Read Online The Falconer's Knot by Mary Hoffman - Free Book Online

a welcome change but it was unsettling to be back in touch with life outside his sanctuary. Simone’s paintings with their vivid colours and their narrative of knightly adventure had made Silvano wonder afresh when he would be able to resume what he thought of as his real life. And yet he knew that he would miss the friars once he was back in Perugia, especially Brother Anselmo.
    It was a shock when he entered the refectory after Vespers to see, at the top of the long table, the richly dressed merchant who had ridden past them on the road. So this was the visitor some of the younger friars had talked about! In spite of his wealth, Silvano hadn’t thought much of the merchant’s manners. In fact even Brother Anselmo had commented on the man’s obvious consumption of liquor.
    But as Silvano took his place at the bottom of the table, with the other novices and heard the name ‘Ubaldo’ mentioned, he was surprised to see the Colour Master’s reaction. Brother Anselmo, as a senior friar, was seated much higher at the table and he was clearly having to fight to restrain some very strong emotion. Perhaps no one else would have noticed but Silvano had spent a lot of time with Brother Anselmo and felt he knew his moods.
    Abbot Bonsignore took the head of the table with Ubaldo the merchant, as guest, on his right. Close by were the Lector, the Librarian, the Illuminator, the Guest Master and the Colour Master. Down Silvano’s end, as well as the novices, sat the Assistant Librarian, the Herbalist, the Novice Master, the Cellarer and the dozen or so professed friars who had no assigned title within the friary. The Infirmarian was tending a couple of elderly brothers and was not present. The lay brother, Bertuccio, was still toiling in the kitchen.
    The introductions, which took place after Grace, seemed to go on an inordinately long time. Silvano felt his stomach rumbling. Ubaldo was the only man who had come to table without being particularly hungry and he took his time understanding who each brother was and what was his name and function, while Bertuccio fumed in the background, worrying about the food spoiling or getting cold.
    At last, he was allowed to bring in his game-bird stew. Silvano couldn’t believe the delicious smells coming from the dishes. His partridges had been consumed days ago and he hadn’t been hawking since but Bertuccio had somehow got hold of some more fowl and worked kitchen miracles with them.
    Ubaldo seemed more interested in having his wine cup filled than in what was on his plate, but at least he no longer looked disdainful and ate a reasonable amount, to Brother Landolfo’s relief. In spite of what Sister Veronica thought, Ubaldo was not a lout. He was a rich man with expensive tastes, used to getting his own way. But he respected learning and piety, which is why he preferred to lodge with the friars rather than stay in a more comfortable inn.
    He took pleasure in describing the Assisi altar cloths to the Abbot, who listened intently, along with Brother Fazio, the Illuminator, who had an interest in all decorative schemes.
    Silvano didn’t take much notice of the guest at first; he was more interested in how much stew would be left by the time the dishes reached his end of the table. Once his appetite was satisfied and he was more aware of his companions, he saw that Brother Anselmo had scarcely touched his food but was consuming much more wine than usual. He did not seem to be joining in any conversation with the merchant Ubaldo but was listening with intense concentration.
    At the end of the meal, the Abbot said to his guest, ‘I gather you will be leaving us early tomorrow morning and I am likely to be at Prime, so I shall say my farewell now. Convey my best wishes to your wife, Monna Isabella. May God go with you on the road to Gubbio.’
    Brother Anselmo jumped up hastily from his chair, knocking his wine cup over.
    ‘Forgive me Father Abbot, honoured guest,’ he muttered. ‘I am not