not allow such a thing."
Herbert
frowned as if deep in thought, reached for her hand, and placed it lightly on
his arm. "Nor would I, were she my child. This priory is most undeserving
of her, a cursed place I think. Although I have said that the spirit haunting
this priory must be our Eda, longing for proper burial, I cannot discount those
who say the founding queen has returned to condemn those false monastics for
their lewdness."
"Yet
the priory has been of assistance to the village. My sister's son and husband
both earn their bread there, along with many others from Amesbury. Prioress Ida
is known for her generosity to the poor, feeding their bodies and praying for
their souls."
"She
is a chaste and honorable virgin herself, but we cannot ignore with what
disgrace priory monks follow Satan's song over the broken wall to the inn where
they satisfy their unholy lusts."
"That
is surely past! My sister told me the wall has been repaired and no one has
since.
"Your
sister says? Forgive me, but I cannot give credence to her opinions. Honest
though she may be, your sister is not known for her judgement in worldly
matters. Did she not resist, like your daughter does now, when your parents
proposed an honorable marriage many years ago? Did she not instead marry a
rogue, a man who once spied on tradesmen, men traveling to make fair profit,
for the purpose of sending masterless men to rob them of their wealth?"
Herbert let his words sink in. "Nay, I am not convinced that the priory
has ceased sinning and have long questioned the competence of its leadership.
How wise was it, for example, to give work in priory fields to a man like your
sister's husband?"
"Wulfstan
was never found guilty of any crime..." Jhone quickly lowered her head as
if apologizing for her quick speech. "I thought the priory kind.
Herbert
patted her hand. "What sweet, feminine charity you show! Even though he
was never arrested for his foul deeds, most of us know your brother-in-law was
a felon." Sighing, he continued. "The old prioress, who is most
assuredly in Heaven for her charitable spirit, may have been ill-advised to
hire such a man, but I cannot dispute her soft-hearted motives in doing so, nor
yours in defending them."
The
two fell silent as the May sun enfolded them with amiable warmth. To their
right, a row of yellow-cheeked Great Tit chicks, evenly spaced along a tree
branch, filled the air with raucous protest over an unacceptable parental delay
in their feeding.
Jhone's
lips curved into a brief smile at the sight.
"Very
well, I trouble you no longer with my pleas, although I trust that you will
tame your wayward Alys and keep her from following the ill-advised example of
her aunt."
"I
shall."
"And
teach your daughter how to serve a husband as you yourself did with your dear
spouse? That is not so much to ask in return for my devotion and the sharing of
my wealth."
"You
may count on it, sir."
"And
persuade her that convent vows are not for her?"
She
nodded.
"I
shall be most thankful to you for all of this and will demonstrate my gratitude
in a more tangible form as soon as the marriage takes place." His lips
smiled, but his eyes lacked the glow of comparable joy.
A
scream shattered the peaceful morning.
Jhone
picked up her robe and raced toward the river. The vintner was not far behind.
When
they reached the trembling Alys, the pair quickly saw the cause of her horror.
A dead body bobbed gently in the tangled growth at the edge of the Avon. Although each of them knew most of the townspeople of Amesbury, none could identify
whose body it might be.
The
corpse had quite lost its head.
Chapter
Eight
"He
is my father." Sayer stumbled backwards as if the pale, headless body had
pushed him away with spectral hand.
Thomas
put a comforting arm around the son's shoulders but quickly drew it back when
he saw Sayer's eyes narrow with anger.
"We
feared as much," replied Brother Infirmarian. "I recognized the
broken arm I had set some years
Herbert
frowned as if deep in thought, reached for her hand, and placed it lightly on
his arm. "Nor would I, were she my child. This priory is most undeserving
of her, a cursed place I think. Although I have said that the spirit haunting
this priory must be our Eda, longing for proper burial, I cannot discount those
who say the founding queen has returned to condemn those false monastics for
their lewdness."
"Yet
the priory has been of assistance to the village. My sister's son and husband
both earn their bread there, along with many others from Amesbury. Prioress Ida
is known for her generosity to the poor, feeding their bodies and praying for
their souls."
"She
is a chaste and honorable virgin herself, but we cannot ignore with what
disgrace priory monks follow Satan's song over the broken wall to the inn where
they satisfy their unholy lusts."
"That
is surely past! My sister told me the wall has been repaired and no one has
since.
"Your
sister says? Forgive me, but I cannot give credence to her opinions. Honest
though she may be, your sister is not known for her judgement in worldly
matters. Did she not resist, like your daughter does now, when your parents
proposed an honorable marriage many years ago? Did she not instead marry a
rogue, a man who once spied on tradesmen, men traveling to make fair profit,
for the purpose of sending masterless men to rob them of their wealth?"
Herbert let his words sink in. "Nay, I am not convinced that the priory
has ceased sinning and have long questioned the competence of its leadership.
How wise was it, for example, to give work in priory fields to a man like your
sister's husband?"
"Wulfstan
was never found guilty of any crime..." Jhone quickly lowered her head as
if apologizing for her quick speech. "I thought the priory kind.
Herbert
patted her hand. "What sweet, feminine charity you show! Even though he
was never arrested for his foul deeds, most of us know your brother-in-law was
a felon." Sighing, he continued. "The old prioress, who is most
assuredly in Heaven for her charitable spirit, may have been ill-advised to
hire such a man, but I cannot dispute her soft-hearted motives in doing so, nor
yours in defending them."
The
two fell silent as the May sun enfolded them with amiable warmth. To their
right, a row of yellow-cheeked Great Tit chicks, evenly spaced along a tree
branch, filled the air with raucous protest over an unacceptable parental delay
in their feeding.
Jhone's
lips curved into a brief smile at the sight.
"Very
well, I trouble you no longer with my pleas, although I trust that you will
tame your wayward Alys and keep her from following the ill-advised example of
her aunt."
"I
shall."
"And
teach your daughter how to serve a husband as you yourself did with your dear
spouse? That is not so much to ask in return for my devotion and the sharing of
my wealth."
"You
may count on it, sir."
"And
persuade her that convent vows are not for her?"
She
nodded.
"I
shall be most thankful to you for all of this and will demonstrate my gratitude
in a more tangible form as soon as the marriage takes place." His lips
smiled, but his eyes lacked the glow of comparable joy.
A
scream shattered the peaceful morning.
Jhone
picked up her robe and raced toward the river. The vintner was not far behind.
When
they reached the trembling Alys, the pair quickly saw the cause of her horror.
A dead body bobbed gently in the tangled growth at the edge of the Avon. Although each of them knew most of the townspeople of Amesbury, none could identify
whose body it might be.
The
corpse had quite lost its head.
Chapter
Eight
"He
is my father." Sayer stumbled backwards as if the pale, headless body had
pushed him away with spectral hand.
Thomas
put a comforting arm around the son's shoulders but quickly drew it back when
he saw Sayer's eyes narrow with anger.
"We
feared as much," replied Brother Infirmarian. "I recognized the
broken arm I had set some years
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