Read Online Brother Cadfael 15: The Confession of Brother Haluin by Ellis Peters - Free Book Online
Authors: Ellis Peters
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aside towards the right-hand wall, his crutches ringing hollowly, and Cadfael, following, found him standing beside a stone table-tomb fitted between the pillars. The carved image recumbent there was in crude chain mail, and had one leg crossed over the other, and a hand on his sword hilt. Another Crusader, surely the father of Bertrand, who in his turn had followed him to the Holy Land. This one, Cadfael calculated, might well have been with Robert of Normandy's army in my time, at the taking of Jerusalem. Clearly the de Clary men were proud of their warfare in the east.
A man came through from the sacristy, and seeing two unmistakable Benedictine habits, turned amicably to come towards them. A man of middle age, in a rusty black cassock, advancing upon them with a mildly inquiring expression and a welcoming smile, Haluin heard his steps, soft as they were, and swung about gladly to greet a remembered neighbour, only to recoil on the instant at seeing a stranger.
"Good day, Brothers! God be with you!" said the priest of Hales. "To travelers of your cloth my house is always open, like this house of God. Have you come far?"
"From Shrewsbury," said Haluin, strongly recovering himself. "Forgive me, Father, if I was taken aback. I had expected to see Father Wulfnoth. Foolish of me, indeed, for I have not been here for many years, and he was growing grey when I knew him, but to me in youth it seemed he would be here forever. Now I dare hardly ask!"
"Father Wulfnoth is gone to his rest," said the priest, "seven years ago now it must be. Ten years back I came here, after he was brought to his bed by a seizure, and three years I looked after him until he died. I was newly priest then, I learned much from Wulfnoth, his mind was clear and bright if the flesh had failed him." His good-natured round face offered sympathetic curiosity. "You know this church and this manor, then? Were you born in Hales?"
"No, not that, But for some years I served with the lady Adelais at the manor. Church and village I knew well, before I took the cowl at Shrewsbury. Now," said Haluin earnestly, observing how brightly he was studied, and feeling the need to account for his return, "I have good need to give thanks for escaping alive from a mishap that might have caused my death, and I have taken thought to discharge, while I may, every debt I have on my conscience. Of which number, one brings me here to this tomb. There was a lady of the de Clary family whom I reverenced, and she died untimely. I should like to spend the night here at her burial place, in prayers for her. It was long before your time, eighteen years ago now. It will not disturb you if I spend the night here within?"
"Why, as to that, you'd be welcome," said the priest heartily, "and I could light a cresset for you. It gives some help against the cold. But surely, Brother, you're under some mistake. True, what you say puts this before my time, but Father Wulfnoth told me much concerning the church and the manor, he'd been in the service of the lords of Hales all his life. It was they helped him to his studies and set him up here as priest. There has been no burial here in this tomb since the old lord died, this one who's carved here on the stone. And that was more than thirty years back. It's his grandson rules now. A lady of the family, you say? And died young?"
"A kinswoman," said Haluin, low-voiced and shaken, his eyes lowered to the stone which had not been raised for thirty years. "She died here at Hales. I had thought she must be buried here." He would not name her, or betray more than he must of himself and what moved him, even to this kindly man. And Cadfael stood back from them, watched, and held his peace.
"And only eighteen years ago? Then be certain. Brother, she is not here. If you knew Father Wulfnoth, you know you can rely upon what he told me. And I know his wits were sharp until the day he died."
"I do believe it, " said Haluin, quivering with the chill of
A man came through from the sacristy, and seeing two unmistakable Benedictine habits, turned amicably to come towards them. A man of middle age, in a rusty black cassock, advancing upon them with a mildly inquiring expression and a welcoming smile, Haluin heard his steps, soft as they were, and swung about gladly to greet a remembered neighbour, only to recoil on the instant at seeing a stranger.
"Good day, Brothers! God be with you!" said the priest of Hales. "To travelers of your cloth my house is always open, like this house of God. Have you come far?"
"From Shrewsbury," said Haluin, strongly recovering himself. "Forgive me, Father, if I was taken aback. I had expected to see Father Wulfnoth. Foolish of me, indeed, for I have not been here for many years, and he was growing grey when I knew him, but to me in youth it seemed he would be here forever. Now I dare hardly ask!"
"Father Wulfnoth is gone to his rest," said the priest, "seven years ago now it must be. Ten years back I came here, after he was brought to his bed by a seizure, and three years I looked after him until he died. I was newly priest then, I learned much from Wulfnoth, his mind was clear and bright if the flesh had failed him." His good-natured round face offered sympathetic curiosity. "You know this church and this manor, then? Were you born in Hales?"
"No, not that, But for some years I served with the lady Adelais at the manor. Church and village I knew well, before I took the cowl at Shrewsbury. Now," said Haluin earnestly, observing how brightly he was studied, and feeling the need to account for his return, "I have good need to give thanks for escaping alive from a mishap that might have caused my death, and I have taken thought to discharge, while I may, every debt I have on my conscience. Of which number, one brings me here to this tomb. There was a lady of the de Clary family whom I reverenced, and she died untimely. I should like to spend the night here at her burial place, in prayers for her. It was long before your time, eighteen years ago now. It will not disturb you if I spend the night here within?"
"Why, as to that, you'd be welcome," said the priest heartily, "and I could light a cresset for you. It gives some help against the cold. But surely, Brother, you're under some mistake. True, what you say puts this before my time, but Father Wulfnoth told me much concerning the church and the manor, he'd been in the service of the lords of Hales all his life. It was they helped him to his studies and set him up here as priest. There has been no burial here in this tomb since the old lord died, this one who's carved here on the stone. And that was more than thirty years back. It's his grandson rules now. A lady of the family, you say? And died young?"
"A kinswoman," said Haluin, low-voiced and shaken, his eyes lowered to the stone which had not been raised for thirty years. "She died here at Hales. I had thought she must be buried here." He would not name her, or betray more than he must of himself and what moved him, even to this kindly man. And Cadfael stood back from them, watched, and held his peace.
"And only eighteen years ago? Then be certain. Brother, she is not here. If you knew Father Wulfnoth, you know you can rely upon what he told me. And I know his wits were sharp until the day he died."
"I do believe it, " said Haluin, quivering with the chill of
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