am going to see the Prioress about this,’ added Gertrude handing her broom to Therese. She padded off over the filth to the screening, lifted a corner and disappeared behind it in the general direction of the chapter house.
Therese smiled at the surveyor and commented on the splendid archways.
‘ I’m the architect’s right hand man,’ said the surveyor immodestly. ‘Bishop Gundulf, himself, sent for me, Brother Richard of Caen, to check on his design. The local masons do not always follow the guidance of our Norman craftsmen we brought over especially for this work.’
‘ How do you mean?’ prompted Therese. She could tell he wanted to have a grumble to a fellow Norman.
‘ That tower,’ continued Brother Richard, puffing out his round belly. ‘Is not in the plans at all. ‘Such a bit of nonsense. They tell me an extra stairwell was asked for after that south wing had already been completed.’ He waved his pink hand crossly in that general direction. ‘Two sets of stairs to a small first floor, quite ridiculous! But it is done now. It will have to be left.’
‘ How did it come to be?’ asked Therese conversationally. His tongue had become quite loose, as Sister Miriam, back in Normandy, might have said.
‘ That, Sister, is the strangest thing. I am told the orders came from the highest level, yet they did not come through me.’ Brother Richard paused and looked hard at her. ‘This is none of your business, young woman. Get about your work.’ His voice was cross with the embarrassment of having said too much.
Therese watched him scuttle out in the same direction as Gertrude, but decided that he would be making for the refectory, ready for the results of Sister Agnes’s morning labours. She considered using these moments on her own to slip off and have a look around, but before she could act on the thought Sister Gertrude returned.
‘ We can leave the cloister. The Prioress will arrange a special cleaning project for tomorrow involving everyone. She says we are to clean the tower steps.’ Gertrude frowned deepening the furrows between her eyes. ‘Those stairs are so narrow, so steep and winding. My old bones won’t get up there.’
‘ I’ll do it,’ said Therese a little too quickly.
‘ Are you stupid?’ asked Gertrude shutting up the church. She turned and went under the flap of screening.
‘ Just keen to do God’s work,’ said Therese trotting after her.
Gertrude grumbled something about ‘the devil’s own’, but Therese didn’t quite catch what was said. At the bottom of the tower the old nun said, ‘I will wait here.’
So Therese left her sitting on the wood-pile and resting her back on the cool stone wall outside in the yard close to the kitchen, while she climbed the tower with her broom.
‘ Sister Therese!’ Gertrude called. Therese peered back down the stairwell, but she couldn’t see round the tightly turning stairs. ‘You will have to start at the top and work down,’ came Gertrude’s advice.
‘ Yes, Sister Gertrude,’ she called back. She turned and climbed slowly as if there was something to be gained from inspecting every corner of each step. Steadying herself with her left hand against the curved wall, she reached the opening to the first floor landing. This is where the Impostor had entered the tower with Ursula in pursuit. There were small inky marks on the wall making a pattern trailing upwards. She followed them remembering the Impostor’s soul would never be at rest – forever in Purgatory. She tried to rid herself of the thought and increased her speed upwards.
A few steps on she paused and looked towards the door at the top. She couldn’t see it yet. But she caught sight of a shadow high up on the sewing room side of the wall. It looked like a hole, as if one of the large stones was missing. She listened but could not hear anything. This did not mean much though as she suspected the nuns worked in silence. She stretched but was not tall
Therese smiled at the surveyor and commented on the splendid archways.
‘ I’m the architect’s right hand man,’ said the surveyor immodestly. ‘Bishop Gundulf, himself, sent for me, Brother Richard of Caen, to check on his design. The local masons do not always follow the guidance of our Norman craftsmen we brought over especially for this work.’
‘ How do you mean?’ prompted Therese. She could tell he wanted to have a grumble to a fellow Norman.
‘ That tower,’ continued Brother Richard, puffing out his round belly. ‘Is not in the plans at all. ‘Such a bit of nonsense. They tell me an extra stairwell was asked for after that south wing had already been completed.’ He waved his pink hand crossly in that general direction. ‘Two sets of stairs to a small first floor, quite ridiculous! But it is done now. It will have to be left.’
‘ How did it come to be?’ asked Therese conversationally. His tongue had become quite loose, as Sister Miriam, back in Normandy, might have said.
‘ That, Sister, is the strangest thing. I am told the orders came from the highest level, yet they did not come through me.’ Brother Richard paused and looked hard at her. ‘This is none of your business, young woman. Get about your work.’ His voice was cross with the embarrassment of having said too much.
Therese watched him scuttle out in the same direction as Gertrude, but decided that he would be making for the refectory, ready for the results of Sister Agnes’s morning labours. She considered using these moments on her own to slip off and have a look around, but before she could act on the thought Sister Gertrude returned.
‘ We can leave the cloister. The Prioress will arrange a special cleaning project for tomorrow involving everyone. She says we are to clean the tower steps.’ Gertrude frowned deepening the furrows between her eyes. ‘Those stairs are so narrow, so steep and winding. My old bones won’t get up there.’
‘ I’ll do it,’ said Therese a little too quickly.
‘ Are you stupid?’ asked Gertrude shutting up the church. She turned and went under the flap of screening.
‘ Just keen to do God’s work,’ said Therese trotting after her.
Gertrude grumbled something about ‘the devil’s own’, but Therese didn’t quite catch what was said. At the bottom of the tower the old nun said, ‘I will wait here.’
So Therese left her sitting on the wood-pile and resting her back on the cool stone wall outside in the yard close to the kitchen, while she climbed the tower with her broom.
‘ Sister Therese!’ Gertrude called. Therese peered back down the stairwell, but she couldn’t see round the tightly turning stairs. ‘You will have to start at the top and work down,’ came Gertrude’s advice.
‘ Yes, Sister Gertrude,’ she called back. She turned and climbed slowly as if there was something to be gained from inspecting every corner of each step. Steadying herself with her left hand against the curved wall, she reached the opening to the first floor landing. This is where the Impostor had entered the tower with Ursula in pursuit. There were small inky marks on the wall making a pattern trailing upwards. She followed them remembering the Impostor’s soul would never be at rest – forever in Purgatory. She tried to rid herself of the thought and increased her speed upwards.
A few steps on she paused and looked towards the door at the top. She couldn’t see it yet. But she caught sight of a shadow high up on the sewing room side of the wall. It looked like a hole, as if one of the large stones was missing. She listened but could not hear anything. This did not mean much though as she suspected the nuns worked in silence. She stretched but was not tall
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