When the Heavens Fall (23 page)

Claiborn came in next, looking a bit more feeble than last time and leaning hard on his cane

They chatted for some time about Stoneybrook, about politics, but carefully avoiding any reference to Brandon's or Lupa's life in Dover. Indeed, Stuart and Heather didn't even ask where they were living now, perhaps not wishing to know

Eventually Stuart said, “I've got a new bird I'd like you to see. A peregrine falcon.”

“Against the law for anyone to own a peregrine except an earl. You haven't become an earl, have you, sir?”

“Not very likely,” Stuart said, with a boyish grin. “That law is probably the most violated law in England. Come along. Maybe tomorrow we'll take him out, and you can fly him.”

The two men left at once, and Claiborn dozed in his chair by the fire

Lupa had great difficulty in meeting Heather's eyes. As a rule she had a fierce dislike of aristocracy, but Brandon's parents were different from what she expected. She knew that not all nobles and their wives were as gracious as these two, but it gave her an odd feeling to be in this situation

Heather said, “It's good to see you, Lupa. You're looking so well.”

“Thank you, ma'am.”

“I've been hoping you'd come. As you must know, we're terribly worried about Brandon.”

“I know you are.” She hesitated, then said, “I'm worried about him, too.”

“Worried about him? In what way?”

“He's not himself. He's changed. Something happened to him on his last visit to you, I think, when he went to see his uncle. When he came back, I could hardly get a word out of him. He's unhappy—miserable really. I thought maybe you knew why.”

“I think it has something to do with the experience he had.”

“You mean watching the people burn?”

“Yes. Did he speak of it?”

“Only once, and when I tried to question him, he told me he couldn't talk about it.”

“How do you feel about Brandon, Lupa?”

Instantly Lupa grew defensive. “I know you'd rather he had never met me,” she said

“I never said that. You deserve something good, Lupa.”

“He'll never marry me.”

“Nobody knows about things like that.”

“Would you ever accept me as a daughter-in-law?” Lupa said,
and her dark eyes burned as she stared at Heather. “You'd probably be ostracized for having a gypsy in your family.”

“I want the best for Brandon, as every mother does. I want to see you both find something good in your life, and as far as I can tell, the best comes from serving God.”

“We have different thoughts on that.” Lupa managed to meet her eyes but not for long. She quickly turned her head. There was something essentially good in Heather Winslow, and to Lupa goodness was a rather frightening thing. She had always denied it existed. It had been the way she justified her own immoral life. But now she knew…

Out in the mews where the falcons and hawks were kept, the two men were talking. They talked about the birds for quite a bit, and then Brandon said, “Father, you must do something about Uncle Quentin.”

“What would you propose? Short of kidnapping him and spiriting him away in chains. He's as stubborn as—well, as stubborn as I am. Even as stubborn as you are, Son.”

“I can't understand why he deliberately would court death. Such a horrible death.”

“He's doing what God is telling him to do.”

“But what if he dies? I haven't ever been able to get over that execution.”

“I know it must have been terrible.”

“The old woman! She reminded me of Grandmother. She had a sweet face. She went to her death with a smile. I couldn't do that.”

“We'll do all we can, but now's the time that God wants our prayers.”

Brandon shook his head. “You know I can't pray, Father.”

“I know you'd better start praying. Everybody in England had better start praying or we're a lost nation.”

They went back into the house, and the rest of the visit was almost meaningless to Brandon. He had thought it would help to see his father and mother, but it simply sent his spirits spiralling down. They had a faith he did not have, the same kind of faith, he knew, that could send them to the stake themselves. But it was Quentin who was in ever-present danger. When he told Lupa about it, he said, “They'll kill my uncle. They'll burn him just as they did the other people I saw.”

“You can't do anything about that, right? What did your father say?”

“He said that God lets his favorites go through hard times. He said the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. I don't understand that, but I'll tell you this, Lupa. If my uncle is arrested, I will do something.”

“They'll kill you if you try.”

“Would it matter if they did?”

“Yes,” she said, wrapping her arms around him. “It would. To me, Brandon.”

He sighed and gently extricated himself from her embrace. The last thing he needed now was a woman in love with him. No one should love him. He was untrustworthy. A failure. A liar and a cheat. And considering the steadfastness of his family, utterly lost

Mary clung to Philip. She did not know if she pleased Philip in bed or not. He was a young man with the lust of a young man, and she was an older woman, too old to begin learning the secrets of a marital bed. But for the first time in her life she was in love

The two of them walked along a garden path despite the inclement weather. Philip talked platitudes and of things that were taking place in the court and back in his native Spain, but when they returned to the house, she turned to him as they stood
before the fire to gain some warmth. “We're making headway, Husband. We're destroying Protestantism.”

