Chapter 7

November 6, 1005

A nude Erica answered the knock on our bedchamber’s door by unlatching it and opening it a few inches. Lady Kara and Lady Erma, in their normal fashion, barged through the door without an invitation to enter and came to a halt when they saw me in their mother’s bed. When they turned and saw their mother with no clothes, the question of how to tell them about us becoming lovers was solved.

Erica said, “Leave and return in five minutes. By then we should be dressed and ready to talk with the two of you.”

After they left and the door was shut, I asked, “Do they always barge into the room like that?”

“Unfortunately, Yes. I have subtly suggested that they wait until they are invited to enter, but neither of them are very good at picking up on unstated reasons behind subtle suggestions.”

“Yes, I have noticed that on a few occasions, Erica.”

When we were dressed, Erica unlocked and opened the door. The girls arrived with red faces and apologetic demeanors. Erica said, “And now you know why I kept suggesting that you wait until you are invited to enter someone’s bedchamber.”

Kara said, “All you told us was you had somethings to discuss and went to Dad’s study. We had no idea that we would find the two of you here.”

I asked, “Were we obligated to tell you that we decided to change the nature of our relationship?”

Kara’s response was, “No, but it would have been nice to know.”

Erica said, “Kara, get used to Vic being in this bedchamber and in this bed. Last night, we talked about many things. One of those things was our relationship. When he asked me to marry him, and I said ‘yes.’ On Sunday, we will set the date for our wedding.

“There will be many changes in the weeks to come. Some of those changes will affect the two of you.”

Erma asked, “Anything in particular?”

Erica said, “No. However, Vic and I believe both of you need to become more mature in your behaviors and attitudes.

“If the two of you plan to ever marry, you will need to prepare yourselves for managing a household. If you plan on marrying a noble, you will also need to be able to provide good advice on managing your husband’s Duchy or Earldom.

“I have told you about my not being ready to help your father manage his Duchy, when I first came here, and some of the problems my ineptness caused me. I hope to prepare you so you won’t have that problem.”

Erma complained, “Mom, I have fallen in love with Vic and I don’t want any other man. Since you are marrying him, there won’t be any man that I want.”

“Erma, that is just one of the attitudes that Vic and I intend to change. Some noble may offer a merger of households through marriage. If Vic agrees, you will marry whomever, the groom may be.

“Were you and your sister even listening to the conversation last night?”

“Yes.”

“What did the Duke say about his wives?”

“I missed that, Mom.

“What about you, Kara?”

“According to Vic, the King said something about multiple wives. However, according to Father Gallagher, a man can take only one wife.”

Erica looked at me and said, “Sorry, Vic, but I thought my daughters were more aware of how the Church operated.

“Do either of you know what the word ‘dispensation’ means?”

Kara and Erma looked at each other and then shook their heads to indicate ‘no.’

Erica said, “We have sat in church for many years listening to our Catholic Priest tell us that the Holy Bible is God’s book, and in that book, God tells us what is right and wrong. Our Priests tell us that if we do wrong, and that if God does not forgive us, we will be sent to Satan in Hell.

“We know that there are many small sins typically committed by children, and God would not send an innocent child to Hell. There are also the more serious sins that adults commit. According to our Priests, God will forgive our sins if we admit to committing them in the confessional and try to not commit the sins again.

“We all know of men and women who knowingly commit sins and have no remorse for committing what they know are sins. Our Priests tells us that God will not allow those sinners to enter Heaven and will send them to Hell.

“That is what the Catholic Church has its Priests tell us. However, what the Priests say and what they do are two very different things.

“Many Priests commit the sin of greed. One of the things that Cardinals do to obtain money is to sell ‘dispensations’ from God. A dispensation is a document that a sinner can buy from the church that states God has forgiven him for committing sins or gives permission to do something the bible says is wrong. The greater and more numerous the sins, the more it costs the sinner to buy the document.

“Vic told me that King Zonder bought a dispensation for Vic that will allow him to have multiple wives. Do either of you understand what this means for you?”

Once again, they shook their heads No.

I said, “Lady Kara, Lady Erma, let me give you a hint. Your mother will be my first wife and after marrying her I will marry other women.”

I could see Erma’s eye go wide as she realized what her mother had been telling her.

Erma said, “You mean that the two of us can be an additional wife.”

I said, “Yes, Lady Erma. However, why would I want a wife who cannot manage a household? Why would I want a wife who cannot provide me with good advice about managing my Duchy?

“I want more than a woman to warm my bed, Lady Erma, and to give me children as a wife. Right now, neither of you would be an acceptable wife for me. You will have to change if you want to become one of my wives.

“Your mother can guide you in becoming more mature and suitable to being one of my wives. You will just have to do what she says. Now let’s go eat our morning meal.”

Erica and I returned to the study after eating. Once she was settled behind the desk, I said, “Erma will work hard to become one of my wives, Erica. Kara will work also, but I’m not sure that she will want to be one of my wives.”