Threads of Treason (13 page)

‘
Thank you,’ she said, dismissing him politely. He nodded and left her with the knight who was sitting up. His skin was blotchy and pale, but he acknowledged her with a small bow. She quickly explained why she was there. And then a thought struck her. Perhaps he could answer the riddle set by Agid when he accosted her in the lanes outside Christ Church Abbey – the story of division between Bishop Odon and Archbishop Lanfranc. So she asked him outright about any incident since Archbishop Lanfranc came to England that would have set the two in opposition.

‘
There was a matter some time ago and it was related to the Crown of England,’ said Sir Gilbert. ‘It goes back to 1066. On the death of Harold Godwinson at the battle of Hastings the Bishop of York crowned Edgar the Aethling the King of England. He had the power to do so as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury. I suspect this goes back to the time before England was one kingdom.’

‘
But all that was sorted out,’ complained Eleanor. ‘Edgar the Aethling has come to terms with King William.’ She found it strange that she should be saying to Bishop Odon’s knight the same thing she’d said to the Welsh merchant so recently.

‘
That may be so, but the Bishopric of York was given to Thomas. Before he went there he was Bishop Odon’s treasurer at Bayeux. You may remember him. Archbishop Lanfranc insisted that he swore fealty to him.’

‘
Yes, I remember him, but that was more years ago than I care to remember. So why should Archbishop Lanfranc insist on this public display of loyalty?’ Eleanor frowned.

‘
Because Bishop Thomas might be tempted, as other York Bishops had been, to enthrone a king and this time it might be on Bishop Odon’s say so.’

‘
That sounds incredible,’ said Eleanor.

‘
Why? Bishop Odon supports Robert, King William’s eldest son, while Archbishop Lanfranc supports the King’s choice, William Rufus, for the crown of England. Supposing Bishop Odon arranged for Robert to be sworn in at York while Rufus is sworn in by the Archbishop of Canterbury. There would be chaos.’

‘
This surely is more a matter for a sensible solution to be worked out amicably between colleagues than some great intrigue.’

‘
They went to the Pope for a resolution but the matter was eventually resolved in England and Bishop Thomas swore his fealty to Archbishop Lanfranc. But this will not necessarily stabilise matters when the King dies.’

Eleanor crossed herself. She felt almost tainted by just hearing the political manoeuvrings that the church involved itself in. Was this the seed of competition that had grown up between these two powerful men? Was this why there was trouble at her priory? And it was more trouble at the priory that she had to guard against. ‘I need you to guard Sister Therese as soon as possible,’ she said briskly. ‘Your position is to be on the rising ground beyond the small coppiced wood to the south of the priory.’ This was where Alfred had agreed to make his camp. She did not mention her involvement with Ursula, but she did inform him of the arrest of their saviour in the woods. And she did tell him that Michael’s whole group and Alfred had been arrested.

‘
I will set out before the end of the day,’ said Bishop Odon’s knight. ‘My horse is rested and I’m sure I am up to the ride. I feel better now by the hour.’

Eleanor thanked him and rose. Brother Matthew was not about so she slipped through the door quietly. On leaving the infirmary she saw the stooped figure of Archbishop Lanfranc’s clerk, Brother David, coming towards her. She felt a tightness about her heart.

‘
Abbess Eleanor,’ he hailed her, his right hand up and his palm facing her.

‘
Brother David, has Archbishop Lanfranc found time to see me yet?’ she asked as he reached her.

‘
No, I’m afraid not. That is not why I’ve come,’ replied Brother David.

‘
So, Brother, what is the reason for your approach. I assume it is not to pass the time of day?’

‘
You are quite right, Abbess. We have rested and restored your knight here to health at our expense, of course. However, what we spend on him and his horse we cannot spend on the poor. I’m sure you understand our predicament.’

She thought she saw David’s hands tremble slightly before he tucked them up opposite sleeves. ‘Indeed, I do understand.’ Eleanor sighed. ‘He will not be in need of your good offices any longer and I will ensure your funds are more than restored.'

