'You seem to have had a long talk. How does Alice come to be here?'
'The apothecary died, he was an old man. After that she came back to Scarnsea, but her mother died too shortly after. Her cottage was on a copyhold and the landowner took it back. She was left alone. She didn't know what to do, then someone said the infirmarian was looking for a lay assistant. No one in the town wanted to work for him — they call him the black goblin — but she had no choice.'
'I have the impression she does not much admire our holy brethren.'
'She said some of them are lascivious men, forever sidling up and trying to touch her. She is the only young woman in the place. The prior himself has been a problem apparently.'
I raised an eyebrow. 'God's wounds, she did speak freely.'
'She is angry, sir. The prior made a nuisance of himself when she first came.'
'Yes, I noticed she disliked him. Fie, the man's a hypocrite, punishing other people's sins and chasing the women servants himself. Does the abbot know?'
'She told Brother Guy and he made the prior stop. The abbot seldom intervenes; he supports the prior's strong discipline and leaves him to do much as he will. Apparently all the monks are terrified of him, and those who were guilty of sodomy before are too terrified of him to follow their base hearts.'
'And we've seen the results of that discipline.'
Mark passed a hand over his brow. 'Yes, we have,' he agreed sombrely.
I thought a moment. 'Disloyal of Mistress Alice, to speak so to the commissioner's assistant. Is she of reformist persuasion?'
'I don't think so. But she does not see why she should keep the secrets of those who have pestered her. She has strong feelings, sir, but fine ones. She is no malapert. She spoke warmly of Brother Guy. He has taught her much and protected her from those who trouble her. And she is fond of the harmless old men she looks after.'
I looked at him thoughtfully. 'Don't form too much of an attachment to the girl,' I said quietly. 'Lord Cromwell wants the surrender of this monastery, and we may end up putting her out of house and home again.'
He frowned. 'That would be cruel. And she's not a girl, she's twenty-two, a woman. Could not something be done for her?'
'I could try.' I mused a moment. 'So the infirmarian protects her. I wonder whether she would protect him in turn.'
'You mean Brother Guy may have secrets?'
'I don't know.' I stood up and walked to the window. 'My head spins.'
'You said the novice appeared to be imitating you,' Mark said hesitantly.
'Did it not seem like that to you?'
'I don't see how he could have known—'
I gulped. 'How I wave my arms around when speaking in court? No, neither do I.' I stood looking out of the window, biting my thumbnail, until I saw Brother Guy reappear, striding along with the abbot and prior beside him. The three figures passed quickly by the window, kicking up little clouds of snow. A few moments later we heard voices from the room where the body lay. There were more footsteps, and the three monks entered the little kitchen. I sat studying each in turn. Brother Guy's brown features were expressionless. Prior Mortimus's face was red, filled with anger but I saw fear too. The abbot seemed to have shrunk into himself; the big man looked somehow smaller, greyer.
'Commissioner,' he said quietly, 'I am sorry you had to witness such a terrible scene.'
I took a deep breath. I felt more like curling up in a corner somewhere than trying to exercise authority over these wretched people, but I had no choice.