you that )t. *runo6s has $eco e one of the ore powerful a$$eys.7

/+erhaps so. *ut we live in changing ti es and the King has so e unscrupulous inisters

a$out hi .7

/Hush%7 said y father. /It is unwise to tal! so.7

/There spo!e the lawyer%7 said *rother ohn. /*ut I a uneasy8 ore so than I was

on that day when I as!ed for a iracle. The King is deeply worried $y a consciencewhich appears to have co e into $eing now that he wishes to put away an aging wife

and ta!e to his $ed one who is called a witch and a siren.7

/A divorce will not $e granted hi %7 said y father. /He will !eep the Lueen and

the lady will re ain what she is now for ever ore8the ,oncu$ine.7

/I pray it ay $e so%7 said *rother a es.

/And have you heard%7 went on y father% /that the lady is at this ti e sic! of the

sweat and that her life is in danger and the King is well nigh ad with an:iety lest

she $e ta!en fro hi P7

/If she were it would save a good any people a great deal of trou$le.7/ ou will not pray for that iracle% *rothersP7/I shall never as! for iracles again%7 said *rother ohn.They went on to tal! of atters which I did not understand and I do ed.I was awa!ened ne:t ti e $y y other6s voice.)he had co e into the garden and was clearly agitated./There is $ad news% #illia %7 she said. /'y ,ousin 'ary and her hus$and are $othdead of the sweat. -h% it is so tragic.7

26 /'y dear Dulce%7 said y father% /this is indeed terri$le news. #hen did it happenP7

/Three wee!s ago or therea$outs. 'y cousin died first@ her hus$and followed in a

few days.7

/And the childrenP7

/Fortunately y sister sent the away to an old servant who had arried and was so e

iles off. It is this servant who sends the essenger to e now. )he wants to !now

what is to $eco e of little upert and Katherine.7

/*y y soul%7 said y father% /there is no Question. Their ho e ust $e with us now.7


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And so Kate and upert ca e to live with us.Everything was different. #e see ed to $e a household of children% and I was theyoungest for Kate was two years y senior% upert two years hers. At first I wasresentful@ then I $egan to reali e that life was ore e:citing if not so co forta$lenow that y cousins had co e.

Kate was $eautiful even in those days when she was inclined to $e overplu p. Herhair was reddish% her eyes green% and her s!in crea y with a sprin!le of frec!les

across the $ridge of her nose. )he was vain of her loo!s even at seven% and used

to worry a great deal a$out the frec!les. Her other had used a frec!le lotion $ecause

she had had the sa e !ind of fair s!in and Kate used to steal it. )he could not do

that now. )he was ore !nowledgea$le than I8sharp and shrewd% $ut in spite of her

two years6 advantage% I was ahead of her in the Gree!% (atin and English which I

had $een studying since the age of three% a fact which I !new gave great satisfaction

to y father.

upert was Quieter than Kate@ one would have thought she was the elder% $ut he wasuch taller and slender@ he had the sa e color hair $ut lac!ed the green eyes8his

were al ost colorless8gray so eti es% faintly $lue at others. #ater color% I calledthe % for they reflected colors as water did. He was very an:ious to please y parents@he was self8effacing and the sort of person people didn6t notice was there. 'y father thought he ight learn to $eco e a lawyer in which case he would go to one of theInns of ,hancery after leaving -:ford as Father had done% $ut upert was ena oredof the land. He loved $eing in the hayfield3no dou$t inherited

fro y other?% so I tried not to $e aware of the growing tension and to assure

yself that it did not e:ist.

)i on ,ase an had now 9oined us. Father said he was an e:tre ely clever young an

and he thought he would $e very successful. He had shown a shrewd a$ility in y father6s


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$usiness and see ed deter ined to ingratiate hi self with our household. He was always

very deferential toward Father and at eals he would say very hu $ly5 /Do you thin!%

sir8/ and then go on to discuss so e law atter which was inco prehensi$le to the

rest of us. He would put forward a view and if Father didn6t agree would i ediately

apologi e and say he was only a !ind of apprentice after all. Father used to chide

hi a little and say that he was not necessarily wrong $ecause they did not agree@

every an should have his own opinion and so on@ I could see that Father was very

pleased with )i on. /He6s the cleverest of any young an I6ve trained%7 he used to

say.

51Then )i on ade hi self useful to 'other. He very Quic!ly learned the na es of flowers

and how $est they should $e tended. 'other was delighted with hi and he was often

to $e seen carrying her $as!et for her while she went a$out the garden% snipping

$loo s here and there.

-ften I would find hi watching e speculatively and he even tried to interest hi self

in what I li!ed. He would atte pt to discuss the Gree! philosophers with e8for I

had a reputation for $eing so ething of a scholar% largely $ecause I was so uch

$etter at y lessons than Kate or upert% which did not ean I had reached such a

really high standard@ he would also discuss horses with e $ecause I loved to ride.#ith upert he could tal! fairly !nowledgea$ly on far ing and the raising of ani als@

and he always treated Kate with that i:ture of deference and $oldness which she

provo!ed and e:pected fro ost en.

In fact he too! considera$le pains to cause no inconvenience in the household8indeed

to a!e hi self an agreea$le part of it. During the long su er evenings of that

year the ti e passed pleasantly. #e went 'aying% riding% and on 'idsu er Eve we

stayed up to see the sun rise@ we picnic!ed@ we ade the hay% always so ething of

a ritual% and we cut the corn and when the harvest was in we hung our sheaves on

the walls of the !itchen to $e left there until ne:t year@ then we gathered in the

fruits of the orchards and the nuttery and stored the away. #hen the evenings drew

in we played ga es at the fireside. #e had treasure hunts around the house% and so eti es

guessing ga es at which I usually e:celled% uch to Kate6s chagrin.

