"Was that innocence or mischief?" demanded Cadfael, when he saw Bened off from the gatehouse afterwards.
"Work it out for yourself! The great thing is, Cadfael, it was truth! These things happened, and are happening yet."
Brother Cadfael stood looking after him as he took the road towards Lilleshall, until the stocky figure with its long, easy strides dwindled to child-size, and vanished at the curve of the wall. Then he turned back towards his garden, where a new young novice, barely sixteen and homesick, was waiting earnestly for his orders, having finished planting out lettuces to follow in succession. A silent lad as yet. Maybe once he had taken Brother Cadfael"s measure his tongue would begin to wag, and then there"d be no stopping it. He knew nothing, but was quick to learn, and though he was still near enough to childhood to attract any available moist soil to his own person, things grew for him. On the whole, Cadfael was well content.
I don"t see, he thought, reviewing the whole business again from this peaceful distance, how I could have done much better. The little Welsh saint"s back where she always wanted to be, bless her, and showing her pleasure by taking good care of her own, it seems. And we"ve got what belonged to us in the first place, all we have a right to, and probably all we deserve, too, and by and large it seems to be thought satisfactory. Evidently the body of a calculating murderer does almost as well as the real thing, given faith enough. Almost, but never quite! Knowing what they all know by now, those good people up there in Gwytherin may well look forward to great things. And if a little of their thanks and grat.i.tude rubs off on Rhisiart, well, why not? He earned it, and it"s a sign she"s made him welcome. She may even be glad of his company. He"s no threat to her virginity now, and if he is trespa.s.sing, that"s no fault of his. His bed-fellow won"t grudge him a leaf or two from her garland!
About the Author.
ELLIS PETERS is the nom-de-crime nom-de-crime of English novelist Edith Pargeter, author of scores of books under her own name. She is the recipient of the Silver Dagger Award, conferred by the Crime Writers a.s.sociation in Britain, as well as the coveted Edgar, awarded by the Mystery Writers of America. Miss Pargeter is also well known as a translator of poetry and prose from the Czech and has been awarded the Gold Medal and Ribbon of the Czechoslovak Society for Foreign Relations for her services to Czech literature. She pa.s.sed away in 1995, at the age of 82, at home in her beloved Shropshire. of English novelist Edith Pargeter, author of scores of books under her own name. She is the recipient of the Silver Dagger Award, conferred by the Crime Writers a.s.sociation in Britain, as well as the coveted Edgar, awarded by the Mystery Writers of America. Miss Pargeter is also well known as a translator of poetry and prose from the Czech and has been awarded the Gold Medal and Ribbon of the Czechoslovak Society for Foreign Relations for her services to Czech literature. She pa.s.sed away in 1995, at the age of 82, at home in her beloved Shropshire.