was that sat beside her, she opened them again and looked at the Abbess. With amusement she observed that her superior had also closed her eyes and was sitting with her face turned up to the sun, apparently taking the same keen pleasure in her surroundings as Tiphaine. Relaxing, Tiphaine shut her eyes again and let the forest take her over.
Presently there was a small sound.
Tiphaine’s eyes shot open to see the grey-clad figure of the Domina standing before her. Instinctively she rose to her feet and, forgetting for a moment that other superior who sat beside her, made a reverence to the woman who was one of the Great Ones of the forest people.
To her surprised pleasure, the Abbess did the same.
The Domina extended her hands, briefly touching those of Tiphaine and the Abbess. Then, looking at the Abbess, she said, ‘I knew that you would come and I know why.’
‘I thought you would,’ the Abbess replied. ‘This business affects us at Hawkenlye badly, diverting as it does those seeking help and comfort and taking them instead to a place whose prime purpose is to separate them from their money. But you of the forest are affected far more grievously, for I am told that this Florian of Southfrith has felled trees and cleared ground in pursuit of his dishonest scheme.’
The Domina’s eyes were fixed on the Abbess. ‘The man Josse has visited the place,’ she stated.
‘Indeed. He went there yesterday,’ answered the Abbess.
The Domina nodded. ‘It is known.’
And was, Tiphaine thought, probably the reason why the Domina had expected a visit from the Abbess.
‘I assume I am right in believing that you and your people wish to see an end to this Merlin’s Tomb?’ the Abbess said.
‘Yes.’ The single word was uttered with quiet force. Then: ‘It is sacrilege.’
There was a pause. Tiphaine wondered if the Abbess had been about to ask the Domina to elucidate but, if so, then clearly she thought better of it. Instead she said, ‘What can we do?’
The Domina sighed. ‘There are many things that could be done and that may indeed be done,’ she said after a moment, ‘although whether they should be is another matter.’
‘You mean—’ But the Abbess broke off. With a faint smile, she said, ‘Better, I think, that we do not speak of such things.’
The Domina nodded. ‘Perhaps the most sure path would be to prove to the people who now flock to gape and wonder that these bones are not what Florian of Southfrith claims them to be.’
‘Yes,’ the Abbess said eagerly. ‘If there is a way of proving that Florian has brought in the bones from elsewhere and it’s not Merlin at all in the tomb, then they’ll all realise they’ve been duped.’ A smile spread over her face. ‘Perhaps they’ll demand their money back.’
‘Such an action would be only fair,’ the Domina agreed, ‘although success would, I fear, be unlikely.’
‘Quite.’ The Abbess frowned. ‘It might, however, be a matter for the Tonbridge sheriff if it could be proved that Florian was taking money fraudulently.’
The Domina gazed at her. Whatever profound thought was running through her head, Tiphaine, watching the two powerful women with close attention, could not guess. ‘The bones are not those of Merlin,’ the Domina said. ‘Be quite sure of that, Abbess Helewise.’
‘You . . .’ The Abbess hesitated, as if reluctant to ask for further assurance. Then, squaring her shoulders – she was slightly taller than the Domina, Tiphaine noticed – she said, ‘I am sorry if I appear to doubt you, but I must ask how you can be so certain. If we are to press ahead with our plans to discredit Florian’s scheme, I have to be absolutely sure that we are acting fairly and honestly. Otherwise – if, that is, there is a possibility that the skeleton is that of
Presently there was a small sound.
Tiphaine’s eyes shot open to see the grey-clad figure of the Domina standing before her. Instinctively she rose to her feet and, forgetting for a moment that other superior who sat beside her, made a reverence to the woman who was one of the Great Ones of the forest people.
To her surprised pleasure, the Abbess did the same.
The Domina extended her hands, briefly touching those of Tiphaine and the Abbess. Then, looking at the Abbess, she said, ‘I knew that you would come and I know why.’
‘I thought you would,’ the Abbess replied. ‘This business affects us at Hawkenlye badly, diverting as it does those seeking help and comfort and taking them instead to a place whose prime purpose is to separate them from their money. But you of the forest are affected far more grievously, for I am told that this Florian of Southfrith has felled trees and cleared ground in pursuit of his dishonest scheme.’
The Domina’s eyes were fixed on the Abbess. ‘The man Josse has visited the place,’ she stated.
‘Indeed. He went there yesterday,’ answered the Abbess.
The Domina nodded. ‘It is known.’
And was, Tiphaine thought, probably the reason why the Domina had expected a visit from the Abbess.
‘I assume I am right in believing that you and your people wish to see an end to this Merlin’s Tomb?’ the Abbess said.
‘Yes.’ The single word was uttered with quiet force. Then: ‘It is sacrilege.’
There was a pause. Tiphaine wondered if the Abbess had been about to ask the Domina to elucidate but, if so, then clearly she thought better of it. Instead she said, ‘What can we do?’
The Domina sighed. ‘There are many things that could be done and that may indeed be done,’ she said after a moment, ‘although whether they should be is another matter.’
‘You mean—’ But the Abbess broke off. With a faint smile, she said, ‘Better, I think, that we do not speak of such things.’
The Domina nodded. ‘Perhaps the most sure path would be to prove to the people who now flock to gape and wonder that these bones are not what Florian of Southfrith claims them to be.’
‘Yes,’ the Abbess said eagerly. ‘If there is a way of proving that Florian has brought in the bones from elsewhere and it’s not Merlin at all in the tomb, then they’ll all realise they’ve been duped.’ A smile spread over her face. ‘Perhaps they’ll demand their money back.’
‘Such an action would be only fair,’ the Domina agreed, ‘although success would, I fear, be unlikely.’
‘Quite.’ The Abbess frowned. ‘It might, however, be a matter for the Tonbridge sheriff if it could be proved that Florian was taking money fraudulently.’
The Domina gazed at her. Whatever profound thought was running through her head, Tiphaine, watching the two powerful women with close attention, could not guess. ‘The bones are not those of Merlin,’ the Domina said. ‘Be quite sure of that, Abbess Helewise.’
‘You . . .’ The Abbess hesitated, as if reluctant to ask for further assurance. Then, squaring her shoulders – she was slightly taller than the Domina, Tiphaine noticed – she said, ‘I am sorry if I appear to doubt you, but I must ask how you can be so certain. If we are to press ahead with our plans to discredit Florian’s scheme, I have to be absolutely sure that we are acting fairly and honestly. Otherwise – if, that is, there is a possibility that the skeleton is that of
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