It was that su er that I saw the 9eweled 'adonna. #e had no right to see it and

I a sure *runo would never have ta!en us into the chapel had Kate not lured hi

into it.#e had gone through the secret door to find *runo waiting for us. I $elieve he loo!ed


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forward to these eetings as uch as we did. I suppose it was $ecause had it $een

!nown that we were trespassing on the A$$ey grounds and that *runo was eeting us%

there would have $een such an outcry% that we all found the eetings so e:citing.

*runo fascinated us $oth $ecause we could never forget the ystery of his $irth.

For this reason I was in awe of hi @ so was Kate. I $elieved she would have refusedto ad itsv .nSicl uW%8%%6VMl-

p%.6.685..8 f9$rsry23this and to deceive herself constantly atte pted to lead hi into so e !ind of ischief.

)he told e once that she could well understand how the Devil felt when he te pted

,hrist to cast hi self down and prove his divinity $ecause she was always wanting

to a!e *runo do so ething li!e that. /There ust $e Quite a $it of the Devil ine%7 she said@ and I assured her that she was no dou$t right a$out that.

#e were lying on the grass and Kate was tal!ing as she often did a$out the Lueen6s

coronation and how she had lain in her litter of cloth of gold.

/)he spar!led with 9ewels such X you6ve never seen%7 she told *runo.

/-h% yes% I have%7 he replied. /I6ve seen $etter 9ewels than hers.7/There aren6t any $etter. These were royal 9ewels.7/I6ve seen holy 9ewels%7 said *runo.

/Holy 9ewelsR There aren6t such things. ewels are a sy $ol of worldly po p. )o howcould they $e holy% prayP7/If they6re the 'adonna6s 9ewels they6re holy%7 said *runo./'adonnas don6t have 9ewels.7/They do. -ur 'adonna has. )he has finer 9ewels than the King has.7/I don6t $elieve you.7*runo pluc!ed a $lade of grass and $egan to chew it in a very unholy anner. He re ainedsilent and there was nothing li!e that !ind of silence to infuriate Kate./#ellP7 she de anded. / ou6re lying% aren6t youP ou6re a!ing up stories a$out yoursilly old 'adonna.7Kate loo!ed over her shoulder as she spo!e for she was very superstitious and she

wondered whether she had gone too far in referring to the 'adonna as silly and old.

*runo said5 /I6 not. I wish I could show you. ou never $elieve anything that you6re

not shown.7

/Then show us%7 cried Kate./How could IP It6s in the sacred chapel.7/All things are possi$le%7 said Kate virtuously./The 9eweled 'adonna is in the sacred chapel and only those on!s who are enclosedvisit it.7/Then how have you seen itP7

2424


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that we were an:ious to go although it was difficult to ta!e one6s eyes fro thatglittering figure.,autiously we tiptoed out% and how relieved *runo was when he turned the !ey in the

loc!. The 9ourney through the stone corridors see ed al ost an anticli a: after $eing

in the sacred chapel. If we were caught we would $e repri anded $ut he would notention that we had seen the 'adonna. #e instinctively !new that in loo!ing on that

we had co itted a greater sin than $y erely trespassing into the A$$ey.

#e ca e out into the open and hurried to our secret eeting place. *runo threw hi self

onto the ground% face downward. He was sha!en $y what he had done. Kate was silent@

I guessed she was thin!ing of herself wearing that 9eweled crown. *ut even she was

su$dued as we went ho e.

56 - T)IDE events had thrust the selves upon us now% intruding into our ho e% destroyingits peace. Even y other could not escape fro this. 'y father said the very foundations

of the ,hurch were sha!en. *rother ohn and *rother a es sat in the garden with

hi @ they tal!ed in whispers% their voices grave. 'y father tal!ed to e as he always

did. He wanted e to !now what was going on and as he said to e often5 / ou are

not a frivolous girl% Da as!. ou are not li!e Kate% concerned with ri$$ons and frills.

#e live in dangerous ti es.7

I !new of the tragedy surrounding our neigh$ors% the 'ores. )ir Tho as had ade clearhis refusal to sign the -ath of )upre acy which was an ad ission that the King was

Head of the ,hurch as well as )tate and that his arriage to Lueen Katharine of Aragon

had $een no arriage@ it was an ad ission that the heirs the King ight have $y Lueen

Anne *oleyn were the true heirs. And (ady 'ary% Katharine6s daughter% illegiti ate.

/I a afraid for )ir Tho as% Da as!%7 said y father. /He is a $rave an and will

adhere to his principles whatever evil ay $efall hi . He has% as you !now% $een

ta!en to the Tower $y way of the Traitors6 Gate and I greatly fear we ay never see

hi again.7

There was infinite sadness in y father6s face and fear too./)uch a sad household it is now% Da as!%7 he went on% /and you !now full well whata erry one it once was. +oor Da e Alice% she is $ewildered and angry. )he doesn6tunderstand. N#hy does he have to $e o$stinateP6 she !eeps as!ing. NI say to hi %'aster 'ore% you are a fool.6 +oor Alice% she never did understand her $rilliantsaint of a hus$and. And there is 'eg. -h%2I was delighted to see he was

included.? 'y fa ily% Father called us.

Kate swept a $eautiful curtsy which she had $een practicing all day@ her long hair

was caught up in a gold net and she loo!ed $eautiful.

That (ord e us thought so was o$vious for his eyes lingered on her% a fact of which


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a $eautiful portrait of her and the King declares hi self to $e ena ored of the lady

already.7

/)o the new Lueen is chosen.7

/That is what is $eing said at ,ourt. 'aster ,ro well is eager for the arriage.

I never li!ed the an8a low fellow8$ut the King finds hi clever. It would $e a good

arriage for polities6 sa!e% so they say. I6ll dareswear that very soon you will

$e seeing another coronation.7

C

tied so e atter of law for hi and as he was a very rich and powerful no$le an y

other was a!ing a very special occasion of his visit.

