Daughter of Silk by Linda Lee Chaikin

Author:Linda Lee Chaikin [Chaikin, Linda Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Christian, Historical
ISBN: 9780310317302
Google: X5uho7WGpwgC
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2009-05-25T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

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Andelot Dangeau watched the marquis ride through the gate

on his magnificent golden bay. What a horse!

Andelot removed his borrowed hat and lifted it high to get the mar- quis’s attention. Fabien turned his reins and proceeded along the line of archers and soldiers, riding in a sprightly fashion toward him and Julot. He drew up in front of Julot, leaned across, and spoke in a low voice. Julot showed no expression, but Andelot, knowing him well, guessed the reason for the hardening of his jaw.

The marquis took a place beside Andelot in the line of horsemen. The soldiers nearby glanced his way, pleasure showing on their rugged faces that he chose to ride in their company instead of with the nobility. “I spoke with Maurice alone for a few minutes this morning, and he confirms a royal meeting with the Bourbon princes at Amboise. King Francis will sign an edict of pacification allowing for freedom of worship

in certain areas of France.”

Andelot could hardly fathom the good news.

“Bien! Then the danger of a plot is past. But then, Monsieur Fabien, you look as though you do not believe it.”

“I assure you, though the king himself wishes for the good of all his subjects, Catholic and Huguenot alike, I vow, mon cousine, this smells of Guise’s treachery.”

Andelot’s enthusiasm wavered. “Treachery, Monsieur Fabien! Oh, but surely no.”

“The Queen Mother is not called Madame le Serpent for want of rea- son. I learned she held a secret counsel exceedingly early this morning with the duc and the cardinal, and the king was not privy to it.”

Andelot stoutly resisted. The marquis’s suspicions were misguided.

He suggested such with caution.

“But, Monsieur knows well, does he not, that the king is ailing? Is it not good for the Queen Mother and the duc and the cardinal to permit him rest until shortly before we depart?”

Fabien appeared to ignore the idea and went on in a low voice, mus- ing, as if to himself. “Why would the House of Guise favor an edict of pacification? There have been other edicts, always broken by Guise’s war campaigns. What has changed now? If anything, matters for the Huguenots grow more troubling throughout France. There are more arrests, more burnings.”

“I pray you consider, it may be the Queen Mother did not favor the edict, Monsieur Fabien, and that is why she held council this morning, to convince them that such a pacification was not necessary for the good of all France. Even so, the Guises prevailed . . .”

Andelot felt a bit sheepish when the marquis turned slowly toward him and gave him a level stare, which spoke plainly that he considered the explanation naive.

“You may choose to think well of them for your own reasons, mon ami. But do not imagine the Guise brothers are of a mind for compro- mise. The duc is very bold, and the cardinal is a man of sneering cruelty. I have little reason to trust them.”

Andelot plucked at his reins. It perturbed him that Fabien regarded the House of Guise no better than his archery target pads in the armory.

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