The Sisterhood

Chapter 23


From the Chronicle of Las Sors Santas de Jesus, by the pen of Esperanza, the New World, Autumn 1552





I presented the Abbess’s letter of introduction to the portress and she sent a servant to inform Mother Superior. Our chaperone was anxious to return with the driver and guards as soon as the mules had been fed, but two beatas came out to press her to come in for a meal and a rest first. A barefoot girl came to lead us across a wide courtyard, with a fountain in the middle decorated with patterned tiles, surrounded by earthenware pots with bushes of bright pink and orange flowers. The courtyard was even livelier than the one where we had stayed on our arrival. There the ladies and their servants had a decorous air. Here it was much noisier and busier, thronged with women and their servants walking here and there, calling to each other, stopping to exchange greetings, give an order, or deliver a scolding or quarrel loudly. Children scampered about. Several maids talked and laughed animatedly as they scrubbed clothes at the fountain. Nuns and novices went to and fro herding groups of chattering little barefoot girls from the chapel to the schoolroom.

We were led into a large room that was blessedly cool after the heat of the sun. The white walls were hung with great rectangles of woven stuff, like tapestries, with colorful patterns instead of pictures. There were heavy silver candlesticks as tall as Sanchia and thick as a man’s arm, with fat beeswax candles and a large silver-and-gold crucifix on the wall. We should have been relieved that we had reached our destination, but we were too sick at heart about Marisol. A maid with a long braid down her back brought us a tray with hibiscus water and biscuits. We perched on the edges of our chairs sipping our water, feeling dusty and sad.

“Listen,” said Pia suddenly, putting down her half-eaten biscuit. “Swallows!” And then we all heard the familiar chattering and scratching under the eaves. “Just like in Spain.” I tried to think of something cheerful and encouraging about it being a good omen, but the words died in my throat. All I could think of was Marisol suffering horribly at the hands of the bandits and we were in the middle of nowhere, unable to help her.

There was a sound of footsteps on the other side of the locutio and we stood and curtsied to the commanding woman who appeared rather out of breath. A young nun hovered at her elbow. The commanding woman said, “I am Mother Superior and this is Sor Anna. I have read your Abbess’s letter. My dear girls, welcome to Las Golondrinas! From Spain! What a journey you have had!”

Sor Anna had placed a high-backed chair murmuring, “Please sit, Mother,” and we pulled stools over to the grille and sat, too. I meant to be circumspect about the medal and the Chronicle until I had asked the questions the Abbess and Sor Beatriz had specified. I could see they had been wise. There are so many convents here, and I had to be sure this was the right one.

After polite questions about our health, Mother went straight to the delicate topic of the purpose of our trip. “In her letter the Abbess explains that you are orphans, of good birth, and have come from Spain to find husbands. I hope for your sakes you will find men worthy of coming so far. But why are there only three of you? The letter says four; where is Maria Isabella?”

Sadly I explained what had happened to Marisol.

“Ah!” Mother was shocked, but less than I expected. Shaking her head she said the Abbess had been right to send us, that the civilizing influence of good wives was much needed. They would pray for Marisol. “And the Sor Emmanuela, who is mentioned here—where is your chaperone?”

“Sor Emmanuela, alas, died at sea. As the eldest, I assumed charge,” I answered.

“You are most welcome here, of course, but there are many convents closer to the port. All, I am sure, would have given you shelter and helped you find husbands. I am curious to know why you chose to come here.”

I asked if I might have a private word with Mother but before she could reply a bell began to ring and she stood. “Tomorrow perhaps. Sor Anna, show them the chapel. I must go now.”

We went back across the crowded courtyard, attended vespers, then followed other women into the noisy refectory for a simple meal, again drowned in spicy sauce. Night came quickly and the chapel bell rang for compline, but we were too tired. We fell into our beds and slept soundly.

The next day I followed the girl with the long braid to the locutio parlor, where, to my surprise, she slipped a large key into the locutio lock, opened the gate, and led me to a parlor full of dark heavy furniture where Mother was waiting. She gestured I was to sit on one of the heavy carved chairs.

Mother wasted no time in pleasantries before saying, “Now Esperanza, tell me, why the need to speak privately?”