All that day ,le ent had $een wor!ing in the $a!ehouse@ he had ade pies with fancy

crusts and there was one in the for of the e us coat of ar s. ,le ent was delightedwith it $ecause in the A$$ey !itchen he had not had the opportunity of indulging

in such frivolity. 'y other was in her ele ent for if there was anything she li!ed

$etter than wor!ing in her garden it was preparing for visitors in the house. )he

too! on a new authority. It was clear that she wished we entertained ore.

Kate and I watched the arrival of the visitors fro the window of her roo . #e were

disappointed in (ord e us who was fat and wal!ed with a stic!% whee ing as he ade

his way up the slope of the lawn fro the privy steps. *ut he was very richly clad

and Quite clearly a an of great conseQuence.

Father led hi into the hall where we were all waiting to greet the visitors. 'other

first and (ord e us was very gracious to her% then yself as the daughter of the

house and the others% upert% Kate% )i on and *runo. >I was delighted to see he was




That (ord e us thought so was o$vious for his eyes lingered on her% a fact of whichno one was ore aware than Kate.

It was a $anQuet that was put $efore our distinguished guest. There was fish8dace%

$ar$el and chu$ all served in her$s of y other6s growing. (ord e us congratulated

her on her coo! and she was delighted. Then there was suc!ing pig and $eef and utton

followed $y y other6s own $rand of sylla$u$. There was ale and wine in plenty and

I saw y other6s eyes glea with satisfaction and I thought how easy it was for

her to $e happy in the o ent@ and how strange it was that such a short ti e ago

we were living in terror of what would happen ne:t and I could not get out of y


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ind the i age of *rother A $rose hanging fro his gi$$et at the A$$ey6s Gate.

Kate% who was seated opposite (ord e us% as!ed hi when he was last at ,ourt andhe replied that he was there $ut a wee! C2CCK fore He tal!ed of the ,ourt and the King6s dissatisfaction with % . state and how

his te per was such that it was apt to flare up if one were careless enough to rouse

it.

/I6ll warrant you% y lord% are the soul of tact%7 said Kate.

/'y dear young lady% I have a desire to !eep y head on y shoulders% for that I

consider is where it $elongs.7

Kate laughed a great deal and I saw y other glance at her and I thought afterward

she will $e repri anded for her forwardness@ $ut for the ti e that could pass% for(ord e us did not see to o$9ect to it.

(ord e us had drun! a great deal of the elder$erry concoction which y other ad itted

was particularly fine this year and he was inclined to $e tal!ative.

/The King needs a wife%7 he said. /He cannot $e happy without a wife% even when he

is loo!ing for a new wife. He ust have a wife.7

Kate laughed a great deal and the rest of us s iled@ I guessed y parents were thin!ing

uneasily of the servants.

/This ti e%7 said (ord e us% /he is loo!ing for a +rincess fro the ,ontinent% $ut

so e of the ladies are 9ust a little reluctant.7 He glanced at Kate. /(i!e e% young

lady% they are an:ious to !eep their heads and in view of what happened to the unfortunate

Anne *oleyn and even to Lueen Katharine% the reluctance is understanda$le.7

/It is li!e the Ara$ian nights%7 said Kate. /+erhaps if the King could find a Lueen

who could continue to a use hi she could continue to live.7

/That is what the new +rincess will have to ai for%7 said (ord e us. /I hear that

the sister of the Du!e of ,leves has the King6s attention. 'aster Hol$ein has painteda $eautiful portrait of her and the King declares hi self to $e ena ored of the lady

already.7

/)o the new Lueen is chosen.7

/That is what is $eing said at ,ourt. 'aster ,ro well is eager for the arriage.

I never li!ed the an8a low fellow8$ut the King finds hi clever. It would $e a good

arriage for polities6 sa!e% so they say. I6ll dareswear that very soon you will

$e seeing another coronation.7


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.6 /I can only $elieve that you have lost your sense of 9udg ent then. I fear for your

perfor ance in the courts.7

/#hat a 9oy it is to tal! with you% 'istress Da as!.7/ ou are easily content% 'aster ,ase an.7/There is one thing I would li!e to as! you% with your per ission.7/That per ission is given.7/ ou are no longer a child. Have you ever thought of giving your hand in arriageP7/I suppose it is natural in all young wo en to thin! of eventual arriage.7/He to who you gave your hand would $e dou$ly favored. A $eautiful and clever wife.#hat ore could any an as!P He would $e fortunate a$ove all en.7/I have no dou$t that any who as!ed y hand in arriage ight well have his thoughtson y inheritance.7/'y dear 'istress Da as!% he would $e too da led $y your char s to thin! of such

a atter.7/-r so da led $y y inheritance that he ight well $e ista!en a$out y $eauty and

erudition% don6t you thin!P7

/It would depend on the an. If he were% he deserves to $e. . . .7/#ellP Hanged% drawn and QuarteredP7/#orse than that. e9ected.7/I had no idea that you haZ such a talent for gallant speeches.7/If I have it is you who have inspired the .7/I wonder why.7/Do youP ou% who are so clever% ust have $een aware of y intentions.7/Toward eP7/Toward no one else.7/'aster ,ase an% is this a proposalP7/It is. I should $e the happiest of en if I ight go to your father and tell hithat you have consented to $e y wife.7/Then I a afraid I cannot give you that pleasure.7I had risen. *ut heart was pounding for I felt afraid@ and I could not tell why thissudden desire to run should have co e toCI was delighted to see he was




That (ord e us thought so was o$vious for his eyes lingered on her% a fact of which

no one was ore aware than Kate.

