The Owl Killers (35 page)

The girl’s shoulders shook with sobs, but not a single sound escaped her. The silence was unnerving. I knelt and drew the weeping girl into my arms. But she went rigid and arched away from me as if I was hurting her.

“Hush, child,” I said as gently as I could. “We mean your grandmother no harm. It’s all right, everything is all right now. We’ll take her to a safe place and give her hot food and clean clothes. You can stay with her. You can have as much food as you want to eat and you’ll be warm and dry. And who knows, she may soon be well again.”

“You shouldn’t give her false hope,” Servant Martha cut in, her voice freshly sharpened.

Healing Martha laid a restrained hand on her arm. “Come now, it doesn’t really matter what is said. The child can’t understand much beyond the soothing tone of a kind voice. Beatrice is right, a full belly or an empty one is the limit of her reasoning.”

IN THE END
it was Healing Martha and I who cut the rags from Gwenith’s body. Healing Martha had asked Osmanna to mind the infirmary while she was gone, but that coldhearted little bitch kept trying to leave me to deal with Gwenith, making excuses that she had other errands to run. I suppose she thought herself too highborn to be washing the body of some poor old woman.

Gwenith’s naked body was a piteous sight. The hair that veils a woman’s secret parts was gone and the skin on her belly hung loose and yellow as on a plucked fowl. Her arms and hands were burned too, though the burns were not as deep as on her legs. She was ice cold, but even naked she didn’t shiver. As gently as we could, Healing Martha and I lifted the sticks of her arms and tried to wash her body, but the dirt was tanned into her wrinkled hide and her skin seemed so thin we dared not rub at it. Besides, what was the point? It would add nothing to her comfort and would not lengthen her days.

Healing Martha smoothed unguents on her burns and rubbed a warming ointment on the old woman’s chest. The pungent smell of turpentine permeated the room. All this while young Gudrun squatted by the fire, gnawing on a hunk of bread dipped in broth. She ate
ravenously, stuffing it into her mouth with both hands as if she feared someone would snatch it from her. Her hair, aflame from the firelight, shielded her face. She was oddly calm, almost as if she had forgotten the existence of the old woman, but she flinched and scuffled away in the furthest corner of the room when she heard Servant Martha approaching.

Servant Martha looked down at the old woman. “How does she?” she asked, as if she was inquiring about the price of bread. That woman did not have a shred of human compassion in her body.

Healing Martha shook her head. Her meaning was plain; no potion or remedy could detain Gwenith longer in this world.

“Should we bleed her?” Servant Martha asked. “If she could be roused for just a few minutes, long enough to make her confession—”

“She’s so weak, bleeding would only render her insensible and hasten the end.”

“Is there nothing you can give her which would bring her to her senses?” Servant Martha briskly patted Gwenith’s hand, but the dying woman didn’t open her eyes.

“I’ll try some warm herbed wine, if she’s able to swallow it,” Healing Martha said, limping towards the door of the infirmary. “But you’d better get to your prayers in earnest, Servant Martha, for I fear it’ll take a skill far beyond mine to summon her wits again.”

I WOKE SUDDENLY
with a start. Little Gudrun was bending over her grandmother. The old woman’s eyes were open. She was whispering to the girl, but it was impossible to make out what she said. Healing Martha, sitting opposite me near the fire, held up a warning hand.

“Give them a few minutes alone,” she told me softly. “It can’t be long now. Osmanna has gone for Servant Martha.”

Trust Osmanna; I bet that was her idea. And Gwenith’s poor little granddaughter would be elbowed out of the way fast enough when those two arrived.

Healing Martha looked reprovingly at me, as if she could read my thoughts. “Servant Martha has to be told. The old woman must be given a chance to make her peace with God.” She stirred up the fire,
sending sparks flying up into the black maw above. “And it seems Servant Martha’s prayers have been answered. I never thought to hear the old woman utter another word.”

“Are you sure it wasn’t your wine that roused her?”

Her lined face broke into a twinkling smile. “Let’s give credit to both. Good wine fortified with robust prayer have together worked many a miracle.”

Servant Martha burst into the room with Osmanna hard on her heels. She strode to the bed. Pushing Gudrun aside, she bent close to Gwenith, clutching the thin shoulder urgently.

“Make your confession, Mother, so that you may depart this life unburdened. However evil your deeds, if you repent of them even at this late hour our Lord in His mercy will forgive you.”