I nodded. “Forgive me, Mother, but may I ask you a few questions?” Mother raised her eyebrows but nodded.

“The names of the sisters who founded the order here?”

“Let me see, I think there was Mother Maria Manuela, Sor Inez, Sor Fidelia, Sor Anselma, Sor Blanca, Sor Lucia, Sor Emilia, and Sor Estephana.”

Don Miguel had been so sure this was the one! I looked at her. The names were right, but they were hardly uncommon Spanish names, and there were not enough of them. Nine, not twelve. No Sor Salome. Oh dear, this was the wrong convent! My heart sank at the thought of setting out again.

Mother frowned and continued, “There were three more of the party. I cannot recall the names of the two beatas who died when their raft capsized crossing a river, and one novice chose to leave us and marry—the novice Salome.”

I sat upright and exclaimed, “The novice Salome married?”

“She had not yet taken her final vows, and I assure you that she married with the convent’s blessing. There were good reasons for her decision.”

“What reasons?” I knew I should not sound so disapproving—my own mother had done the same thing—but still I was shocked.

Mother overlooked my rudeness. “I could explain, but it is a long story and it would be best for Dona Salome Aguilar to tell it herself. She is a great benefactor and patroness of our convent, and has donated generously to our school for Indian girls. She is in mourning for her husband who died a year ago. She rarely leaves the family’s estate now, which is run by her eldest son, Don Miguel. Besides Don Miguel, the couple had a younger son, Don Matteo, and a daughter, Dona Beatris. Don Matteo Aguilar went into the church. Dona Beatris married a cacique and had seven children. Don Miguel Aguilar…”

Don Miguel, the gentleman on the quay who had picked me up…Salome’s son! I interrupted to say that we had met Don Miguel when we landed. Mother looked surprised. I hastened to add this was because he and another man had come to our rescue and taken us to a convent where his cousins were nuns. Cacique, ladies at that convent had called him. What did that mean?

“It is the term for Inca noble,” said Mother. “The Inca nobility are as proud of their limpienza sangre as any Spaniard with an ancient Christian family line. Generally convents only admit purebred Spanish girls, the daughters of the hidalgos, as nuns, but exceptions are made for caciques. Native women of other classes enter the convents as servants, sometimes beatas, never nuns. Much importance is paid to birth and blood and family honor here, my dear. A daughter who is a nun is proof of the family’s importance, good breeding and faith. I think it is the same in Spain, no?”

I nodded.

Mother frowned. “His father was a descendant of the last Inca Sapa. Don Miguel inherited his blood and his pride, and broods over the iniquities of the Conquistadors, their cruel treatment of the Indians. There have been rumors that he is seditious, and has lent his support to rebellious factions in the mountains. That is a serious matter. There have been many revolts against the Spanish, God knows for good reason, and the landowners who live surrounded by slaves and Indians live in constant fear. Revolts are brutally suppressed.”

I gave the medal to Mother, of course, as the gift of the convent in Spain. It was a great responsibility and I am relieved to have delivered it to its destination. Mother was very moved, saying that of course she knew of the medal, but had never expected it to come into this convent’s possession. I told her about Sor Beatriz and the Abbess, about the Inquisition, at which she nodded and said that the Inquisition was also established here, but…She shrugged. Like many other things here, it sounds as if it may be less efficient than in Spain.

I told her of the periodic letters from the Holy Office and how they irritated the Abbess, and Mother said they had their own difficulties with the church authorities. However, the church relies on convents like Las Golondrinas for many useful functions, not least of which are the school and orphanage that absorb the embarrassing number of mestiza daughters fathered by Spanish soldiers and settlers. The governing authorities and the church fight a constant battle to prevent Spanish men succumbing to native vices, but are visibly unsuccessful, so both church and the civil authorities are anxious to teach the girls Christian values, in the hope they will eventually exert a civilizing influence as good Catholic wives.

I have many questions to ask, but a nun came to summon Mother to some emergency or other. Mother is rarely able to sit for long—the convent is an excitable place. I said nothing about the Chronicle because Mother mentioned that the convent has no scribe. I will keep this last link to Spain and to Sor Beatriz for the time being. I do not know whether it is wise to try and send a letter back to the convent in Spain. I cannot bear to think what may have happened.