It was a $anQuet that was put $efore our distinguished guest. There was fish8dace%

$ar$el and chu$ all served in her$s of y other6s growing. (ord e us congratulated

her on her coo! and she was delighted. Then there was suc!ing pig and $eef and utton

followed $y y other6s own $rand of sylla$u$. There was ale and wine in plenty and

I saw y other6s eyes glea with satisfaction and I thought how easy it was for

her to $e happy in the o ent@ and how strange it was that such a short ti e agowe were living in terror of what would happen ne:t and I could not get out of y

ind the i age of *rother A $rose hanging fro his gi$$et at the A$$ey6s Gate.

Kate% who was seated opposite (ord e us% as!ed hi when he was last at ,ourt andhe replied that he was there $ut a wee! CCCCh fore He tal!ed of the ,ourt and the King6s dissatisfaction with h6 state and how

his te per was such that it was apt to flare up if one were careless enough to rouse

it.

/I6ll warrant you% y lord% are the soul of tact%7 said Kate.

/'y dear young lady% I have a desire to !eep y head on y shoulders% for that I

consider is where it $elongs.7

Kate laughed a great deal and I saw y other glance at her and I thought afterward

she will $e repri anded for her forwardness@ $ut for the ti e that could pass% for

(ord e us did not see to o$9ect to it.

(ord e us had drun! a great deal of the elder$erry concoction which y other ad ittedwas particularly fine this year and he was inclined to $e tal!ative.

/The King needs a wife%7 he said. /He cannot $e happy without a wife% even when he

is loo!ing for a new wife. He ust have a wife.7

Kate laughed a great deal and the rest of us s iled@ I guessed y parents were thin!ing

uneasily of the servants.

/This ti e%7 said (ord e us% /he is loo!ing for a +rincess fro the ,ontinent% $ut

so e of the ladies are 9ust a little reluctant.7 He glanced at Kate. /(i!e e% young

lady% they are an:ious to !eep their heads and in view of what happened to the unfortunate


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not enough at other people6s.7

/I !now so any to who those words could apply.7

/#hich shows that y lord is so li!e any others that there is very little new one

can say a$out hi .7

/-ne could say that he is rich@ that he has a large estate in the country and a place

at ,ourt.7

/All of which could a!e hi very desira'e in the eyes of sche ing young wo en.7/There you spea! sense% y child.7/+ray do not call e your child. I have had a proposal of arriage which is orethan you have had.71=1)he narrowed her eyes. /'aster ,ase anP7I nodded.

/He doesn6t want to arry you% Da as!% so uch as all this your lands% this houseand everything that you will inherit fro your father.7

/That is e:actly what I i plied.7/ ou are not so foolish after all.7/And no longer a child% since plus y inheritance I a considered arriagea$le.7/(uc!y Da as!R And what have I to reco end eP #hat $ut y $eauty and char .7/#hich see to have their effects. Even gentle en with a place at ,ourt and an estatein the country see to $e not uni pressed $y the .7/)o you thin! he was i pressedP7/#ithout dou$t. *ut were you wasting your talentsP7

/Indeed not. He could a!e e his lady to orrow an he wished it. He has had two wivesand $uried the .7/*y the faith%7 I said% /he is al ost as uch arried as the King. *ut% Kate% he

is an old an.7

/And I a a young wo an without your inheritance. our father will give e a dowry%

I dou$t not% $ut it will not $e anything to co pare with what his darling daughter

Da as! will $ring to her hus$and.7

/I would that there need not $e this tal! of arriage. It see s to e to $e a elancholy

su$9ect.7/#hy soP7

I did not answer. I thought of the fo:6s as! which I had seen on )i on ,ase an6s

face and of Kate6s planning to lure (ord e us into arriage $ecause he had a high8sounding

title% an estate in the country and a place at ,ourt.

/'arriage%7 I said% /should $e for the young% those who love not worldly goods and

titles $ut each other.7

/There spea!s%8fny ro antic cousin%7 said Kate. /#ho said you had grown upP ou are

a child still. ou are a drea er. It so often happens that those we love are not


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of not doing so to scorn.

-nce I went into her roo and found her lying facedown on her $ed staring straight

$efore her.

/Kate%7 I said% /you6re not happy.7

)he studied the great e erald on her finger. /)ee how it glows% Da as!. And it is

9ust a $eginning.7

/*ut happiness is not to $e found in the glow of an e erald% Kate.7/"oP Tell e where thenP7/In the eyes of the one you love and who loves you.7)he threw $ac! her head and laughed. *ut I saw the tearswere near.I was angry with her. #hy should she do thisP I hated the thought of her going to

that old an@ and since I had listened to Ke iah6s ra $lings i ages often forced

the selves into y ind.

/+erhaps%7 I said angrily% /it is of no conseQuence. ou are incapa$le of love.7/How dare you say thatR7/I dare%7 I said% /$ecause you are ready to sell yourself for e eralds.7)he was laughing again5 /And ru$ies%7 she said% /and sapphires% dia onds% and a placeat ,ourt.7/It disgusts e.7

/Virtuous Da as!% who has no need to sell herself $ut whose inheritance will choose

a hus$and for her.7

*ut her s ile was forced and her laughter $rittle. I !new she was not as content

as she wished e to $elieve.

Two onths after (ord e us first ca e to our house Kate lind he were arried. Therewas to $e a grand cele$ration at the1=21=2and ,le ent and his scullions were wor!ing for days in the

!itchens.

A distur$ing thing happened on the night $efore the wedding. T went to Kate6s roo $ecause I was an:ious to have a word with her. )he was not there.

As the house had retired% I sat there waiting for her% $ut she did not co e. I was

afraid that she had run away% and I wondered whether to raise the household% $ut

so ething within e warned e against that. It was four of the cloc! when she ca e

in@ her hair was strea ing a$out her.

