Cadfael 04 St. Peter's Fair by Peters Ellis

Author:Peters, Ellis [Ellis, Peters,]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-01-13T14:24:33+00:00

"Not one grain of dust fell. She carried it like a vessel of wine, in both hands. I saw every move. I have not yet seen the coffin by daylight, but I doubt not it has been dealt with competently, and looks as it looked when the master-carpenter firmed it down. Nevertheless, it has been opened and closed again."

"I take your word," said the abbot simply. "This is vile."

"It is," said Cadfael and waited.

"And you cannot put name to the man who would do this thing?"

"Not yet."

"Nor say if he has gained by it? As God forbid!"

"No, Father! But God will forbid."

"Give your might to it," said Radulfus, and brooded for a while in silence. Then he said: "We have a duty to the law. Do what is best there, for I hear you have the deputy sheriff's ear. As for the affont to the church, to our house, to our dead son and his heiress, I am left to read between rubrics. There will be a Mass this morning for the dead man. The holy rite will cleanse all foulness from his passing and his coffin. As for the child, let her be at peace, for so she may, her dead is in the hand of God, there has no violence been done to his soul."

Brother Cadfael said, with hearty gratitude: "She will rest the better if she knows nothing. She is a good girl, her grief should have every consolation."

"See to it, brother, as you may. It is almost time for Prime."

Cadfael was hurrying from the abbot's lodging towards the cloister when he saw Emma turn in there ahead of him, and slowed his steps to be unnoticed himself while he watched what she would do. On this of all days Emma was entitled to every opportunity of prayer and meditation, but she also had a very private secular preoccupation of her own, and which of these needs she was serving by this early-rising zeal there was no telling.

In at the south door went Emma, and in after her, just as discreetly, went Brother Cadfael. The monks were already in their stalls, and concentrating all upon the altar. The girl slipped silently round into the nave, as though she would find herself a retired spot there in privacy; but instead of turning aside, she continued her rapid, silent passage towards the west door, the parish door that opened on to the Foregate, outside the convent walls. Except during times of stress, such as the siege of Shrewsbury the previous year, it was never closed.

In at one door and out at another, and she was free, for a little while, to go where she would, and could return by the same way, an innocent coming back from church.

Brother Cadfael's sandals padded soundlessly over the tiled floor after her, keeping well back in case she should look round, though here within he was reasonably sure she would not. The great parish door was unlatched, she had only to draw it

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