“The people don't like it—your people, I mean.”

“They don't understand. I've come to understand my father and the decisions he made. Heretics must be executed. They must face the fact that they are not serving God unless they are Catholic.”

“Have you considered this?” Philip asked. “When the people see someone go to his death praising God as he is consumed, maybe they think he has something of God already?”

“That's impossible. They are heretics, Philip, and the only way that we're going to see England return to the old ways, the older religion, is to give them no quarter. We must make them see it's death to do anything else.”

“What are your plans?”

“My council and I are making a list of prominent churchmen who have lost their way. They'll have a chance to repent, to give up this new religion and come back to the true faith. If not, they'll go to the stake.”

This was what Philip and his father wanted, but he had seen the English people and the emperor had not. “The people are stubborn, my queen. Once you start something, it may not be as easy to bring it to a halt.”

“God has put me on the throne to turn England back to the true faith, and that is what I will do.” She hesitated, then said, “I have something else I must tell you.”

“Something of the court?”

“No. Of us. For you and me, but for the court too.”

“I don't understand you, Mary.”

“I think I am with child.”

Philip turned to her, eagerness in his movement and in his eyes. “Are you certain?”

“I have good cause to believe it.”

“When will it be?”

“I can't be certain. But when we have a child, that will change everything.”

“Yes.” Her handsome husband smiled. “Yes, it will change things indeed. I'm happy for you.”

“I'm happy for both of us.”

February was nearly past and an early spring seemed nearly upon them. Lupa and Rez had been gone for a week, determined to make some money on their own, and Brandon sat by the window day after day, staring outside. He had just forced himself to shave and dress when Polly, one of the maids, knocked on the door and said, “Master Brandon, there's a gentleman to see you.”

“What's his name, Polly?”

“Don't know sir, but he's a fine gentleman.”

Brandon went down the stairs, and in the large room where meals were served he saw a tall man, obviously of the nobility. “I am Brandon Winslow, sir.”

“My name is John Fairfax.” He put out his hand and Brandon shook it

A shock of memory ran through Brandon. He had heard of the Earl of Fairfax often from his father and from others. He was a powerful member of the Privy Council, and for one brief moment Brandon thought,
He has soldiers outside and he's come to arrest me.

“May I be of service to you, Lord Fairfax?” he asked, willing his voice to be steady

“Yes, you could.” Fairfax wore a large diamond ring and he held in his hands an ermine fur hat that was likely worth a great deal. He was fortunate that Lupa was not at home or he would've had a cold head on his ride home, Brandon thought. “Is there some place private where we might speak?” Fairfax asked

“Yes, of course. Perhaps we'd better go to my room. It will be private there.”

“I would very much appreciate it.”

“Innkeeper, bring us some hot mulled wine to drink. Will you have something to eat, my lord?”

“No thank you, but a hot drink would go down well.”

Brandon nodded and led the way upstairs

“Please, sit down. The drinks will be here shortly.”

“Thank you, Mr. Winslow.”

Brandon sat down, his mind alert for the first time in what felt like weeks. Why he should be arrested he had no idea, but he had done plenty of things that could bring an arrest

“I know you were not expecting me, and I have something to say to you, Mr. Winslow, that may come as a shock.” The earl's voice was pleasantly moderate. He was a handsome man of some fifty years, as far as Brandon could judge. There seemed to be no threat in him

“I'd be interested to hear it, Lord Fairfax.”

Brandon started when a maid knocked at the door. He took the tray from the girl quickly and shut the door again. He handed a mug to Lord Fairfax

“I have a story to tell you, and I would appreciate it if you would simply listen until I finish. Then I will be glad to answer any questions.”

“Of course.”

“My wife and I wanted many children, but we had only one, a daughter. She was the light of our life. We named her Eden. Until she was four years old she brought great joy to us.” He hesitated, then picked up his ale and sipped it. This was, Brandon saw, something difficult for him to talk about

“To make a long story short, we sent my daughter and her governess on a sea journey to be with my brother. I had to make a diplomatic journey for the king. My wife came with me. It was the worst mistake I ever made.” He rubbed his temples and shook his head. “Before they reached shore, the ship was attacked in a raid by Spanish pirates. As far as we knew, everyone
on the ship was killed, including our daughter's governess. It nearly broke my wife and me, too.”

“I'm very sorry to hear it, my lord.”