/Da as!%7 she cried% /what are you doing hereP7

/I ca e here at idnight when the household retired to spea! with you. I was an:ious

a$out you and you were not here. I thought of rousing the household.7


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/#hat is itP7 I as!ed.)he s iled and said Quietly5 /I6 with child% 'istress.7/"o% Ke iahR7/ NTis so% 'istress. I6ve !nown a wee! or ore and I6ve had that happy feeling thatco es with it. -r so Ntwas always with e.7

/It is wrong. ou should not feel happy. ou have no hus$and. #hat right have youto have a childP7

/The right that6s given every wo an% 'istress. And I can scarce wait to hold the

little Nun in y ar s. NTwas always a child of y own I wanted. *ut there was always

the voice within e that said no. ou can6t $ring a $astard into the world% Ke iah.

ou ust go to your Granny.7

/ ou should thin! of this $efore. . . .7

/-ne day you6ll understand. There6s no thin!ing $efore. NTis only after that you

get to thin!ing. Three ti es I6ve $een to Granny in the woods. And twice she has

$rought a$out that which I !new ust $e% though never wanted it. There was the first

ti e. . . .7 Her face puc!ered. )he had $een trying to convince herself that she

and A $rose had never had a child. /This ti e%7 she went on Quic!ly% /I won6t go

to her. I want this child. NTis ay$e the last I6ll ever have for I a getting past

the age for child$earing. And this little Nun will $e to e what I6ve never had $efore.7

/#ho is the father of this childP7

/-h% there6s no dou$t of it% 'istress. It was hi all right. It had to $e. Therecouldn6t $e a shadow of dou$t. This little one $elongs to olf #eaver.7

/Ke iahR That anR That . . . urdererR7

/"ay% 'istress% Ntwas the on! who were the urderer. 'y olf ... he were the victi .7I was horrified. I stared at Ke iah6s e:panding $ody. That an6s seedR It was horrifying.1=C1=CI said5 /"o% Ke iah. In this case it is 9ustified. ou ust go to

your Granny.7

Ke iah said% /Hush you% 'istress. #ould you urder y $a$yP I want this child as

I never wanted a child $efore . . . and I6ve grieved for all of the . #hen I saw

that $oy y heart earned for hi . *ut he spurned e $ut when I !new that I carried

this seed in y $ody it gave e co fort. I shall have this

child.7

There was a strange e:alted loo! a$out her and she would not

listen to anything I said.

I could not forget that an with the hair growing low on his $row@ I could not forgetwhat he had done to Ke iah% to our lives.


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of appreciation were very welco e and $y far ore co forta$le.

)he was $u$$ling over with the 9oy of $eing the har$inger of e:citing news.

He disli!ed Anne of ,leves so uch that it was very li!ely ,ro well would lose hishead for arranging the arriage% and it was said that the Duchess had no great li!ing

for the King. It was said that there had $een no consu ation on the wedding nightand the King was furious with Hans Hol$ein for a!ing such a flattering picture of a plain wo an for who he could have no fancy. And there was Katharine Howard% flutteringher eyes at the King with a i:ture of awed -h8 our8Grace8can8youreally8$e8glancing8 y8

wayand a pro ise of all !inds of se:ual e:cite ents. )he had secretive eyes and a certainwanton anner. It was said that "orfol! was pleased. -ne niece% Anne *oleyn% hadco e to grief soon after insisting on the crown@ $ut the King was older now% hisleg was a perpetual irritation and as Katharine was young and plia$le it see ed possi$lethat she ight hold the King6s attention@ and if she could give hi a son% who !newhe ight $e satisfied. Though it was not even of such

111In. % 9.9nportance to get a son now that there was +rince Edward in the royal nursery.

)o Kate ra $led on of the glories of #indsor and hunting in the Great +ar!@ of a

$all at Greenwich and a $anQuet at Ha pton.

/Do you re e $er how we used to sail past Ha pton% Da as!% and tal! a$out the great

+alaceP7

/I re e $er it well%7 I told her. I should never forget the sight of the ,ardinal

sailing $y our privy steps with the King.Kate had ore news for us. )he was to have a child.

(ord e us was delighted. He had not $elieved this possi$le $ut his $eautiful clever

Kate was capa$le of anything. He followed her with his eyes% arveling at her grace

and $eauty. Kate reveled in it@ she laughed and flirted gaily with her hus$and and

it was only to e that she tal!ed freely.

)he wanted to go to her old roo % she said@ and I went with her there. #hen we reached

it% she shut the door% and the first thing she said was5 /Da as!% have you seen hi P

Has he ever co e $ac!P7

I didn6t have to as! to who she was referring. I said5 /-f course he has not co e

$ac!.7

/He went $ecause I arried. He told e he would go right away and he would not co e

$ac! until he was ready. #hat did he ean $y that% Da as!P7

/ ou !new hi so uch $etter than I.7

/ es% I did. I thin!% in his way% he loved e.7 )he eyed e aliciously. / ou are

9ealous% Da as!. ou always wanted hi % didn6t youP Don6t deny it. I understand.It was a way he had. He was different fro all others. ou could never $e sure whether


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he was a saint or a devil.7

/I never thought that.7

/"o% you thought he was a saint% didn6t youP ou adored hi too openly. ou were

no challenge to hi as I was. He had to convince e. ou were already won. )o he

loved e% $ut it wasn6t good enough for e.7

/ ou wanted riches. I !now that full well.7/And see how happy I have ade y hus$and. A child. He never thought to get that... at his ti e of life. He6s so proud% patience% how he strutsR As for e% I6 a

arvel% I6 as113The 'iracle at )t *runo6s

uch a iracle to e us as *runo was to the on!s of the A$$ey. I rather en9oy $eing

a iracle. That6s why I understand *runo so well. I feel for hi . I understand his

$itter disappoint ent.7/*ut you didn6t love hi well enough to arry hi .7)he s iled ruefully. /I agine e% the wife of a poor an . . . if you can.7I agreed that I could not./ ou can6t $e happy%7 I said./I can always $e happy when I get what I want%7 she retorted.Ke iah grew ore and ore strange. I spo!e to y father a$out her./+oor wo an%7 he said% /she is paying for her sins.7I was always touched $y Father6s attitude for I had never et anyone who could $eas good as he was and yet have such sy pathy for sinners.