Brother David took his leave and Eleanor started to walk back to St Augustine’s. With every step she doubted more her ability to spy within Christ Church Abbey. Even dressed as a monk, surely Brother David, if no one else, would recognise her?

Chapter 10

Therese sat opposite Sister Agnes. There were two ways she could get help from her for the boy. One was just to ask for it and hope she did not question her and the second was to tell her all and hope Sister Agnes was discreet and loyal and not part of the conspiracy to destroy the embroidery. Because, despite the fact that Eric was hidden in the tower, she had to continue to look into the details of what went on here at St Thomas’s the day the Impostor fell to her death and took Ursula with her. She did not want to be thrown out of St Thomas’s yet. A thought struck her. There might be another way to make the approach

Agnes nodded and smiled. The kitchen servants had gone home and Agnes passed her a bowl of porridge. ‘Please, what is the matter, Sister?’ asked the older nun.

Therese took a deep breath. ‘I know about Prioress Ursula,’ she said testily.

‘
What about the Prioress?’ asked Agnes, guardedly.

‘
She’s not dead.’

‘
Hush,’ said Agnes, going to the door and checking no one was behind it.

‘
But there is a rumour that she was as guilty as the other one, the Impostor who fell from the tower.’

‘
That’s not true!’ said Agnes. She covered her mouth briefly as if she wanted to catch the words but she was already too late. ‘I ask you again, what do you know?’

‘
I know where Prioress Ursula is now.’

‘
You must say nothing of this.’

‘
I am not the one I do not trust here, Sister Agnes.’

‘
In what way do you think me untrustworthy? I have been a nun for twenty years.’ Sister Agnes pulled her dignity about her.

Therese took a deep breath. ‘You are Anglo-Saxon.’

‘
I am, so what?’ Agnes’s eyes narrowed.

‘
You could be wishing to destroy the embroidery.’

‘
Why should I want to do that?’

‘
To discredit the King,’ said Therese.

‘
I have been here since this place opened. I have had plenty of time to destroy each panel as it was made. Now they are on the last panel and the others have been taken away under guard, so all that can be destroyed here is the last panel. If I wanted to do such a thing I would have done it long ago.’

Therese looked at her long and hard in the firelight. Her eyes were shadowed by the flickering flame. Therese couldn’t read them. ‘So if Prioress Ursula and you are innocent, where has the rumour come from that Prioress Ursula is as guilty as the Impostor.’

Sister Agnes stirred the fire with a poker. ‘I don’t really know. I assumed it was Sister Ethelburga.’

‘
Why would she do that?’ asked Therese.

‘
I thought it was to discredit Prioress Ursula’s choice of successor.’

‘
I thought Sister Ethelburga was the obvious choice to succeed.’

‘
She was equal really with Sister Winifred, but Sister Winifred had Prioress Ursula’s favour. As soon as we’d buried Sister Ann as Prioress Ursula…’ Agnes looked down. ‘I’m sorry. I am still carrying the guilt for such a sacrilege – but we did not know what else to do.’ Her eyes were pleading with Therese. ‘Anyway,’ she continued, pulling herself straight. ‘Sister Ethelburga took Bishop Odo aside and told him her version of events. As soon as she was given the keys she locked up the sewing room and had it thoroughly cleaned.’

‘
So she removed the evidence of the fight between Prioress Ursula and the Impostor? So,’ deduced Therese, ‘she could have created the story about Prioress Ursula to hide the person who had passed the key on to the Impostor?’

‘
I may not like Prioress Ethelburga, but I do not think she is like that. The sewing could not have been restarted in a room in that condition.’ Sister Agnes stood up. ‘Now if that is all, Sister Therese, I would like some sleep before our next session in church.’

‘
I’m sorry, Sister Agnes. I have had to offend you. Otherwise I could not have known exactly how you feel. I did not really come here to examine you in this way. I just did not know whether I could trust you or not.’

