Read Online The Difficult Saint: A Catherine LeVendeur Mystery by Sharan Newman - Free Book Online
Authors: Sharan Newman
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bargaining.”
“Perhaps his mother betrayed his father with a Jew.” Hermann laughed.
“That’s absurd.” Gerhardt dismissed the idea.
Both men were silent as the rain fell and leaked through the places where the wooden roof had warped. Hermann stared out the window, watching the land slowly vanish into the rain. He fancied he could hear the river rushing far below, flowing to the Rhine and then the North Sea, carrying their wines and bringing back fur, amber and gold. Hermann didn’t think a talent for trade made Folmar attractive at all. But he was Maria’s husband and they were stuck with him, even if he couldn’t supply her with children.
Therefore Hermann was convinced that Gerhardt had no choice but to marry again. There had to be a sure inheritance. Hermann wouldn’t let this land leave the family. His brother must be made to understand.
Hermann’s frustration boiled up as he thought of this. He had to show Gerhardt how important this was.
“Hermann! You don’t need to pound on the table for me to know what you’re thinking.” Gerhardt sighed. “I’ve been thinking, too. You’re right. I must consider the family. I signed the contract, even though I didn’t realize it at the time. If the girl is half what you say she is, I’ll do my duty and marry her.”
“You will?” Hermann dragged Gerhardt off his stool and held him in a bear hug. “I knew you’d finally see reason! Maria will be so relieved. She’s already hired the entertainers!”
He couldn’t see his brother’s face at that moment. If he had, he would have known that it was too soon to rejoice. Gerhardt’s expression was one of desperate panic.
Four
Paris. Wednesday, 4 ides of April (April 10), 1146; 25 Nisan, 4906. Feast of Saint Ezekiel, Jewish prophet, celebrated because he foresaw the birth of Christ.
Inter haec Radolfus monachus, vir quidem religionis habitum reli- gionisque severitatem sollerter imitans, sed litterarum noticia sobrie imbutus, est partes Gallias quae Rhemum attingunt ingreditur multaque populorum milia ex Aggripina, Maguntia, Warmatia, Spira, Argentina, aliique vincis civtatibus, oppidis sue vicus ad accipiendam crucem accendit.
Meanwhile, the monk, Radulf, a man who wore the habit of religion and imitated the strictness of religion, but was only slightly literate, entered those parts of Gaul along the Rhine and inflamed many of the inhabitants of Cologne, Mainz, Worms, Speyer, Strasbourg and other neighboring cities, towns and villages to accept the cross.
—Otto of Freising
Gesta Friderici I imperatoris
Book I, xxxviii
“ W hy did you bring them with you?”’ Agnes asked Catherine, regarding the squirming bundle in her arms with distaste.
“The children should get to know you,” Catherine answered calmly, taking off her wool cloak. “And Margaret wanted to meet you. She’s Edgar’s sister, but she’s French as well, and ought to spend more time with people of her own class. Don’t be afraid, ma douz ,” she added to Margaret, “my sister won’t hurt you.”
The girl held out her hand to Agnes with a shy bob of her head.
“You don’t look like Catherine,” she observed. “Are you half sisters, like I am to Edgar?”
“No,” Agnes answered. “We’re just different.”
Agnes seemed interested in neither Margaret nor the younger children. James was fortunately worn out from the walk across the city but Edana had been carried and was eager to get down and play.
“Are the rushes clean?” Catherine asked. “I have a blanket but since she started walking, she won’t stay on it.”
Agnes looked from her to the wriggling baby. She shook her head in amazement.
“The nuns are most careful about sweeping,” she told Catherine. “Who would have thought it? My scholar sister, with her hands always stained with ink and her head a maze of philosophy, reduced to being little more than a nursemaid to her own children.”
Catherine was stung.
“Perhaps his mother betrayed his father with a Jew.” Hermann laughed.
“That’s absurd.” Gerhardt dismissed the idea.
Both men were silent as the rain fell and leaked through the places where the wooden roof had warped. Hermann stared out the window, watching the land slowly vanish into the rain. He fancied he could hear the river rushing far below, flowing to the Rhine and then the North Sea, carrying their wines and bringing back fur, amber and gold. Hermann didn’t think a talent for trade made Folmar attractive at all. But he was Maria’s husband and they were stuck with him, even if he couldn’t supply her with children.
Therefore Hermann was convinced that Gerhardt had no choice but to marry again. There had to be a sure inheritance. Hermann wouldn’t let this land leave the family. His brother must be made to understand.
Hermann’s frustration boiled up as he thought of this. He had to show Gerhardt how important this was.
“Hermann! You don’t need to pound on the table for me to know what you’re thinking.” Gerhardt sighed. “I’ve been thinking, too. You’re right. I must consider the family. I signed the contract, even though I didn’t realize it at the time. If the girl is half what you say she is, I’ll do my duty and marry her.”
“You will?” Hermann dragged Gerhardt off his stool and held him in a bear hug. “I knew you’d finally see reason! Maria will be so relieved. She’s already hired the entertainers!”
He couldn’t see his brother’s face at that moment. If he had, he would have known that it was too soon to rejoice. Gerhardt’s expression was one of desperate panic.
Four
Paris. Wednesday, 4 ides of April (April 10), 1146; 25 Nisan, 4906. Feast of Saint Ezekiel, Jewish prophet, celebrated because he foresaw the birth of Christ.
Inter haec Radolfus monachus, vir quidem religionis habitum reli- gionisque severitatem sollerter imitans, sed litterarum noticia sobrie imbutus, est partes Gallias quae Rhemum attingunt ingreditur multaque populorum milia ex Aggripina, Maguntia, Warmatia, Spira, Argentina, aliique vincis civtatibus, oppidis sue vicus ad accipiendam crucem accendit.
Meanwhile, the monk, Radulf, a man who wore the habit of religion and imitated the strictness of religion, but was only slightly literate, entered those parts of Gaul along the Rhine and inflamed many of the inhabitants of Cologne, Mainz, Worms, Speyer, Strasbourg and other neighboring cities, towns and villages to accept the cross.
—Otto of Freising
Gesta Friderici I imperatoris
Book I, xxxviii
“ W hy did you bring them with you?”’ Agnes asked Catherine, regarding the squirming bundle in her arms with distaste.
“The children should get to know you,” Catherine answered calmly, taking off her wool cloak. “And Margaret wanted to meet you. She’s Edgar’s sister, but she’s French as well, and ought to spend more time with people of her own class. Don’t be afraid, ma douz ,” she added to Margaret, “my sister won’t hurt you.”
The girl held out her hand to Agnes with a shy bob of her head.
“You don’t look like Catherine,” she observed. “Are you half sisters, like I am to Edgar?”
“No,” Agnes answered. “We’re just different.”
Agnes seemed interested in neither Margaret nor the younger children. James was fortunately worn out from the walk across the city but Edana had been carried and was eager to get down and play.
“Are the rushes clean?” Catherine asked. “I have a blanket but since she started walking, she won’t stay on it.”
Agnes looked from her to the wriggling baby. She shook her head in amazement.
“The nuns are most careful about sweeping,” she told Catherine. “Who would have thought it? My scholar sister, with her hands always stained with ink and her head a maze of philosophy, reduced to being little more than a nursemaid to her own children.”
Catherine was stung.
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