a corner of the pilgrims’ shelter in the Vale, the elements of the deadly pestilence were multiplying, spreading stealthily through his blood like an invading and secretive army.
And, unbeknownst to anyone, it had already sent out its advance troops into the Hawkenlye population.
Chapter 4
Helewise was awake early. She rose and dressed quietly and then made her way in the pre-dawn February darkness across to the infirmary. Sister Beata was on duty and she rose to greet her Abbess.
Moving close to speak quietly right into her ear, Helewise said, ‘How are they?’
Sister Beata smiled. ‘They are sleeping, my lady, and in both the infant girl and the lad, the fever is down.’
‘I see.’ Oh, thank God!
‘The baby girl woke up a while ago and drank some more water. I did as Sister Euphemia ordered and heated the water, melting a little honey in it. The lad was restless earlier in the night but now that the fever’s turned, he’s sleeping natural-wise.’
Helewise was still silently praying her thanks. She said quietly, ‘Good tidings, Sister. Where is Sister Euphemia?’
Sister Beata nodded towards a cubicle at the far end of the infirmary. ‘She’s sleeping,’ she whispered. ‘She was exhausted, my lady; dead on her feet.’
‘I am glad, Sister Beata, that you managed to persuade her of the need to rest,’ Helewise said, and Beata blushed with pleasure.
‘Oh, my lady, I don’t know as how I had anything to do with it,’ she said modestly.
‘You have a kind heart, Sister,’ Helewise said. ‘I am quite sure that Sister Euphemia would not have given in to her fatigue had you not gently and lovingly insisted.’
‘Oh!’ Sister Beata blushed.
‘Please tell Sister Euphemia when she wakes that I shall return later,’ Helewise said. Then she left the infirmary and went across to the Abbey church. It was almost the hour for Prime but there was just time for some moments of private prayer before the rest of the community arrived.
After the first office of the day Helewise set off down to the Vale to check on the man and the youth. Both were still sleeping; observing this, the monks had left them alone. Nodding her approval of this, Helewise went back up to the Abbey, leaving instructions that word be sent to her when one or other of the men stirred. ‘You might tell them when they wake,’ she added, ‘that their kinfolk up in the infirmary have passed a good night and this morning they are better.’
Word came later in the morning, as Helewise was returning to her room after Tierce. She accompanied Brother Augustus, who had brought the message, back to the Vale.
‘It’s the young man who’s awake,’ Augustus told her. ‘He’s well, my lady, as far as we can tell. He’s slept, he’s eaten, and he says he feels fine and that there was naught wrong with him but exhaustion.’
‘I am relieved to hear it,’ she replied. ‘What of the older man?’
Augustus frowned. ‘He’s not so good. He’s restless and hot.’
Helewise felt dread flood through her. Then, rallying, she made herself say with false cheer, ‘Perhaps he too is merely worn out with anxiety and a hard road?’ Despite herself, she could not help turning her remark into a question.
Augustus gave her a quick look. ‘We’re praying that is so, my lady.’
She noticed that he did not very sound confident of having those prayers answered.
In the Vale the monks had had the good sense to move the older man to the far corner of an empty area of the shelter. Brother Firmin was sitting beside him holding a cloth to the man’s forehead. As Helewise watched, he removed the cloth, wrung it out in a basin of water and reapplied it. Helewise gave the old monk a smile, which he returned. Then, turning back to Augustus, she said, ‘Where is the young man?’
And, unbeknownst to anyone, it had already sent out its advance troops into the Hawkenlye population.
Chapter 4
Helewise was awake early. She rose and dressed quietly and then made her way in the pre-dawn February darkness across to the infirmary. Sister Beata was on duty and she rose to greet her Abbess.
Moving close to speak quietly right into her ear, Helewise said, ‘How are they?’
Sister Beata smiled. ‘They are sleeping, my lady, and in both the infant girl and the lad, the fever is down.’
‘I see.’ Oh, thank God!
‘The baby girl woke up a while ago and drank some more water. I did as Sister Euphemia ordered and heated the water, melting a little honey in it. The lad was restless earlier in the night but now that the fever’s turned, he’s sleeping natural-wise.’
Helewise was still silently praying her thanks. She said quietly, ‘Good tidings, Sister. Where is Sister Euphemia?’
Sister Beata nodded towards a cubicle at the far end of the infirmary. ‘She’s sleeping,’ she whispered. ‘She was exhausted, my lady; dead on her feet.’
‘I am glad, Sister Beata, that you managed to persuade her of the need to rest,’ Helewise said, and Beata blushed with pleasure.
‘Oh, my lady, I don’t know as how I had anything to do with it,’ she said modestly.
‘You have a kind heart, Sister,’ Helewise said. ‘I am quite sure that Sister Euphemia would not have given in to her fatigue had you not gently and lovingly insisted.’
‘Oh!’ Sister Beata blushed.
‘Please tell Sister Euphemia when she wakes that I shall return later,’ Helewise said. Then she left the infirmary and went across to the Abbey church. It was almost the hour for Prime but there was just time for some moments of private prayer before the rest of the community arrived.
After the first office of the day Helewise set off down to the Vale to check on the man and the youth. Both were still sleeping; observing this, the monks had left them alone. Nodding her approval of this, Helewise went back up to the Abbey, leaving instructions that word be sent to her when one or other of the men stirred. ‘You might tell them when they wake,’ she added, ‘that their kinfolk up in the infirmary have passed a good night and this morning they are better.’
Word came later in the morning, as Helewise was returning to her room after Tierce. She accompanied Brother Augustus, who had brought the message, back to the Vale.
‘It’s the young man who’s awake,’ Augustus told her. ‘He’s well, my lady, as far as we can tell. He’s slept, he’s eaten, and he says he feels fine and that there was naught wrong with him but exhaustion.’
‘I am relieved to hear it,’ she replied. ‘What of the older man?’
Augustus frowned. ‘He’s not so good. He’s restless and hot.’
Helewise felt dread flood through her. Then, rallying, she made herself say with false cheer, ‘Perhaps he too is merely worn out with anxiety and a hard road?’ Despite herself, she could not help turning her remark into a question.
Augustus gave her a quick look. ‘We’re praying that is so, my lady.’
She noticed that he did not very sound confident of having those prayers answered.
In the Vale the monks had had the good sense to move the older man to the far corner of an empty area of the shelter. Brother Firmin was sitting beside him holding a cloth to the man’s forehead. As Helewise watched, he removed the cloth, wrung it out in a basin of water and reapplied it. Helewise gave the old monk a smile, which he returned. Then, turning back to Augustus, she said, ‘Where is the young man?’
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