-ne day one of the servants ca e to tell e that Ke iah was issing. )he had notslept in her $ed that night. I wondered whether she had found another lover $ut I

thought that could hardly $e the case for she was now within a onth or so of her

confine ent. I was alar ed and so e instinct sent e to the witch6s hut7in the woods.

)he was there.

'other )alter $ade e enter. I felt the shiver of apprehension I always felt in her

house. It was a s all cottage with one roo in which was a short spiral staircase.

This opened into the roo a$ove. It was overcrowded@ there were ca$alistic signs

on the wall and $ottles in which she !ept her concoctions. There were 9ars of oint ent

on the shelves and fro the $ea s there always hung $unches of drying her$s. The

s ell was peculiar@ a i:ture of her$s and so ething indefina$le. A fire always see ed

to $e $urning and a great sooty8sided caldron hung over it suspended on a chain.

There were two seats on either side of the fireplace and whenever I had seen 'other

)alter she was seated in one of the .

It too! a great deal of courage to enter her house@ the sic!ly did $ecause they hopedto $e cured@ those who wanted a love po8114 n ca e@ as for yself I was so an:ious a$out Ke iah that I wal!ed $oldly in.


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I ca e out of the cottage into the woods and ran all the way ho e.

I !new that I ust tell y father of y pro ise. If I told y other she would say5

/ es% the girl can co e to us and she shall $e $rought up with the servants.7 Then

she would forget a$out it and the child would $eco e part of our household. There

were children now in the servants6 Quarters for one or two of the had $een got with

child and y father would never turn away a deserted other.

*ut this was different. I had pro ised that Ke iah6s child should $e $rought up in

the house% sit at the schoolroo ta$le. I !new I ust !eep y word.

I told y father what had happened. I said5 /Ke iah has $een al ost as a other to

e.7

'y father pressed y hand tenderly. He !new that y own rnother while she had loo!edafter y physical needs in an e:e 811The 'iracle at )t. *runo6s

plary anner had perhaps so eti es $een a little a$sent inded when a$sor$ed $y her

garden.

/And%7 I went on% /this is Ke iah6s child. I !now she is a servingwo an $ut this

child who is a$out to $e $orn will $e the $rother or sister of *runo . . . if it

is true that he is Ke iah6s son.7

'y father was silent and a loo! of pain crossed his face. #e rarely entioned what

had happened at the A$$ey. And the fact that *runo had disappeared had deeply affected

us all. 'y father was $eco ing convinced that the confession had $een a false one

and that *runo was in fact a 'essiah or at least a prophet.

I went on Quic!ly5 /I gave y word% Father. I ust !eep it.7

/ ou are right%7 he said. / ou ust !eep your word. *ut let Ke iah $ring her child

here and tend it. #hy should she not do thatP7

/*ecause she will not $e here. That was why they ade e swear. Ke iah . . . and

'other )alter . . . $elieve that Ke iah will die.7/If this co es to pass%7 said y father% /then $ring the child here.7/And she ay $e $rought up as a child of the householdP7/ ou have pro ised this and you ust !eep your pro ise.7/-h% Father% you are such a good an.7/Don6t thin! too highly of e% Da as!.7/*ut I do thin! it and I shall always do so. For% Father% I !now how good you are8so

uch $etter than those who are supposed to $e holy.7/"o% no% you ust not say these things. ou cannot see into the hearts of people%

Da as!% and you should not 9udge unless you can. *ut let us wal! down to the river

where we can tal! in peace. Do you not iss KateP7/I do% Father% and Ke iah too. Everything see s to have changed. It has all $eco e


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It was a change to see y other ani ated. It was usually when we had horticulturists

to dine with us that she spar!led.

/It6s a a ing%7 she was saying% /how little use is ade of the flowers and her$s

which grow in our eadows and hedgerows. They are there for anyone6s ta!ing and they

can $e so tasty. +ri roses and arigolds a!e e:cellent garnish in pies and tarts.7

/I can see% 'ada %7 replied A os with a s ile% /that you are a past istress at the

art of coo!ery.7

'other di pled rather prettily. )he was far ore suscepti$le to flattery a$out her

flowers and her household than her loo!s@ and she was still good loo!ing.

Father said5 /)he is the $est housewife in England. I6d defy any to deny it. #hy%

when Da as! here is snuffling with a cold it see s nothing will cure her other gives

her 9uice of $uttercup. Following the dose there is such an attac! of snee ing thatthe head is cleared at once. And I re e $er how when I had $listers on y feet she

cured that with . . . crowfoot% was itP7

/It was indeed%7 said 'other. /-h% yes% there is a great deal to $e learned fro

the roots and flowers and her$s.7

And so we discussed the her$s which could ease pain or delight the palate and it

was while we tal!ed thus that the letters arrived fro Kate.

How grand her servants were in their $right liveryR -urs see ed hu $le in co parison.

-ne of the letters was addressed to Father and 'other% the other to e.133The 'iracle at )t. *runo6s#e did not consider it polite to read the at ta$le% which was a trial to e as I

was $urning with i patience to have Kate6s news. The essenger was ta!en to the !itchens

to $e refreshed% although% said Father 9ocularly% one wondered whether such a fine8loo!ing

gentle an should $e invited to sit at the head of the ta$le.

The conversation continued concerning new plants and vegeta$les which y other $elieved

would shortly $e introduced into the country. 'y other was saying that li!e LueenKatharine she often longed for a salad% $ut unli!e the Lueen had $een wont to do%

she was in no position to send to Flanders or Holland that the proper ingredients

ight $e acQuired.

/And I $elieve%7 said A os ,ar en% /that there is tal! of $ringing in Fle ish hops

and planting the here.7

/It is so%7 cried y other. /I should verily li!e to see ore and ore such things

co ing into the country. There are so any edi$le roots li!e the carrot and the turnip.