But the old woman only chuckled weakly. “No time, Mistress, not names enough in the world for all my sins.” Her claw suddenly fastened around Servant Martha’s wrist and she pulled her towards her with such fierceness it seemed she intended to drag Servant Martha down to Hell with her.

“The Owlman …I saw him fly …They’ve awakened him. The priest was too late …”

“The Owlman is just a silly rumour, a lot of nonsense spread by empty-headed young girls. Do not waste what little time you have left on such thoughts. You must think of your own immortal soul.”

The old woman tugged at her again. “Them that waked him had but half the spell … they can’t control him … Priest is too weak … but you, you’ve got the spirit of a cunning woman in you … You mustn’t be afeared, you’ve got the strength of a woman. You … remember that.”

Servant Martha indignantly pulled her hand away. “I have the spirit of Christ in me, as have all here. I can assure you that we are afraid of nothing that Satan may cast at us.”

The old woman was racked with coughing. She lay back gasping, her eyes closed.

“My Gudrun …” she murmured. “I charge you … watch over her … don’t let them hurt her.”

The girl stood unmoving beside the cot. If she understood she made no sign.

“Mustn’t cage her … wild things die in cages … Watch over her and you’ll have my blessing. My curse upon you if you fail her …”

Servant Martha knelt beside the cot and tried again, more gently this time, with a note of pleading in her voice. “Gwenith, for the sake of your immortal soul, will you not make peace with God?”

“What’s there to make peace about? I’ve not spoken to God, nor He to me, so we’ve never had cause to quarrel.”

“We are all born in sin, Gwenith. All of us have offended our Lord. But it is not too late to save yourself from the fires of Hell.”

The old woman’s eyes opened again and she seemed about to answer, but her gaze wandered to Osmanna hovering behind. She curled her clawlike finger and beckoned. Osmanna seemed rooted to the spot.

“What’s your name, lass?”

“Os … Osmanna,” she whispered.

Gwenith waved an impatient hand. “Not that name, lass. You have another.”

Servant Martha took hold of the frail hand and shook it as if that would shake the old woman’s wits back to the purpose. “Gwenith, your soul is in grave danger. If you die unshriven you will dwell in torment and agony until the Day of Judgement. You must—”

The old woman sighed. “Tell me your name, lass.”

“I’ve cast off my other name,” Osmanna muttered, her face crimson now.

“You’ve cast off nowt, lass … find your name … No peace will come to you … until you find your own name.”

“She’s rambling,” Servant Martha murmured. She bent closer to the old woman. “Listen to me, Gwenith, you are dying; you must turn your thoughts to God.” Servant Martha spoke slowly and loudly as if she was speaking to the deaf.

“Aye, and when did He ever turn His thoughts to me, Mistress?”

Old Gwenith’s eyes closed. There was a half breath, a hungry gulp of air that choked before it finished, and her mouth slackened. The only sound in the room was the spitting and crackling of the wood on the fire. Healing Martha lifted the transparent blue eyelids and touched her eyes and then held a feather against her lips. She
watched intently for what seemed like forever, but the feather did not stir.

Gudrun looked from one to another of us and then at her grandmother. Slowly she reached out a clenched fist, unfurled one finger and gently stroked the old woman’s face. She snatched her hand away, as if she had been burnt. She threw her head back, her red mouth wide as a howling dog, but not a sound emerged. Her body was rigid. Before I could reach her she fell to the floor, choking and jerking violently, her mouth foaming. We watched, helpless. What could we do to help her?

y
OU COULD HAVE PICKED SOMEWHERE WARMER
for a lover’s tryst,” Hilary sang out softly from among the trees.

I whirled around in the direction of the taunt, but I couldn’t see anyone in the copse. There was still another hour of daylight left, but the clouds had rolled in and light rain was falling, so that it seemed already twilight.

“I thought you said you never wanted to see me again,” Hilary said mockingly. “But I told you you’d be begging me to come back, didn’t I?”

“Stop playing games, Hilary. Come out.”

I jumped as a hand clapped down on my shoulder.

Hilary laughed and planted a savage kiss on my mouth. “Anyway, why in God’s name did we have to meet in a wood? If you think I’m going to strip off here in the middle of winter, you can think again. That stinking crypt in the Cathedral was cold enough to freeze my balls off, but earwigs and thorns up the arse as well, forget it. Why couldn’t we meet at your cottage?”

