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Authors: Priscilla Royal
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found out that he was a spy, placed in her midst without her knowledge or consent, the prioress’ anger over the deception could have unpleasant consequences.
On the other hand, he had said, she could prove a valuable ally if she knew what the Church required of him, but his black-clad master had only waved a dismissive hand when Thomas mentioned all this. The monk hoped the man fully understood what a dangerous enemy Prioress Eleanor could be if crossed. Not only had he seen how wily she herself could be, he also knew that her father was a powerful man in King Henry’s court and her brother a close friend of the Lord Edward. The Wynethorpes were not a family one could offend with impunity.
“The monk has a brother?”
“And what do you mean by that, Ralf?” Anne frowned.
Ralf cocked one eyebrow with an exaggerated gesture. “Only that I am now assured he was born of woman and must share some vices with other mortal men. I had some doubt.”
“That I was born or that I have vices, Crowner?” Thomas was grateful for the gentle jesting. “There is no doubt that I was born of woman. That I have sinned as much as you, Ralf? Of that there may be reasonable question, for you are a most worldly man.”
Ralf threw his head back and roared. “How I have missed you, monk! Even Brother Andrew has not your quick wit.”
“But you speak of murder?” Thomas countered, still feeling the sting of his prioress’ recent reproach.
The crowner swiped his sleeve across his nose. “Aye, the man was gutted and abandoned in the woods like an illegally slaughtered deer.”
A most vivid image, Thomas thought, and swallowed hard.
“Brother Andrew said that you were seen on the road from the west. When did you return, Brother, and by which route did you come to Tyndal?” Suddenly, the crowner’s tone lost all warmth.
A shiver of apprehension went through Thomas. “Why do you ask?”
“I seek information. You may have seen something.”
“After I left the village near the inn, I followed the road to the turn, then took the shortest way through the forest by the stream. I entered the priory at the mill gate and so never came to the clearing of which you speak.”
“You neither heard nor saw anyone on the road?”
Thomas shook his head.
“Odd, that. You must have come near enough to the corpse.” Ralf studied the monk in silence. “You noted nothing at all?”
The crowner might be his friend, but his questions were sharply asked. Thomas felt a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. Once before he had been questioned in like fashion, then thrown into a prison where he had nearly died. This questioning brought his hideous memories back with so much force that his head now spun. “For cert, Ralf. As I said, I left the road just before…” Now his voice was rising in panic. He must calm himself!
“You returned when?”
Thomas could smell his rank fear. He closed his eyes, reminding himself that this was Tyndal, not London. “I stopped at the warming room, then I came to the hospital…”
“To hear a confession?” Ralf asked, sarcasm quite palpable in his voice.
Thomas looked nervously from crowner to prioress. What did all this mean? How had he offended his prioress? Why was his friend treating him like a suspect in a crime? He swayed backward as if he had come to the edge of Hell, then seen the twisting bodies of the burning damned. Someone put a steadying hand on him. “I wanted to find Sister Anne and return to my work,” he whispered.
“That is enough, Ralf,” Anne said, dropping her hand from Thomas’ back.
“Forgive me, Brother.” Ralf’s voice softened. “As Sister Anne often reminds me, I fail in civility, but I am desperate for information.”
Eleanor nodded. “This was a grisly crime. Anything you remember might be of help.”
Thomas shook his head. The terror receded slowly. He nervously rubbed his eyes with his hand. “There were other travelers on the road earlier in the day, but
On the other hand, he had said, she could prove a valuable ally if she knew what the Church required of him, but his black-clad master had only waved a dismissive hand when Thomas mentioned all this. The monk hoped the man fully understood what a dangerous enemy Prioress Eleanor could be if crossed. Not only had he seen how wily she herself could be, he also knew that her father was a powerful man in King Henry’s court and her brother a close friend of the Lord Edward. The Wynethorpes were not a family one could offend with impunity.
“The monk has a brother?”
“And what do you mean by that, Ralf?” Anne frowned.
Ralf cocked one eyebrow with an exaggerated gesture. “Only that I am now assured he was born of woman and must share some vices with other mortal men. I had some doubt.”
“That I was born or that I have vices, Crowner?” Thomas was grateful for the gentle jesting. “There is no doubt that I was born of woman. That I have sinned as much as you, Ralf? Of that there may be reasonable question, for you are a most worldly man.”
Ralf threw his head back and roared. “How I have missed you, monk! Even Brother Andrew has not your quick wit.”
“But you speak of murder?” Thomas countered, still feeling the sting of his prioress’ recent reproach.
The crowner swiped his sleeve across his nose. “Aye, the man was gutted and abandoned in the woods like an illegally slaughtered deer.”
A most vivid image, Thomas thought, and swallowed hard.
“Brother Andrew said that you were seen on the road from the west. When did you return, Brother, and by which route did you come to Tyndal?” Suddenly, the crowner’s tone lost all warmth.
A shiver of apprehension went through Thomas. “Why do you ask?”
“I seek information. You may have seen something.”
“After I left the village near the inn, I followed the road to the turn, then took the shortest way through the forest by the stream. I entered the priory at the mill gate and so never came to the clearing of which you speak.”
“You neither heard nor saw anyone on the road?”
Thomas shook his head.
“Odd, that. You must have come near enough to the corpse.” Ralf studied the monk in silence. “You noted nothing at all?”
The crowner might be his friend, but his questions were sharply asked. Thomas felt a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. Once before he had been questioned in like fashion, then thrown into a prison where he had nearly died. This questioning brought his hideous memories back with so much force that his head now spun. “For cert, Ralf. As I said, I left the road just before…” Now his voice was rising in panic. He must calm himself!
“You returned when?”
Thomas could smell his rank fear. He closed his eyes, reminding himself that this was Tyndal, not London. “I stopped at the warming room, then I came to the hospital…”
“To hear a confession?” Ralf asked, sarcasm quite palpable in his voice.
Thomas looked nervously from crowner to prioress. What did all this mean? How had he offended his prioress? Why was his friend treating him like a suspect in a crime? He swayed backward as if he had come to the edge of Hell, then seen the twisting bodies of the burning damned. Someone put a steadying hand on him. “I wanted to find Sister Anne and return to my work,” he whispered.
“That is enough, Ralf,” Anne said, dropping her hand from Thomas’ back.
“Forgive me, Brother.” Ralf’s voice softened. “As Sister Anne often reminds me, I fail in civility, but I am desperate for information.”
Eleanor nodded. “This was a grisly crime. Anything you remember might be of help.”
Thomas shook his head. The terror receded slowly. He nervously rubbed his eyes with his hand. “There were other travelers on the road earlier in the day, but
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