Chambers of Death

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Mistress Maud was not in the chamber.

Although Eleanor’s temper had waned during the short walk here, she knew it might wax again if fed by the sight of one whom she must call a suspect, no matter how unwillingly. Eleanor exhaled with relief when she saw that Mariota’s sole attendant was the usual servant.

The woman set aside her mending and rose to acknowledge the entrance of the prioress. “May I serve you in any way, my lady?”

Eleanor refused but thanked her, grateful for the woman’s gentle manner. It drove away the last of her unwomanly raging, allowing her to conclude that she had surely exaggerated the murkiness of the problems. Later, and with calmer spirit, she would carefully apply reason to each issue. As her aunt had taught her, anger only distorted facts. The situation could not possibly be as complex as she had thought under the influence of the Devil’s fury.

“How fares this child?” she asked, turning to look at the bed.

Mariota opened her eyes. “I feel much stronger, my lady,” she whispered hoarsely. “I walked to the door and back today.”

Surprised at the response, the prioress cried out with delight and rushed to grasp the girl’s hand.

“She also took some soup but an hour ago,” the servant added as she returned to her work, the stitching so skillful that the tear was becoming quite invisible.

Eleanor studied the girl. “Then you are most certainly healing.” Although Mariota was still pale, her cheeks had regained some of the healthier pink they had previously borne.

“Shall we leave soon?”

There was a sadness in the girl’s voice that caught Eleanor’s attention. Was she still suffering over what she had recently confessed? “Not until there is sufficient lull in the storms, and you have enough strength to travel back to the priory without further endangering your health.”

Mariota squeezed her eyes shut as if the meager light stung.

Eleanor gestured to the servant that she might leave them.

“I will remain outside should you have need of me,” the woman replied.

The prioress waited until the door was firmly shut. “You seem troubled, my child.”

“Are we alone?”

Eleanor nodded. “Speak freely and tell me what burdens your spirit.”

A slight flush dusted the young woman’s cheeks. “I would not speak ill of those who are kind.”

Fear numbed the prioress, but she knew she dared not show it. Her mind now raced through the possible meanings, and her heart began to pound. To disguise her alarm, she carefully released Mariota’s hand, patted it gently, and drew back a step. “Let me take that weight from you. If your spirit be honest in its speech, I shall decide whether those who seem benevolent are truly so or only don the convenient robes of compassion.”

Mariota stared up at the ceiling and began to speak. “This morning, Mistress Maud brought Master Huet to this chamber and sat while he played most beautifully upon the lute. His gentle songs of love, both worldly and spiritual, quite raised my spirits.”

“I have heard him, and he owns much talent.” Eleanor smiled encouragement.

“After a while, I slipped into a pleasant sleep, dreaming that my brother’s friend greeted me with great happiness.” She looked at the prioress as if searching for some sign, either of hope or censure.

“As we all know, God can tell us things in dreams, and this may suggest that matters have changed in your family of late,” Eleanor said, then quickly added a caution. “I am not, however, as blessed as Joseph who read God’s word in Pharaoh’s dream.”

The girl nodded. “When I awoke, I felt at peace and decided that God might truly be merciful in this matter. Then I opened my eyes.” She began to tremble.

Eleanor took the girl’s hand and held it with a gentleness she hoped would make further speech easier.

“I dare not draw any conclusions, my lady, but the sight did startle me.”

“Tell me in simple words exactly what you saw?” The prioress fought not to betray her own apprehension.

“Mistress Maud and Master Huet were standing near the window. They were holding each other in close embrace.”

Sweat trickled down her sides as if the room were overheated, but shock had numbed Eleanor to such petty sensitivity. She could only feel terror for Mariota’s safety. Her mouth was too dry when she swallowed, and she repressed a coughing fit.

“Did they know you had witnessed this?”

“I think not, my lady. His back was to me, and she could not see over his shoulder. I quickly closed my eyes. After waiting a while, I made a noise as if just awakening, then hesitated until I heard some sound. When I opened my eyes, they were apart and staring out the window as if something of import had caught their interest.”

Either they assumed they had escaped her notice by jumping away from each other or they knew full well she had witnessed their sin. It was the latter she feared and believed more likely.

Solutions raced through her mind and were just as hurriedly discarded. Mariota was too weak to move, yet she must no longer be left in the care of another from this household. Of course, she could take on most of the young woman’s care but even she needed sleep.

“You were right to tell me of this, but there may be an innocent enough explanation,” the prioress said. “Until I find out more, however, speak to no one at all about it. Should any person, including the sheriff or the two themselves, ask if you have witnessed anything curious while lying in this room, I give you permission to lie and claim ignorance. It is unlikely anyone shall do so, but wisdom forbids speaking further of it now.”

Mariota nodded, but the renewed pallor in her cheeks and furrowed brow spoke eloquently enough of her thoughts.

Surely the girl has heard some of the details of the crimes committed here, the prioress thought. There was no way to keep the stories from her, and Mariota was not foolish. She knew well enough that her life was in danger once again.

Now another horrible realization struck Eleanor most forcefully

She had not exaggerated the complexity of the crimes recently committed after all. They were far more intricately entangled than she had imagined.