Prioress Ethelburga. She said, ‘Sister Hilda,’ and passed a key to the nun she addressed. She paused while they left. Therese noted that these three were all of an age. Mid-twenties? She wasn’t very good at guessing ages but they were certainly older than herself and they were smooth faced. But, out of them, Sister Hilda held herself the straightest and carried her well-formed head and features with less modesty than befitted her role.
Prioress Ethelburga barked at the remaining nuns, ‘Sisters Winifred, Leofgyth and Aelfgyth you will go to the garden today. Sisters Maude and Mabel are to assume your usual duties with the animals. Much needs to be done if we are to be fed this year.’
So that puts Hilda, Sybil and Beatrice in the sewing room, thought Therese.
The gardeners were of mixed ages. They shuffled uneasily. ‘Prioress, with the greatest respect why are you sending us to the garden? Is not the work much more important? Will we not be supplied by our benefactor Bishop Odo? Will not the land work damage our hands?’ asked the youngest – a girl not much older than Therese.
‘ Sister Leofgyth, I have asked you not to talk of such matters in front of Sister Therese and what is more, I am in charge here and you do as I say.’
The gardening sisters took their leave. Sister Winifred was the oldest of the group, a tall woman with her head bent low. As they went out of the door Therese thought she heard Leofgyth say, ‘She always sends us to the garden when our needlework is superior to the others.’
‘ Sister Agnes.’ The tall slim nun rose at the Prioress’s address. ‘We are expecting visitors this afternoon. Fowl will have to be found to feed them. You may use whatever you need to make them a decent meal. You may send out for the supplies to be replenished immediately. If need be you may miss noon prayers.’ Sister Agnes bowed and left.
This left just Therese and the short, wide nun.
‘ Sister Gertrude,’ said Prioress Ethelburga. ‘You will instruct Sister Therese in the skill of sweeping. All the stairs and corridors are to be done. ‘These builders,’ she complained, ‘make so much dust.’
Sister Gertrude belched as she rose and left with barely a nod to the Prioress. Therese bowed humbly and followed her. This lowly task – she smiled to herself at the thought – would give her the opportunity to have a better look round than her formal, and limited, showing of yesterday.
‘ Sister Gertrude,’ called Prioress Ethelburga. Sister Gertrude returned from the corridor. ‘Come here.’ She addressed Therese equally sharply with: ‘You can wait outside a moment.’
Therese did not need to know what was being said but she could guess that Gertrude would have to be on her guard with her and keep her away from any of the sensitive areas.
* * *
The willow brooms swished along the aisles of the foreshortened church. Gertrude sprinkled water to settle the dust before they swept. She opened the doors to the cloister, which were not yet meant to be in use, to deposit their sweepings. As Therese looked up from her dusty pile her eyes met a plump monk surveying the completed masonry.
‘ We have finished here, good sisters,’ said the monk. ‘The carpenters still have cupboards to install, but once this area is cleaned up you might as well make use of it.’
Therese looked up towards the south side of the cloister, which was already in use. Indeed Sister Hilda and her needlewomen were taking a break from their work in that area. But Therese could not see them just hear their whisperings because of screening placed between the building works and the precious embroidery areas. Such protection was unusual but presumably the idea was to prevent even the stitchers clothes becoming dusty and soiling their work.
‘ There is too much work for two women here,’ said Gertrude. Her jowly face was turning purple.
‘ The builders have cleared the worst of the rubble,’ the monk objected.
‘ I
Prioress Ethelburga barked at the remaining nuns, ‘Sisters Winifred, Leofgyth and Aelfgyth you will go to the garden today. Sisters Maude and Mabel are to assume your usual duties with the animals. Much needs to be done if we are to be fed this year.’
So that puts Hilda, Sybil and Beatrice in the sewing room, thought Therese.
The gardeners were of mixed ages. They shuffled uneasily. ‘Prioress, with the greatest respect why are you sending us to the garden? Is not the work much more important? Will we not be supplied by our benefactor Bishop Odo? Will not the land work damage our hands?’ asked the youngest – a girl not much older than Therese.
‘ Sister Leofgyth, I have asked you not to talk of such matters in front of Sister Therese and what is more, I am in charge here and you do as I say.’
The gardening sisters took their leave. Sister Winifred was the oldest of the group, a tall woman with her head bent low. As they went out of the door Therese thought she heard Leofgyth say, ‘She always sends us to the garden when our needlework is superior to the others.’
‘ Sister Agnes.’ The tall slim nun rose at the Prioress’s address. ‘We are expecting visitors this afternoon. Fowl will have to be found to feed them. You may use whatever you need to make them a decent meal. You may send out for the supplies to be replenished immediately. If need be you may miss noon prayers.’ Sister Agnes bowed and left.
This left just Therese and the short, wide nun.
‘ Sister Gertrude,’ said Prioress Ethelburga. ‘You will instruct Sister Therese in the skill of sweeping. All the stairs and corridors are to be done. ‘These builders,’ she complained, ‘make so much dust.’
Sister Gertrude belched as she rose and left with barely a nod to the Prioress. Therese bowed humbly and followed her. This lowly task – she smiled to herself at the thought – would give her the opportunity to have a better look round than her formal, and limited, showing of yesterday.
‘ Sister Gertrude,’ called Prioress Ethelburga. Sister Gertrude returned from the corridor. ‘Come here.’ She addressed Therese equally sharply with: ‘You can wait outside a moment.’
Therese did not need to know what was being said but she could guess that Gertrude would have to be on her guard with her and keep her away from any of the sensitive areas.
* * *
The willow brooms swished along the aisles of the foreshortened church. Gertrude sprinkled water to settle the dust before they swept. She opened the doors to the cloister, which were not yet meant to be in use, to deposit their sweepings. As Therese looked up from her dusty pile her eyes met a plump monk surveying the completed masonry.
‘ We have finished here, good sisters,’ said the monk. ‘The carpenters still have cupboards to install, but once this area is cleaned up you might as well make use of it.’
Therese looked up towards the south side of the cloister, which was already in use. Indeed Sister Hilda and her needlewomen were taking a break from their work in that area. But Therese could not see them just hear their whisperings because of screening placed between the building works and the precious embroidery areas. Such protection was unusual but presumably the idea was to prevent even the stitchers clothes becoming dusty and soiling their work.
‘ There is too much work for two women here,’ said Gertrude. Her jowly face was turning purple.
‘ The builders have cleared the worst of the rubble,’ the monk objected.
‘ I
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