"Katherine Kurtz - Camber 3 - Camber the Heretic" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kurtz Katherine)

come so far. . . . Return as soon as you can. God keep you both safe."
chapter four


Judge none blessed before his death: for a man shall be known in his
children.
тАФEcclesiasticus 11:28


They delayed at Ebor longer than Camber would have liked. The horses had
been fed and watered, the men of their escort provided for, while Camber and
Joram were in the earl's chambers; but when the two emerged, nothing would
do but that they take a light meal with Lord Jesse and the stewardтАФfor Jesse
was hungry for news of the capital and the king, and knew that the bishop had
just left the court that morning.
So half an hour was lost appeasing Jesse. When at last Camber and his men
rode out again, the hazy shadows were lengthening beside the muddy road, the
sky dulling to a close, leaden grey which bespoke ill weather to come. With
luck, a full moon would light their last miles almost as bright as day, reflected
off the pale and silent snowdrifts. And if the promised new snow held off for
even a few hours, they would be back at the king's side before Compline. As for
a stormтАФCamber preferred not to think about that.
But so far, the weather seemed to be holding. They had been riding at a
steady, ground-covering canter for some time, Camber and Joram leading, the
four guards following in pairs, when Camber finally reined back to a brisk walk
to let the horses blow. As he caught his breath, he overheard one of the
younger guards wondering softly to his colleague how such an old man could
set such a pace. It was all Camber could do to keep from smiling as Guthrie, the
guard sergeant, shushed the man and urged his mount alongside Camber's, on
the opposite side from Joram.
"Your Grace, do you intend that we should take this road all the way back to
Valoret?"
"Now, Guthrie, that's an odd question," Camber answered, cocking his head
curiously at the man. "This is the shortest route. You know I want to rejoin the
king as soon as possible."
"Of course, Your Grace." The man bowed respectfully in the saddle. "The
men merely wondered whether you were aware that there is another road just
ahead, scarcely half an hour's ride longer, which would take us past Dolban. If
you would consent to a brief stop, they would like to visit the shrine there and
pray for the king."
Dolban.
The name of the place touched unwelcome associations in his mind, and he
had to suppress the urge to shudder. Nor could he ignore Joram's mental
shiver of apprehension. Neither of them had any wish to go to Dolban.
 Dolban had been the first of the shrines constructed by Queron Kinevan
and his Servants of Saint Camber. It was at Dolban that the formal canonization
ceremonies had taken place eleven years before, when the supposedly-dead
Camber of Culdi had been declared a saint, worthy of veneration for what he
had done for his people, his king, and his God; an example of what Deryni
could be, even in the estimation of humans.