The Devil's Domain (19 page)

Routier racked his brain. He had eaten nothing, surely? Nothing he had not seen anyone else eat and drink. Routier tried to lick his lips. The water he’d drawn from the butts outside the hall, but the bread? Hadn’t Gresnay slipped him some of his? Routier’s body arched in pain. He could hear the birds calling louder now and the roaring seemed closer. He tried to mutter a prayer, staring up through the branches at the blue sky, but the words wouldn’t come. All he could think of was Gresnay, his girlish face twisted into that funny smile, offering him the bread and he, like a fool, had taken it!

Sir John Cranston took one look at Sir Maurice Maltravers sitting beside Athelstan in the Jerusalem Tree Tavern and roared with laughter. He took his beaver hat off, slapping it against his thighs so the pedlars and tinkers who plied their trade along the waterside wondered if the lord coroner had lost his wits. Athelstan shook his head in mock reproval.

‘Sir John,’ he hissed. ‘This is supposed to be done in secrecy.’

‘I promise you, Brother. But do you think you can fool the hawk-eyed Lady Monica? This.’ He took the tankard Athelstan had ordered and took a deep slurp. ‘This,’ he repeated, ‘I must see. You are?’

‘Brother Norbert of the Order of St Dominic’ Sir Maurice spoke softly, pulling his face into what he thought was a look of piety.

‘Oh, for God’s sake! They’ll think you are from Bedlam if you look at Lady Monica like that. What I suggest, Brother, is Athelstan speaks to Lady Monica and you’d best keep your tongue quiet until we meet Angelica.’

They walked up the steep, winding trackway to where the nunnery, nestling behind its grey curtain wall, overlooked the Thames. A porter led them through the postern gate and across the exquisitely laid-out gardens with herbers, smooth green lawns, flower beds, arbours and raised turf seats. The air was tinged with the heavy perfume of flowers. Sir John stopped to admire a luscious rose which dangled out over the path.

‘The ladies of Syon are not sworn to poverty,’ Athelstan noted.

‘No, no, Brother, this is where the ladies of the court, who wish to retire from the glories of the world, can sit, reflect, meditate and pray.’

The nunnery buildings were made of honey-coloured stone. They passed the jewel of a chapel and entered cool, shady porticoes which wound past quiet cloisters and into the main building. Here the floor was paved and lined with boxes and pots of flowers. Gaily coloured tapestries hung on the wall displaying scenes from the Bible or lovely motifs such as a flaming rose beneath a golden crown. Now and again they passed nuns sitting in corners or in chairs, either reading from books of hours or talking softly among themselves. The porter, a wiry little man, turned a corner and knocked on an iron-studded door. Athelstan breathed a quick prayer. Sir John took one quick slurp from the wineskin and in they swept to meet Lady Monica.

Athelstan found her most forbidding. She was tall, elegant and more majestic than any queen. She was dressed in a snowy white habit with a cream-edged coif which framed an imperious face with sharp grey eyes, slender nose and thin, disapproving lips. She extended a bejewelled hand. Sir John went on one knee to kiss the long, ivory-white fingers. Athelstan and Sir Maurice bowed, the friar sketching a hasty blessing. Lady Monica sat down behind her desk while the porter, grumbling to himself, brought across three box chairs. Lady Monica nodded and all three took their seats. Athelstan felt as if he had gone back in time, to when he and his brother Francis were brought into the scullery to be reprimanded by Mother. Beads of sweat broke out on his brow and he wondered at the wisdom of what he had done. Lady Monica’s steel-grey eyes studied them all. Athelstan caught a glimpse of humour in her severe face.

‘It’s been a long time, Jack.’

Sir John’s face coloured and he shuffled his feet.

‘Do you remember the tourney?’ She sighed. ‘You and my beloved, Sir Oliver, fought all comers: the King gave you the crown as champion of the tournament?’

‘Grand days,’ the coroner muttered, the tears starting in his eyes. I am older, my lady, and much fatter, but you haven’t changed a whit. As beautiful as ever.’

‘You were always one for flattery, Jack, and for wine. Would you like some?’

Lady Monica gestured to the porter still standing behind them.

‘Cuthbert, some wine for our guests. The best claret you have.’ Her face creased into a smile. ‘Sir Jack has a partiality for that.’

The wine was served, the porter left. All the time Lady Monica threaded the ivory Ave beads which lay on her desk. She asked after Lady Maude and congratulated Sir John on the birth of the two poppets. She finally wrapped the Ave beads round her fingers and sat back in the chair. Athelstan couldn’t meet her gaze so he looked at the beautiful devotional paintings, framed in black and gold, which hung on the brilliant white walls.