It is ridiculous that we cannot grow the here. *ut we shall. Do you re e $er the


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visitor we had fro FlandersP7 )he turned to her hus$and.

He re e $ered well% he told her.

/He told us% you ay also re e $er% that plans are afoot to $ring these edi$le roots

into the country. They would grow very well here% so why should we $e deprived of

the P How I should li!e to a!e a salad of these things and ta!e it to the Lueen.

. . .7)he stopped for she re e $ered that Lueen Katharine who had sent to the (ow ,ountries

for her salads was now dead. #e were all silent. I was re e $ering how the King and

Anne *oleyn had worn yellow as their / ourning7 and had danced on the day of Lueen

Katharine6s death. And now Anne herself was dead and ane was dead and the news was

that the King was ightily dissatisfied with his new Lueen.

It see ed i possi$le to spea! of any su$9ect without co ing $ac! to that one which

was in every$ody6s ind.

*ut what I wanted was to get away to read Kate6s letter./I have written to your parents to tell the they ust do nothing to prevent your co ing to e. I need your co pany. There was never any state so unco forta$le% hu iliatingand dull% if it were not134134enlivened $y $outs of isery% as having a child. I swear it shall never happen again.

I want you to co e and stay with e. e us is agreea$le. In fact he is eager. He

is so delighted at the thought of the child and so proud of hi self >at his ageR?

that he would willingly put up with any tantru I care to throw and I assure you

I throw the constantly. I have $een thin!ing what I can do to relieve the tediu

and the isery and I suddenly thought the answer is Da as!. ou are to co e at once.

ou will stay until the child is $orn. -nly a atter of wee!s now. 'a!e no e:cuses.

If you don6t co e I shall never forgiveT

you.

Father ca e to y roo . He was holding Kate6s letter in his hand./Ah%7 he said% /you !now the gist of this% I6ll warrant.7/+oor Kate%7 I said% /I thin! she was not eant to $ear children.7/'y dearest child% that is what every wo an is eant to do.7/Every wo an e:cept Kate%7 I said. /#ell% a I to goP7/It is for you to say.7/)o I have your per issionP7He nodded. He was loo!ing at e in a Qui ical% tender way. Afterward I wondered

whether he had a pre onition.

/I shall hate leaving you%7 I told hi .

/The $irds have to leave.the nest at so e ti e.7/It will not $e for very long%7 I assured hi .


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The ne:t day A os ,ar en left and I was $usy a!ing y preparations. It would $ethe first ti e I had $een away fro ho e. I loo!ed wryly at y clothes. I guessedthey would see very ho ely in Kate6s grand ansion.#e were to go $y $arge so e ten iles upriver@ and there we should $e et $y e $ers

of the e us household. I should ta!e two aids with e and torn )!illen would $e

in charge of the $arge. Then our $aggage would $e put onto pac! ules and horses

which would $e waiting to ta!e us to the e us ,astle.

I was so e:cited and eager to see Kate again. It was true that without her and Ke iah8asshe used to $e in the old days8life /was a little dra$. Then there was *runo whoin y heart I !new I issed ore than any. I often wondered why. He had see ed sore ote to e and I had often thought that it was only13The 'iracle at )t. *runo6srarely that he re e $ered y e:istence. *ut I% no less than Kate% had felt this strong

e otion for hi 8in Kate it was an i perious desire for his co pany@ in e a !ind

of awed respect. Kate de anded it while I was glad when it ca e y way. I was eager

for the cru $s which fell fro the rich an6s ta$le while Kate was seated at it as

if she were supping there.

The day $efore I was due to leave A os ,ar en ca e $ac! to the house. I ca e upon

hi with Father. They were standing $y the stone parapet near the river in earnest

conversation.

/Ah%7 said y father. /Here is Da as!. ,o e here% daughter.7I loo!ed fro one to the other@ I !new at once that they had so ething on their inds

and I cried an:iously5 /#hat is itP7

'y father said5 / ou ay trust this girl with your life.7/Father%7 I cried% /why do you say thatP7/'y child%7 he said% /we live in dangerous ti es. Tonight our guest will $e on hisway. #hen you are in the household of (ord e us perhaps you should not ention thathe visited us.7/"o% Father%7 I said.

They were $oth s iling placidly% and I was so e:cited at the prospect of y visitto Kate that I forgot what their words ight have i plied.

The ne:t day I set out. Father and 'other with upert and )i on ,ase an ca e down

to the ptivy stairs to wave e off. 'other as!ed e to ta!e note of how the gardeners

at e us dealt with greenfly and what her$s they grew and to find out if there were

any recipes of which she had not heard. Father held e against hi and $ade e co e

ho e soon and to re e $er that in Kate6s house I was not at ho e and to guard well

y tongue. upert as!ed e to co e ho e soon and )i on ,ase an loo!ed at e with

a strange light .in his eye as though he were half e:asperated with e% half a used.


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*ut enough of fear. I would thin! of Kate and her arriage and of y own% which I

suppose could not $e long delayed.

I had a choice8 upert or )i on8and I !new it could never $e )i on. Good as he was8a

clever lawyer% said y father% an asset to his $usiness and his household8he so ehow

repelled e. It would $e upert% good !ind upert% of who I was fond. *ut his ildness

ade e feel indifferent toward hi . I suppose li!e all girls I drea ed of a strong

an.

Then I was thin!ing of *runo. How little one !new of *runoR It was never possi$le

to get close to hi . *ut ever since I had heard the story of the child found in the

,hrist as cri$ he had represented an ideal for e. His very strangeness attracted

e as I a sure it had Kate. #e $elieved then that he was aloof fro us all and in

our different ways we loved hi .This was why I could not conte plate arriage with upert with any enthusias . It

was $ecause deep within e I had this strange% rather e:alted e otion for *runo.

