The Fatal Child by John Dickinson

Author:John Dickinson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780375893674
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2008-11-12T22:00:00+00:00

Success meant more business: more audiences, more petitions, councils and ceremonies. More business meant more preparation and less time in which to do it. By the second month of the reign Ambrose, Padry and Aun of Lackmere were meeting at sunrise in an attempt to master each day at a time before the torrent of affairs overtook them.

And the problem with meeting the King at sunrise, thought Padry, was that you got all the ideas he’d had in the middle of the night.

‘… But Sophia sits in judgement, doesn’t she?’ said Ambrose.

‘Develin’s different,’ snapped Aun. ‘It’s been ruled by a woman for twenty years. Everyone knows that. We can’t have the Queen taking your place for however long. The barons won’t put up with it.’

‘Not even if I’m away on progress or something?’

‘Again, no. The court follows you. That’s why you go on progress – to take justice to the provinces. Put the Queen in your place and you’ll make yourself a laughing stock. Worse, you’ll make yourself enemies.’

Ambrose ran his hand through his hair, as he did when he was agitated. ‘I just think it would help her! If she could see that she was in control of something it wouldn’t be so bad.’

‘Maybe not. But she’d be so busy being in control that she’d turn everything upside down. She could do you more harm with a day in court than Seguin could in a year of plotting on his estates.’

‘You’re not being fair to her, Aun!’

‘Aren’t I? Ask someone else then. Ask anyone you like, except those besotted dandies who swarm round her with their lutes and caps and feathers! You’ll get the same advice.’

Ambrose looked to Padry for support but Padry had seen it coming. He mumbled something and fixed his eyes on his feet. Privately he sided with the baron. Not so much about women in general – he could think of several abbesses who were just as much lords of their territories as the lady was at Develin. But yes, Atti, with her opaque thoughts, her scorn and her quick tongue – to set her up in court would be to risk disaster. When it came to judgement there was no tyranny worse than caprice. Couldn’t Ambrose see that?

He did not speak, one way or another. He had an absolute rule with himself that he must not speak on any matter to do with the Queen. No one would have forgotten his mad pursuit of the girl to the mountains. They would always think his words would be coloured by that. And they might well be right. Whatever the stakes, the baron must fight this one alone.

Fortunately he seemed to be winning. He was winning because in his heart the King knew he was right.

‘I know it would mean so much to her,’ Ambrose groaned.

‘You can’t do it,’ said the baron flatly. ‘Justice is too important.’

‘Nothing’s more important, Aun! Not to me. Don’t you understand that? If I can’t help her I can’t help the Kingdom either, and nothing I do will be any good.

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