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vitation lent a sanction of control to what could hardly have been prevented。 Signe hoped it might be seen that way； at any rate。 She was also； privately； somewhat curious to meet the woman again。 The last time Lucianna Delonghi had been in Barbentain was six or seven years ago； before the first of her marriages。 Her father had presented her to the count and countess。 She'd been clever； as all her family were； beautiful already； watchful； very young。 A great deal had evidently happened to her in the intervening years。
It might be interesting to see exactly what。 Later； though； Signe thought。 She didn't want to see anyone at the moment。 She had retired early； leaving to Roban and the Keepers of the Fair the task of carrying out her orders regarding the Andoria。 She doubted there would be difficulties； Borsiard had few corans with him this far from home； and was unlikely to embarrass himself by forcing a public removal from Lussan。 He was； however； quite likely to go north to Gorhaut…as Roban had gloomily predicted。 The chancellor was usually right about such things。 What Borsiard would do there was harder to guess。 But the implications could not be lost on anyone： Andoria was one less source of funding for Arbonne； one less ally if war did e； and possibly one more contingent of arms in the field if Gorhaut asked for them。
Signe sighed in the darkness of her room。 She knew Bertran had acted properly in what he'd done； that he'd made it easier for her by taking the burden upon himself。 She only wished 。。。 she only wished he didn't seem to always find himself in situations where doing the proper thing meant so much trouble for all of them。
At the moment all she wanted to do was rest。 There was sometimes a curious easing of care for her in the nighttime； in the embrace of sleep。 It didn't always e to her easily； but when it did her dreams were almost always benign； forting。 She would be walking in the castle gardens； or with Guibor； young again； in that meadow she had loved beneath the Ancients' aqueduct near Carenzu； and sometimes the four children would be with them： clever Beatritz with her shining hair； the boys…Guibor eager and adventuresome； Piers watchful； a little apart…and then Aelis trailing behind them through the green； green grass。 Aelis； in her mother's dreams； always seemed older than the others； though she was the youngest child。 She would appear in the dreams as she had looked； ing into the flourish of her own late； fierce beauty； in the year before she died。
Signe reached towards sleep that night as a woman reaching for the last gentle lover of her days。 The anxieties of day would still be waiting in the morning； with newer concerns appearing to join them； new dangers from the north 。。。 tonight she sought her dreams。 She was not allowed to have them。 The knocking at the outer door of her suite of rooms was so soft she would not have even heard it had she actually been asleep。 One of the girls in the antechamber would have； though。 Already Brisseau； the older of the two； hovered； anxious and wraithlike in her white night…robe； at the entrance to Signe's chamber。
〃See who it is；〃 the countess said； though there was only one person it could be at this hour。
Roban waited in the outer room while she donned her own robe。 She went out to him； she disliked receiving men or conducting affairs of state in her bedchamber。 He was still in the doublet he'd worn earlier in the day。 Signe understood； with something of a shock； that he had not yet even gone to bed。 It was very late； and the chancellor did not look well。 His face was haggard and in the light of the candles the girls were hastily lighting his eyes were deep…sunken。 He looked older than his years； she thought suddenly： they had worn him down in their service； she and Guibor。 She wondered if he felt the labours had been worth the price。 She wondered； for the first time； what he actually thought of the two of them。 Or of her； more properly。 Guibor was dead； one thought nothing but good of the dead。 She realized she didn't really know what her chancellor's opinion of her might be。 Frivolous； she decided； he'd probably concluded she was frivolous and impetuous and needed a steady； guiding hand。 That might answer her question of earlier in the day about why he had pushed his views so urgently of late。
He really didn't look well； though。
〃Sit；〃 she said。 〃Before you begin； sit down。 Brisseau； a flask of cider for the chancellor。〃
She thought Roban would refuse the chair but he did not； that only served to increase her own disquiet。 Forcing herself to be patient she waited； sitting opposite him； until the cider had been brought and placed on the table。 She waited again until he drank。
〃Tell me；〃 she said； finally。
〃My lady； a message came to me from Rian's temple in the town earlier tonight；〃 he said； his voice curiously faint。 〃It purported to be from someone who could not possibly have been in Lussan； requesting audience and 。。。 and sanctuary with you。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃Yes； so I went down into town myself to see if it might possibly be a true message。 I am afraid it is； my lady。 I fear that we have the gravest crisis upon us now； one that makes the Andoria matter seem as nothing。〃
〃Who is it？ Who is in the town？〃
〃Not in town any longer。 I had no choice； my lady； I had to bring her up to the castle before anyone else knew she was here or what was happening。〃 The chancellor drew an unsteady breath。 〃Countess； it seems that the Lady Rosala de Garsenc of Gorhaut has left the duke her husband without his knowledge。 She seeks refuge with us。 She is in Barbentain now； and； my lady 。。。 though I am far from expert in these matters； I believe that she may be about to give birth； even as we speak。〃
Cadar de Savaric； defiantly named and surnamed for his mother's father and family； entered the world in Barbentain Castle shortly before dawn that night。
Brought early to his time by the rigours of his mother's journey through the mountains to Arbonne； he was nonetheless sturdy and pink when he emerged； letting out a loud cry his exhausted mother heard as triumphant when the priestess of Rian； summoned hastily to the castle； drew him from her womb and clipped the birthing cord。
They washed him ceremoniously in milk warmed by the fire； as befitted a child of rank； and the older of the two priestesses swaddled him expertly in blue samite before handing him to the countess of Arbonne； who had remained in the room for the last long hours of Rosala's travail。 Signe de Barbentain； white…haired； with the delicate blue veins showing in her pale； flawless skin； cradled the child and looked down upon it with an expression Rosala could not entirely prehend but which she found deeply reassuring nonetheless。 After a moment Signe walked over to the bed and laid the infant gently in his mother's arms。
Rosala had not expected the gentleness。 She had not known what to expect。 She had only realized； when Galbert de Garsenc had ridden away from her a week ago； that she was going to go south； however she possibly could。 Beyond that she had not clearly thought。
The ing of the Lussan Fair had given her the chance。 G