The two serving girls% Alice and ennet% were giggling together. They had $een in

a state of e:cite ent ever since they had !nown they were going to acco pany e.

I !new they $elieved that life in Kate6s household would $e far ore e:citing than

in ours.

It was very pleasant on the river and in due course we arrived at that spot where

we were to dise $ar! and there were the servants in the un ista!a$le e us livery

waiting to help us and there were the pac! ules to which our $aggage was tied. #e

said good8$ye to torn )!illen and rode off in our little party and two hours6 ride

$rought us to e us ,astle.

It was of a uch earlier period than our residence which had $een $uilt $y y grandfather.

Its solid gray8granite walls confir ed the fact that they had stood for two hundred

years and would dou$tless stand for five hundred ore. The sun glinting on the walls

pic!ed out sharp pieces of flint so that they shone li!e rose dia onds. I ga ed upat the achicolations of the !eep as we crossed the draw$ridge over the oat. #e

passed through the gateway with its portcullis and were in a courtyard in which a

13who wasP? $ut had a straying wanton glance which1 11 1d greatly $eguiled the King so that he scarcely saw anyone1 e He was sure that as soon as the King was free of his distaste8

f 1 arriage% he would wish to a!e Katharine Howard his fifth

Lueen.

I shuddered and he said Quietly% / ou ay well feel sorry for the poor child. )he

is so young% so unaware. I trust if it should ever co e to a crown for her% fate

will not $e as un!ind as it has $een to her predecessors.7

And $y fate of course he eant the King.

I tried to a!e hi tal! a$out the affair to !eep his ind off Kate% $ut even at

such a ti e he was too uch aware of the dangers to say over uch.

Then $efore we dared hope to we heard the cry of a child and we rushed into the roo 8andthere he was% a healthy $oy.


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/ ou are a strange wo an% Kate%7 I said./#ould you have e ordinaryP7/"o. *ut I should li!e you to $e ore natural with the child.7/He is well cared for.7/He needs caresses and to $e ade aware of love.7

/This $oy will own all these lands. He6s a very luc!y $a$y. He6ll soon grow out ofthe need for caresses and $a$y tal! when he sees this grand estate.7/Then he will $e li!e his other.7/#hich%7 said Kate% /is not such a $ad thing to $e.7)o we $antered and en9oyed each other6s co pany. I !new that she sought every prete:tto !eep e there and I was delighted that this should $e so. As for yself I thoughtoften of y father and were it not for hi I should have $een contented enough tostay. I guessed that he ust have issed e sorely and now that Kate had her $oy%I thought he would write urging e1 41 4co e $ac!@ $ut his letters to e were accounts of ho e affairs nd there was no urgentreQuest for e to return.

I was a little piQued $y this% which was foolish of e@ I ight have !nown there

was a reason.

(ittle ,arey was a onth old. 'y other wrote that she had heard that a fruit called

the cherry had $een $rought into the country and had $een planted in Kent. ,ould

I please try to find out if this was soP And she had also heard that the King6s gardener

had introduced apricots into his gardens and they were prospering well. )he would

so li!e to hear if this was the case. +erhaps so e of the people who visited e us

,astle and who ca e fro the ,ourt would $e a$le to tell so ething a$out these e:citing

pro9ects.

The people who ca e fro the ,ourt did not tal! of apricots. There was a$out the

all a furtive air@ they lowered their voices when they tal!ed $ut they could not

deny the selves the pleasure of discussing the King6s affairs.

The King was deter ined to rid hi self of Anne of ,leves. ,ro well% who had ade

the arriage% was going to un a!e it.I thought of hi often in his prison in the Tower8his fate was not unli!e that of

the great ,ardinal% only his lac!ed the dignity. The ,ardinal had had the King6s

affection and had died $efore the igno iny of the Tower and death there could overta!e

hi . I was filled with pity for these en8even ,ro well8and no atter how uch I

re e $ered that terri$le ti e when the A$$ey had $een defiled and violence and isery

had prevailed% still I felt pity for the an who had cli $ed so high only to fall.

I heard now that ,ro well had $een forced to reveal conversations which he had had

with the King on the orning after the wedding night. During these conversations


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/It is not always 9udicious to cut off the heads of those who have powerful friends

in Europe. Tho as *oleyn was an English an% and no powerful onarch. )o Anne lost

her head.7

/It is s all wonder that y lady Anne revels in her freedo %7 I said. /I can understand

how she feels now. Free . . . with no an:ietyR Free to en9oy the King6s ercy.7

/The King was erciful to ,ro well too7 was the answer. /He gave hi the a: in place

of the gallows. As a low$orn an it should have $een the gallows $ut the King was

a little oved $y his pleas for ercy and granted the $loc!.7

/And now he is no ore.7

I could not 9oin in the laughter and erri ent of that night when the u ers ca e

into the hall and there was dancing to entertain our visitors. I !ept on thin!ing

of the feverish relief of Anne of Gleves% the ercy shown to Tho as ,ro well8an a:to cut off his head instead of a rope to hang a$out his nec!8and of the young girl

who was $lithely wal!ing into danger as the King6s fifth wife.

Kate ca e to y roo that night.

/ ou $rood too uch% Da as!%7 she told e@ for she understood the trend of y thoughts

although I had said nothing. /Does it not see to you that $y the very fact that

we live in a world where death can co e at any o ent to anyone% we should cherish

those o ents we have of lifeP7

I thought that perhaps she was right. And a few days later upert ca e to e us ,astle.-ur visitor fro ,ourt had left and we were Quiet again.Intending to ta!e little ,arey into the rose garden and sit there and en9oy the peaceof the place while I wor!ed at y sewing I went to the nursery where I found *etsyin tears. ,arey who had $een well fed was sleeping and when I as!ed her what waswrong she told e that her sister6s aster% who had $een good to her%1

01 carr, philippa - daughters of england - miracle at st. bruno's

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