“We were nearly caught there, remember. And things are worse now. The Owl Masters are watching everyone. They’d spot a stranger instantly and start asking questions. Any one of the villagers could be
an Owl Master or be spying for them. It had to be here. I couldn’t risk anywhere else.”

The rain pattered softly on the dead leaves underfoot and the bushes trembled. I glanced round uneasily. Rustling and creaking seemed to come from every direction. I’d never realised how much noise there was in the woods. I’d always thought them silent peaceful places. This hadn’t been such a good idea. The old undergrowth could conceal a dozen pairs of watching eyes or listening ears.

“Here, you’re shaking, my poor Ulfrido,” Hilary said, grasping my hand. “You look terrible. Sit down. Has something happened?” Hilary’s voice had lost its lazy drawl and for once there was genuine concern in his dark eyes, something I’d not seen for many months.

There was a fallen oak close by. Now as I half leant, half sat on the great trunk, Hilary lifted the hem of my robe, sliding his hand up between my thighs. I shuddered as his cold fingers, wetted from the rain, ran lightly across my prick, stroking the length of it, cupping my balls, but gently for once. It was an old familiar gesture. He had not been tender like this for many months and I sensed it was meant only for comfort, not to tease. I ached to surrender my body to his touch, but I dared not. I tore myself away from his hand and stood up, though it cost me every ounce of resolve to do it.

Hilary broke off a twig and began snapping it into pieces. “I should be cross with you, Ulfrido. I don’t know why I came.” He stuck out his lower lip in a parody of a sulky child. “Sending me away, then not a word for weeks. Now you expect me to come running whenever you snap your fingers. I had a good mind not to come at all.”

He slouched against the fallen oak, idly scuffing the crumbling brown leaf mould like a bored child. I felt angry and resentful. He had no idea what I’d been through the last few days. For a moment I was tempted to pour out all the events of the All Hallows’ Eve. But no one who had not witnessed it could possibly understand the horror of it. And what would I say if he asked me what I had done? I could not admit aloud that I, who had been so determined to fight this evil, had merely turned and fled like a coward with all the other villagers.

“Well?” Hilary asked impatiently. “You dragged me all the way to this arsehole of a village. You must want something. Talk to me or fuck
me, it’s all the same to me, but either way get on with it; I’m not sitting here all night getting soaked.”

My anger boiled up again and I jumped to my feet. “You want to know what I want? I’ll tell you. I want money.”

“Money?” Hilary repeated incredulously. “What could you possibly want money for? You’re a bloody priest, for shit’s sake. Good living. Free cottage, free food, free wine! You’ve got it all. You don’t have to break your back to earn it. Recite a few prayers in Latin and it all comes pouring into your lap without you having to lift a finger. I wish I had it so easy.”

Before I realised what I was doing I had drawn back my fist. Hilary raised his arm to shield his face. I felt instantly ashamed and annoyed with myself. I couldn’t afford to drive away the one person I had left. I lowered my hand, and saw the look of contempt on Hilary’s face. I knew he despised me because I’d wanted to punch him and also because he knew I lacked the guts to do it.

I took a shaky breath. “The villagers didn’t pay all their tithes. I gave Bishop Salmon everything I had in the barn, but it wasn’t enough, so I had to borrow the rest and use the church silver as surety. It’s not been missed yet. But I have to redeem the silver in time for the Christmas Mass or D’Acaster will realise it is gone. I have to have the money to get it back.”

“My poor little Ulfrido. I wish I could help you, really I do.”

Hilary moved closer. He stroked the back of my neck. I could smell the sweet musky perfume of oil that he rubbed on his skin. “But I’m the one who comes to you for money, Ulfrido. You know I can never keep a coin for more than a day or two without it burning a hole in my purse. It’s my nature; I can’t help it.”

“But you can get money. Those other men you … entertain. They’d give you money if you asked.”

“Are you turning whoremaster now?” Hilary laughed and pressed still closer. He ran a finger across my groin, making me shiver. “And I thought you didn’t want me to
entertain
other men. Or do you secretly get a thrill from it? Do you lie in your cold empty bed, Ulfrido, thinking about me with other lovers?” He suddenly crushed my balls in his fist, making me gasp.