‘
And do you?’

‘
I wish I could. I want to trust you. But you and Prioress Ursula and Alfred are all connected and to trust one I have to trust all of you and possibly Michael the merchant from Montgomery too. And he is gone. And he has left me a boy to care for.'

Agnes was already by the door lifting the latch. She dropped it, and it fell back into its holder. ‘A boy?’

‘
A six year old boy. He is harmless and I have hidden him, but he needs food and I need you for that.’

‘
Someone you don’t wholly trust?’

‘
I know, I know. I have to trust you.’

‘
Even though you don’t want to have to?’

‘
Yes.’

‘
I will leave him some food under a pot in the kitchen yard each day.’

‘
Thank you, thank you,’ said Therese catching her arm.

‘
Mind you, I don’t want to know where he is or anything else for that matter.’

‘
You won’t.’ Therese followed Agnes to the door.

‘
And in the mean time I will see if I can find him somewhere else to live.’

‘
Thank you, Sister Agnes.’

‘
And I think you ought to know that Michael the merchant and his group were arrested by Bishop Odo. One of the servants told me. I personally have had nothing to do with the Welshman, and have no intention of doing so. I have only ever seen him speak to Prioress Ethelburga and Sister Hilda since the incident.’

‘
What about before then?’

‘
When Prioress Ursula was here she spoke to him, of course. But so did Sister Winifred and Sister Sybil as well as the two I’ve just mentioned.’

‘
Prioress Ethelburga and Sister Hilda?’

‘
Yes.’

Therese squeezed Agnes’s hand and kissed her cheek.

‘
That’ll do,’ said Agnes. ‘Your young blood is up. Now calm down or someone’ll guess you’ve got something to hide.’ As Therese settled herself Agnes continued. ‘I must also tell you that Alfred of St Edmundsbury was arrested with Michael the Merchant.’

The excess of energy dispersed and Therese felt her mouth drop open, then she shut it firmly before saying, ‘Abbess Eleanor will find someone else to take my messages to her. She will know of this, and she is the one person I can trust.’

‘
You are determined to carry on here?’ asked Agnes. ‘You don’t have to, you know?’

‘
I am determined to stay, Sister Agnes.’

‘
You are young. The young do not know of danger.’

Therese kept her head down in the chapter house the next morning. She was exhausted from seeing to Eric over-night. The food, some porridge, had been there as Sister Agnes promised, but it was nearly impossible to keep him quiet and allow him to exercise. Her neck seemed to be without strength and she had to avoid anyone seeing her eyes. She did have so much to conceal.

Prioress Ethelburga called her name. Therese jumped. The day’s duties must already have been allocated to the others, she was last on the list and closest to the door. The others were all looking at her.

‘
Sister Therese,’ repeated the Prioress, her pasty skin blotching slightly with temper. ‘I wish you to go into the garden today and help Sisters Winifred, Aelfgyth and Leofgyth. You are looking pale. I think the fresh air will do you good.’

They slid from their places and as she filed out with her fellow nuns she found herself next to Leofgyth, who whispered, ‘What have you done to get kicked out of the sewing room?’

Therese frowned. Could Prioress Ethelburga have seen her working out the size of the sewing room? Did she suspect her of spying? She turned and watched the Prioress march away, her skirts rustling. There was no way to tell.

‘
There is much planting to do,’ said Sister Winifred as the party of gardeners reached the fresh air. Therese could see small white marks on her already tanned face. These vanished when she smiled as she did now. She must always be smiling for the sun to miss those places, thought Therese, and she returned the smile. ‘But the young plants must be cared for as we care for all young things. So I will leave you with Sister Leofgyth to hoe along these rows here in the middle of the garden, while Sister Aelfgyth and I will be over there, down the bottom end, setting bean seeds. Call me if you need me.’

Therese dropped her smile at the reference to looking after the young and wondered if Sister Winifred knew about Eric. But she nodded as innocently as she could and a moment later Leofgyth was talking.