Read Online The Dragon of Handale by Cassandra Clark - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cassandra Clark
Ads: Link
forgive me. It must have been a trick of the light Or a mouse.”
“Sit. Finish eating.”
Hildegard returned to her place. Her assailant was only two places away. Out of the corners of her eye, she watched the nun pick up a piece of bread and begin to eat.
“A moment, sister!” The black shape was hurrying to be first out of the refectory as soon as the final amen was uttered, and when she didn’t stop, Hildegard ran behind her and grasped her by the sleeve. “Sister, I believe I have something of yours!”
The nun was jerked to a stop. Slowly, she turned round. Her hood was over her face, but Hildegard pushed it back to reveal a long scratch down one side of her face and a series of small contusions under one eye.
Hildegard bobbed her head. “Forgive me.”
“For what?”
“For causing injury, although I’m sure you’ll realise it was in self-defence.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“I think you do.”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to look at this.” Hildegard opened the palm of her hand, where the piece of torn fabric lay.
The nun’s eyes darted from side to side when she saw it. “It’s nothing to do with me!”
Hildegard still held her sleeve. “But how strange! It seems to match this tear exactly.” She chanced on the exact place where the fabric had been ripped at the cuff.
The two women regarded each other for a moment. They were of the same height and build, evenly matched.
“So what do you have to say?” prompted Hildegard.
“There is an explanation.”
“I’m sure there is.”
A sudden voice boomed: “Who is that conversing in the cloister?” It was the cellarer. She strode swiftly over to the two women.
Hildegard turned with a smile. “I am at fault again, sister. I asked a question. Does the rule of silence prevail in the cloisters, too?”
“Get to your cell, Sister Mariana. Now!”
“I beg of you, don’t chastise her,” Hildegard broke in as the nun hurried away. “She did not speak. The fault was all mine.” Putting on her most helpless expression, she said, “It is so very strange for me to find myself in a community with such strict adherence to Benedict’s Rule. You and your prioress are to be commended for following the saint with such remarkable zeal.”
The cellarer looked baffled for a moment, then decided to take it as a compliment. “We do our best,” she replied with a tightening of her lips. “Now I suggest you retire to your quarters until compline and pass the time in the much-needed discipline of prayer.”
“That is what I’m here for, sister. I do it with a glad heart.” Inclining her head, Hildegard backed away.
Sister Mariana. So what was she up to? Had she been sent to poke around Hildegard’s chamber by the prioress? Is that why the cellaress had prevented her from blurting anything out? But what did they hope to find? It was a mystery, but one she hoped would be solved very soon, because she did not doubt that the nun would try to explain away her actions before long.
Meanwhile, there was another visitor.
It was later that evening and already dark. The cloister lamp was lit, but its faint light did not go far, and the garth itself lay in darkness. Standing at her chamber window, Hildegard glimpsed a small shape materialise from the direction of the buttery, then vanish into the long shadows. A few moments later, there was a slight noise outside her door
She went to open it. “Come inside. Did anyone see you?”
The novice shook her head.
“Here,” said Hildegard, noticing how she was shivering with cold. “Wrap yourself in this cloak for a while. You’ll be going down with an ague next.”
When she was snug inside the woollen cloak, she gave Hildegard a frightened glance. “I shouldn’t be here. If they find out, they’ll torture me.”
“Torture?” Hildegard frowned.
“You’ve no idea. It’s only because you’re not one of them I dare risk speaking to you. Oh,
“Sit. Finish eating.”
Hildegard returned to her place. Her assailant was only two places away. Out of the corners of her eye, she watched the nun pick up a piece of bread and begin to eat.
“A moment, sister!” The black shape was hurrying to be first out of the refectory as soon as the final amen was uttered, and when she didn’t stop, Hildegard ran behind her and grasped her by the sleeve. “Sister, I believe I have something of yours!”
The nun was jerked to a stop. Slowly, she turned round. Her hood was over her face, but Hildegard pushed it back to reveal a long scratch down one side of her face and a series of small contusions under one eye.
Hildegard bobbed her head. “Forgive me.”
“For what?”
“For causing injury, although I’m sure you’ll realise it was in self-defence.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“I think you do.”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to look at this.” Hildegard opened the palm of her hand, where the piece of torn fabric lay.
The nun’s eyes darted from side to side when she saw it. “It’s nothing to do with me!”
Hildegard still held her sleeve. “But how strange! It seems to match this tear exactly.” She chanced on the exact place where the fabric had been ripped at the cuff.
The two women regarded each other for a moment. They were of the same height and build, evenly matched.
“So what do you have to say?” prompted Hildegard.
“There is an explanation.”
“I’m sure there is.”
A sudden voice boomed: “Who is that conversing in the cloister?” It was the cellarer. She strode swiftly over to the two women.
Hildegard turned with a smile. “I am at fault again, sister. I asked a question. Does the rule of silence prevail in the cloisters, too?”
“Get to your cell, Sister Mariana. Now!”
“I beg of you, don’t chastise her,” Hildegard broke in as the nun hurried away. “She did not speak. The fault was all mine.” Putting on her most helpless expression, she said, “It is so very strange for me to find myself in a community with such strict adherence to Benedict’s Rule. You and your prioress are to be commended for following the saint with such remarkable zeal.”
The cellarer looked baffled for a moment, then decided to take it as a compliment. “We do our best,” she replied with a tightening of her lips. “Now I suggest you retire to your quarters until compline and pass the time in the much-needed discipline of prayer.”
“That is what I’m here for, sister. I do it with a glad heart.” Inclining her head, Hildegard backed away.
Sister Mariana. So what was she up to? Had she been sent to poke around Hildegard’s chamber by the prioress? Is that why the cellaress had prevented her from blurting anything out? But what did they hope to find? It was a mystery, but one she hoped would be solved very soon, because she did not doubt that the nun would try to explain away her actions before long.
Meanwhile, there was another visitor.
It was later that evening and already dark. The cloister lamp was lit, but its faint light did not go far, and the garth itself lay in darkness. Standing at her chamber window, Hildegard glimpsed a small shape materialise from the direction of the buttery, then vanish into the long shadows. A few moments later, there was a slight noise outside her door
She went to open it. “Come inside. Did anyone see you?”
The novice shook her head.
“Here,” said Hildegard, noticing how she was shivering with cold. “Wrap yourself in this cloak for a while. You’ll be going down with an ague next.”
When she was snug inside the woollen cloak, she gave Hildegard a frightened glance. “I shouldn’t be here. If they find out, they’ll torture me.”
“Torture?” Hildegard frowned.
“You’ve no idea. It’s only because you’re not one of them I dare risk speaking to you. Oh,
Similar Books
