Chambers of Death

Chapter Twenty-Four

“My lady!” the guard’s daughter cried out.

Eleanor and the child’s father immediately turned to discover what had caused her to shriek so. When they saw the reason, both laughed out of amusement as well as relief.

With both arms, the child was waving at an equally small girl standing inside the manor gate. The object of this enthusiasm now bounded toward them.

“Would you give my friend your blessing as well?” The child’s hazel eyes, round with anticipation, looked up at the prioress.

“With much pleasure, especially since you ask it,” Eleanor replied. Just beyond the gate, near the hut where the cook was confined, she also saw Brother Thomas in close conversation with Master Stevyn.

Although the two little girls must have played together often, they bounced and squealed with happiness as if they had been separated more years than they had been on earth.

The sight chased some of the darkness from the prioress’ heart, a sorrow that the violence of murder always brought her. If only we could keep that innocent joy of childhood and never be touched by cruelty, she thought, and smiled at the children who looked up at her with solemn faces, their hands dutifully folded. As she gave her blessing and felt God’s love flow through her to touch the girls when she kissed each on the cheek, Eleanor hoped that they would grow old together with that same delight in friendship and comfort in each other’s company.

“My lady, may I ask favor for myself?” Her guard shuffled and his face reddened as they walked into the courtyard.

From the corner of her eye, Eleanor saw a young woman and recognized her as the one he had been talking to when Hilda was arrested. She nodded, knowing quite well what his wish might be.

“I would take but a minute to greet the mother of my daughter’s friend. As you see, she is near, and I promise not to cease careful watch over you.”

The prioress now caught her monk’s eye. “With Master Stevyn just there and Brother Thomas on his way to my side,” she said to her guard, “I will be safe enough from any mortal ill. He and I shall remain here, for we must discuss some prayers we have promised.” She lowered her eyes with modesty. “You need not cut short your courtesy.”

With an appreciate word and grateful grin, the man walked over to see the lady whose obvious joy at his arrival betrayed her own delight in his company.

“My lady, you amaze me,” Thomas said, looking in the direction of the departing guard. “How did you manage to send him away?”

“Love is a most powerful emotion, whether it be for God or another mortal. In this case, I simply bowed to the great enticement of the latter.” She turned her eyes heavenward. “Let us speak in Latin,” she continued in the suggested language. “Have you learned anything of interest? We must be brief, lest someone convey to another that our conversation was longer than expected between monk and prioress.”

Thomas knew that anyone in that busy courtyard might find profit in relaying information to the sheriff. He inclined his head slightly in the direction of the small hut. “She witnessed the adultery, of which we were aware, and thus confirmed how wide-spread the knowledge was.”

Eleanor bowed her head and nodded.

“She continues to maintain her innocence.”

“Do you believe her?”

“I would swear to it for many reasons, but she does corroborate what one other claimed to have seen. Although it was not the night of the murder, she also saw an unknown woman meet the man long after sunset. She never heard her words, only the tenor of the plea, and thus she concluded that the woman was quite sotted with him. He, on the other hand, rejected her cruelly, telling her that he would never bed a woman too old to bear children.”

“Did she recognize the voice?”

“She hesitated to guess, but when I pressed her further, she was about to suggest a name. Then her master entered, and she drew back. With him there, she would say nothing more to me.”

“I saw you speaking at length with him. Did you learn something in that?”

Thomas frowned. “I tried to determine if he was vexed about the conversation I had had with his cook, but I failed. Either he is clever at hiding his thoughts or he had no concern. My own belief is that he is not a man to betray his feelings. Although he must surely know that his wife has been unfaithful, for instance, I have seen little evidence of it.”

“Amen.”

“He did tell me that the cook will be removed from here in the morning. The king’s man claims there is little more to learn about the murder. Although I have stood witness to her innocence, as has another, he believes there is cause enough in other testimony to hold her in the castle prison.”

“How quickly he decides such things,” Eleanor snapped. “Does he think this frightened woman will flee to the forest and seek protection from brutish and lawless men?”

“Perhaps he hopes she may die of a fever in a dank cell,” Thomas replied, remembering all too well some who had. “If that happens before a hearing, the true wrongdoer will escape.”

Eleanor frowned as she pondered whether that person was Master Stevyn, his younger son, or even the unknown woman. “I do wonder who she thought visited a man at such a dark hour and begged so piteously.” She glanced at Thomas, her eyes questioning.

“Before she is taken away, she might long for a priest to comfort her, my lady. With your permission, I will go to her.” He bowed.

Her lips curled into a thin smile. “The moment for confiding a mere guess may have passed, Brother. Fear of dungeons and hanging cause mortals such terror that the need to cleanse the soul predominates over such matters, but let us pray that she still clings sufficiently to hope and thus confides the name. In any case, convey my blessing. Tonight I shall beg God to let us find the true killer before this poor innocent is condemned to an undeserved and shameful death.”