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“No, you tell her, Abel,” Alinor insisted.
“Why, Ma?” Alys asked.
“So that the queen knows everything that we know.”
“Because the Nobildonna might not say…?”
“Who knows what she is doing? Who knows what she would say?”
“You’re certain?” Matthew asked. “The man could not be mistaken?”
“Course he could be!” Captain Shore said impatiently. “But they can send to the palace, can’t they? To be certain? Surely the king has spies and messengers of his own?”
Matthew nodded and clattered down the stairs to the parlor, followed at a more sober pace by Alys and her husband. Matthew tapped on the parlor door and entered, while Alys waited on the threshold, her husband behind her.
The queen was seated in her chair, leaning back with her eyes closed; Livia was at the window, looking out at the ship that would take them to safety. She turned with a little smile. “Is it time?”
Matthew bowed. “Captain Shore has some news from the coffeehouse,” he said. “I believe he should tell you himself.”
“Her Majesty is resting,” Livia whispered. “I’ll come outside.”
Alys did not yield; as Livia came towards her, she deliberately blocked the doorway. “Better that she hear this for herself.”
Livia glanced back at the queen, who opened her eyes and gestured that Captain Shore should come in. “Leave this to me, Your Majesty,” she said.
Alys stepped into the room, as if she had no fear of Livia and no deference to the queen. “I think you’d better hear for yourself, ma’am.”
Livia laughed in her grave face. “Allora!” she said mockingly. “Are you a royal herald now?”
Alys did not even look at her, and Livia fell back to stand behind the queen.
Captain Shore bowed, and told them the news from the coffeehouse.
“Just gossip,” Livia dismissed it.
“Could be true,” Alys warned.
“We shouldn’t miss the tide.”
“You’ve got an hour before it turns,” the Captain pointed out.
“Why don’t you send a message to the palace to find out?” Alys asked the queen directly.
“Please leave this to me.” Livia stepped in front of the queen and leaned over her, blocking the others from her view. “What do you want to do, dearest? Shall we take ship, now we have got so far? Don’t you want to go to your mama?”
The queen sat up and gently put Livia to one side with a smallgesture of her hand. She spoke directly to Captain Shore. “Is the man who told you a trustworthy man?”
He shrugged. “He’s got no reason to lie, ma’am.”
“Will you wait until I can get news?”
Livia stepped forward again. “Of course he will. My son, Matteo, who serves you so well, shall go to the palace and ask to speak to Father Mans—”
“Matthew can’t speak with a priest!” Alys interrupted.
Livia’s eyes flashed at her. “His Majesty’s trusted confessor,” she said. “The safest person for us to consult.”
“Yes, go,” the queen ordered Matthew.
