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"Ansa, you may leave us."
"Not I," said Ansa, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Lady Adalhaid, have you heard a new
rumor? Has there been a battle between the traitors and Charles's men? Was anyone killed?"
"There was a battle?" cried a young fellow who was standing near enough to hear what Ansa
said. "And men killed in it? Oh, I must tell my friends." He rushed to a group of boys and girls who
looked as if they were barely into their teens and began talking in an animated way.
"Now see what you've done, you thoughtless creature!" Lady Adalhaid exclaimed, fixing Ansa with
a cold glare. "Take yourself over to those children immediately and explain to them that there has
been no battle, that you were merely asking a question with no care for what you were saying.
And do not let me catch you engaging in gossip again!"
The instant Ansa was out of hearing, Lady Adalhaid caught Gina's arm and leaned close,
speaking in hushed tones.
"I am so glad to see you here. Fastrada is with Charles."
"That's what Ansa said."
"Did she tell you Fastrada's declared purpose for going to her husband? No, of course she didn't.
That foolish girl doesn't have a serious thought in her head."
"Why are you so disturbed?" Gina asked.
"Because Fastrada is attempting to convince Charles that Dominick is involved in this dreadful,
treasonous plot."
"She won't succeed. Charles knows better." But a cold chill crept over Gina. The fear that had
driven her from Dominick's house to the palace became a hard knot in her chest, making it
difficult to breathe.
"Don't you be as foolish as Ansa," Lady Adalhaid said, assuming a stern expression. "I took you
for a more intelligent woman than that. Fastrada is determined to ruin Dominick, and she will use
any opportunity that presents itself. What better way to destroy the man who dared to criticize her
to her face than to see him convicted of treason? If she has her way, Dominick will be executed
and his lands confiscated-and those lands will then very likely be handed over to Fastrada or to
one of her arrogant relatives."
"Why do you care?" Gina asked, adding suspicion to her fear.
"Fastrada's first scheme against Dominick spoiled my child's life." Lady Adalhaid's whisper was
harsh with fiercely repressed emotion. "Were Hiltrude wed to any other nobleman, what she did
on Fastrada's orders would almost certainly have meant her death. When Dominick learned that
Hiltrude was acting as the queens agent, he could have beaten her, could have arranged an
accident that killed her, but he did not. He never laid a hand on Hiltrude. He let her leave
Feldbruck, and he
took upon himself the blame for their divorce. For that, I owe Dominick a deeper debt of gratitude
than I can ever repay. I will do anything to help him, so long as nothing I say or do endangers
Hiltrude."
"You are saying that you don't want to tell Hiltrude's story to Charles."
"At the moment, his thoughts are entirely on the plot to murder him," Lady Adalhaid said. "That is
perfectly understandable. There will come a time when I can tell him about Hiltrude, but it is not
now. Gina, there must be something I can do for Dominick."
"First, we have to be sure of what Fastrada is saying to Charles. We can't counter her
accusations until we know what they are. By the way, have you seen Dominick?"
"Not this morning," Lady Adalhaid said.
"Excuse me a moment." Gina beckoned to Ella, who was standing a short distance away. "Ella, I
want you to ask questions of the servants and the men-at-arms. Do it very discreetly. Try to
discover if anyone has seen Dominick and, if so, where he is."
"He said he was coming to the palace to see Pepin," Ella reminded her.
"Yes, I know, but no one has mentioned Pepin to me. I wonder if the nobles here know he has
reached Regensburg? Find out as much as you can without arousing suspicion. Then come and
report to me in private."
"I will. I'll try to find Harulf, too. I haven't seen him here at the palace." Ella started for the main
entrance of the great hall.
"Now," Gina said to Lady Adalhaid, "we are going to enlist a witness whose words on Dominick's
behalf no one will doubt, and then we are going to join Charles and Fastrada."
"We cannot walk in on them when they are in private together," Lady Adalhaid protested.
"Just watch me," said Gina. Grabbing Lady Adalhaid's elbow, she all but dragged the noblewoman
out of the great hall by the side door, then through the maze of rooms to the garden courtyard,
and thence to Alcuin's office.
Happily, he was there, sitting at his desk, hunched over a sheet of parchment on which he was
writing industriously. He did not look up until Gina cleared her throat.
"I have been expecting you," Alcuin said. He laid down his quill pen and got to his feet.
"I am sure you have sources of information unknown to me," Gina said, "so I won't waste time
telling you what you already know. Are you willing to help us save Dominick from Fastrada?"
"I am." Alcuin responded without hesitation. He looked at Gina's hand on Lady Adalhaid's arm and
raised his eyebrows.
"It seems I have no choice in the matter," Lady Adalhaid said with some asperity, answering
Alcuin's unspoken question.
"What would you have us do, Lady Gina?" Alcuin asked.
"Go with me to Charles's apartments, and speak the truth as you know it," she said.
"That I will most willingly do." Alcuin came around the desk to join the two women. "Gina, I
promise you, Lady Adalhaid will not run away if [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]