‘Why are you here, Jack?’

Sir John coughed and rolled the small, intricately carved goblet between his hands.

‘Sir Thomas Parr, my lady.’

‘Ah, Angelica. Headstrong girl. Love is a terrible thing, isn’t it, Jack? It turns the soul and dazzles the mind.’ She gathered the Ave beads together. ‘Did you ever love me, Jack?’

He kept his head down like a little boy.

‘I asked you that once,’ Lady Monica continued.

‘My lady, you were betrothed. Sir Oliver was dearer to me than a brother.’

‘But you did love me!’ Lady Monica persisted.

Athelstan watched fascinated as tears brimmed in Sir John’s eyes and, for once, this bluff, rough-spoken coroner seemed tongue-tied.

‘You were always blunt, my lady. I think you know the truth. And, God forgive me if I gave any offence, but so did Oliver.’

‘My lady,’ Athelstan intervened, wanting to help his companion. ‘Sir Thomas Parr has put his daughter in your care. He has asked me to visit her and give her spiritual comfort.’

‘And does that need the three of you?’ Lady Monica studied Athelstan carefully. ‘I have heard of you.’ She pointed a finger. ‘I always listen to what happens to Jack. All your exploits. Anyway, why the three?’

‘My lord coroner is here because he knows you,’ Athelstan replied coolly. ‘I am here because I am his secretarius while Brother Norbert has just returned from the Bridgettine Convent at Oxford.’ Athelstan quietly prayed the lie would not be held against him. ‘Where he provided wise counsel and spiritual comfort for the good sisters there.’

‘And so why are you here?’ Lady Monica now stared directly at Sir Maurice.

‘I am here, my lady . . .’ He fell silent.

Athelstan closed his eyes.

‘You seem rather tongue-tied for one who gives spiritual comfort?’ Lady Monica’s voice was tinged with faint mockery.

‘I am here,’ Sir Maurice continued defiantly, ‘to remind Lady Angelica of love, its true nature, function and purpose.’

Lady Monica squeezed her chin between her fingers and clicked her tongue.

‘I’ve seen you somewhere before. Anyway . . .’ Lady Monica picked up a small bell and rang it. ‘I am charged with the Lady Angelica’s care. Any spiritual comfort you give her is because Sir Thomas Parr wishes it.’ She smiled thinly. ‘He has written to me on this matter. But,’ Lady Monica continued, ‘it must be given in my presence.’

Athelstan’s heart sank. ‘Brother Norbert’ leaned forward as if to protest but Athelstan quietly kicked his foot. The porter returned. Lady Monica gave him instructions and a few minutes later he was ushering the Lady Angelica into the room.

Athelstan could tell that this was a time of great danger. The Lady Angelica was dressed very similarly to the abbess. One look at her beautiful, heart-shaped face framed in the clinging, silken coif and Athelstan knew why Sir Maurice was so deeply infatuated. Lady Monica made the introductions. Athelstan was sure she must be able to hear his heart thumping but Lady Angelica did not betray them. She bowed at Sir John and Athelstan and, when Lady Monica explained their presence, Angelica’s eyes, cold and hard, simply dismissed Sir Maurice with one imperious flicker.

‘You say Father sent you here,’ she began, taking a seat beside the Lady Monica.

‘I know your father of old,’ Sir John replied. ‘He was determined that you be taken out of danger and not be pestered by an upstart knight.’

‘And you are here to remind me of my duty to my father?’

‘In a word, my lady, yes,’ Athelstan said.

‘And you brought this . . .?’ Angelica paused, her brilliant blue eyes now on ‘Norbert’. Athelstan caught a little softness as well as a sparkle of mischief. ‘You brought this good brother but what does he know of love?’

‘I know it’s God given,’ Sir Maurice replied quickly. ‘I know it never ends. I know it’s like the air we breathe and that we cannot live without it.’

‘Prettily put,’ Lady Angelica quipped. ‘I love my father but I also love someone he does not like.’ She clasped her hands in mock anguish to her breast. ‘What am I to do? How can love be contradictory?’

In any other circumstances Athelstan would have laughed at this little minx who was playing the game so coolly and so cleverly. Her eyelids fluttered.

‘If I must love my father, as I know you are going to tell me, then I must obey him. And, if I obey him, I must give up the love I have for this knight.’

‘Very well put,’ Lady Monica said. ‘Angelica, you really should enter our house of studies. Our library here is well furnished . . .’

‘But it’s not contradictory,’ said Sir Maurice.

