Brother Cadfael 01: A Morbid Taste for Bones

simple relief that he was not. He has never gone short of anything he wanted, you see, until he wanted me."
    "It was a real wanting," said Brother Cadfael, remembering long-past hungers of his own. "I doubt if he'll ever quite get over it, though I'm pretty sure he'll make a sound marriage, and get handsome children like himself, and be fairly content. He grew up today, she won't be disappointed, whoever she may be. But she'll never be Sioned."
    Her tired, woeful, discouraged face had softened and warmed, and suddenly she was smiling beside him, faintly but reassuringly. "You are a good man. You have a way of reconciling people. But no need! Do you think I did not see how he dragged himself painfully to this afternoon's business, and has gone striding away with his head up to embrace his punishment? I might really have loved him a little, if there had been no Engelard. But only a little! He may do better than that."
    "You are a fine girl," said Brother Cadfael heartily. "If I had met you when I was thirty years younger, I should have made Engelard sweat for his prize. Peredur should be thankful even for such a sister. But we're no nearer knowing what we want and need to know."
    "And have we any more shafts left to loose?" she asked ruefully. "Any more snares to set? At least we've freed the poor soul we caught in the last one."
    He was silent, glumly thinking.
    "And tomorrow," she said sadly, "Prior Robert will take his saint and all his brothers, and you with them, and set out for home, and I shall be left with nobody to turn to here. Father Huw is as near a saint himself, in his small, confused way, as ever Winifred was, but no use to me. And Uncle Meurice is a gentle creature who knows about running a manor, but nothing about anything else, and wants no trouble and no exertion. And Engelard must go on hiding, as well you know. Peredur's plot against him is quite empty now, we all know it. But does that prove he did not kill my father, after a raging quarrel?"
    "In the back?" said Cadfael, unguardedly indignant.
    She smiled. "All that proves is that you know him! Not everyone does. Some will be saying at this moment, perhaps, after all... that Peredur may have been right without even knowing it."
    He thought about it and was dismayed, for no question but she was right. What, indeed, did it prove if another man had wished to burden him with the guilt? Certainly not that the guilt was not his. Brother Cadfael confronted his own voluntarily assumed responsibility, and braced himself to cope with it.
    "There is also Brother John to be considered," said Sioned. It may well be that Annest, walking behind, had prodded her.
    "I have not forgotten Brother John," agreed Cadfael.
    "But I think the bailiff well may have done. He would shut his eyes or look the other way, if Brother John left for Shrewsbury with the rest of you. He has troubles enough here, what does he want with alien trouble?"
    "And if Brother John should seem to him to have left for Shrewsbury, he would be satisfied? And ask no questions about one more outlander taken up by a patron here?"
    "I always knew you were quick," said Sioned, brown and bright and animated, almost herself again. "But would Prior Robert pursue him still, when he hears he's gone from custody? I don't see him as a forgiving man."
    "No, nor he is, but how would he set about it? The Benedictine order has no real hold in Wales. No, I think he'd let it ride, now he has what he came for. I'm more concerned for Engelard. Give me this one more night, child, and do this for me! Send your people home, and stay the night over with Annest at Bened's croft, and if God aids me with some new thought - for never forget God is far more deeply offended even than you or I by this great wrong! - I'll come to you there."
    "We'll do that," said Sioned. "And you'll surely come."
    They had slowed to let the cortege move well ahead of them, so that they could talk freely. They were approaching the gatehouse of Cadwallon's holding, and Prior Robert and his companions were far in front and had passed by the gate, bent upon singing Vespers in good time. Father Huw, issuing forth in haste and agitation in search of help, seemed relieved rather than dismayed to find only Cadfael within call. The presence of Sioned checked him to a decent walk and a measured tone, but did nothing to subdue the effect of his erected hair and frantic mien.
    "Brother Cadfael, will you spare some minutes for this afflicted household?