‘Why is that?’ Lady Monica snapped. ‘The Fourth Commandment says thou shalt obey thy father and thy mother!’

‘In life,’ he replied, ‘there is a hierarchy, is there not? Even in this Order you, Lady Monica, are superior and the same goes for nature. Some horses are more fleet than others, some dogs more fierce. There is also a hierarchy in love, with God at its peak.’

‘And beneath that?’ Angelica asked. ‘Surely love of father and mother?’

‘That is not what Christ said,’ he replied, warming to his theme, staring fully at Angelica who now blushed. ‘He said that if a woman loves a man she should leave her kith and kin and go to him so that they become one flesh. That is God’s will and, what God has joined together, no man should try to drive asunder.’

‘Very well put,’ Angelica teased back. ‘But, Brother, I am not yet this man’s wife. I am not even betrothed.’

‘But marriages are made in heaven,’ ‘Norbert’ countered.

‘What is this?’ Lady Monica asked.

Athelstan put his hands up the sleeves of his gown and glanced sideways. Sir John was already feeling for his wineskin. Had ‘Brother Norbert’ gone too far?

‘Are you counselling the Lady Angelica to defy her father?’

‘Oh no. I was simply discussing philosophy, the true value of love and its purpose.’

‘But what is love?’ Angelica quickly spoke up to divert the Lady Monica.

‘It is the greatest of God’s gifts.’ He answered slowly as if aware that he had trodden unwarily. ‘It means giving the heart, the soul, the body to the other. It recognises no obstacle; it is pure, eternal fire.’

Athelstan raised his eyes heavenwards. He wondered whether Sir Maurice was speaking what he had read from Bonaventure’s writings or directly, from the heart. He was surprised at the young knight’s intensity and, in a strange way, he envied his burning passion. Have I, will I, ever love like this, he wondered?

‘Love has no end,’ Sir Maurice continued. ‘We are born like that, my child. I truly believe that every man and woman has two great loves: one for God and one for their spouse. Indeed, such a love reflects the life of the Trinity. As the great Bonaventure says, “As God loves the son and gives birth to the spirit which is love”, so male and female, in holy alliance, become one and create a divine life, participating in God’s creation.’

‘And it knows no lies?’ Angelica asked.

‘None whatsoever.’

‘Or division?’

‘None whatsoever.’

‘So, what shall Angelica do?’ Lady Monica asked. Athelstan noticed her face had become slightly flushed.

‘She should pray,’ Sir Maurice replied. ‘Pray with all her mind, her heart and soul that God’s will be known. My lady, it will not be Sir Thomas Parr, nor you, nor this young woman, nor even that poor unfortunate, miserable, broken-hearted . . .’ Athelstan kicked him on the shin. ‘Woebegone knight who will decide but God. And God loves lovers.’ He caught the steely glint in Lady Monica’s eyes. ‘His will shall decide.’

‘And until then?’ Angelica asked, drawing herself up, the laughter bubbling in her eyes. ‘Am I to stay here and pine away? Not that the good sisters here,’ she added hurriedly, ‘are vexatious but I do wonder how this will end.’

‘God will give a sign.’ Athelstan spoke up. He put his hand out and gently squeezed Sir Maurice’s knees, a reminder that he had said enough.

‘Brother Athelstan speaks the truth,’ Sir Maurice said, his eyes holding Lady Angelica. ‘He will give a sign and His will shall be known. In the end all will be well; all manner of things will be well.’

‘And will you speak to this young knight?’ Lady Monica asked.

‘Oh yes. I shall speak to him as soon as I leave here. I will seek him out.’ He held a hand up. ‘And I know what he will say, for I have met such young men before though, perhaps, none so smitten as he. He will be downcast, weeping copiously, be lost in his desolation. He will tell me that he loves this young woman more than life itself. That he will love her until death and beyond. He will say because of her, he’d storm the gates of hell and confront all the powers of darkness. How heaven and earth will pass away but his love will remain eternal. How he has given his heart to the Lady Angelica and that she will either heal it or break it!’

Lady Monica sighed noisily, her eyelids fluttering. ‘That poor, poor, young man. I shall pray for him, too.’

‘Brother Norbert. Tell him . . .’

‘No, no!’ Lady Monica grasped Angelica’s wrists. ‘You can send him no message, my child.’

Athelstan caught the look in the young woman’s eyes and knew there was no need. He got slowly to his feet. Sir John did likewise.

‘We must leave now,’ Athelstan said firmly. ‘But, Lady Monica, if it is agreeable to you, we will return?’