Brother Cadfael 01: A Morbid Taste for Bones

as they rode in, a number of people seemed to be running hither and thither in a distracted way, as if something unforeseen had happened, and confused and conflicting orders were being given from several authorities at once. No groom ran to attend to them, either. Prior Robert was displeased. Griffith ap Rhys was mildly and alertly interested. When someone did take notice of them, it was a very handsome young person in a green gown, who came running with her skirts gathered in her hands, and her light-brown hair slipping out of its glossy coil to her shoulders.
    "Oh, sirs, you must excuse us this neglect, we've been so disturbed! The gate-keeper was called away to help, and all the grooms are hunting... But I'm ashamed to let our troubles cast a shadow over our hospitality. My lady's resting, and can't be disturbed, but I'm at your service. Will it please you light down? Shall I have lodgings made ready?"
    "We don't propose to stay," said Griffith ap Rhys, already suspecting this artless goodwill, and approving the way she radiated it. "We came to relieve you of a certain young malefactor you've had in hold here. But it seems you've suffered some further calamity, and we should be sorry to add to your troubles, or disturb your lady, after the grievous day she's endured."
    "Madam," said Prior Robert, civilly but officiously, "you are addressing the prince's bailiff of Rhos, and I am the prior of Shrewsbury abbey. You have a brother of that abbey in confinement here, the royal bailiff is come to relieve you of his care."
    All of which Cadfael duly and solemnly translated for Annest's benefit, his face as guileless as hers.
    "Oh, sir!" She opened her eyes wide and curtseyed deeply to Griffith and cursorily to the prior, separating her own from the alien. "It's true we had such a brother here a prisoner..."
    "Had?" said Robert sharply, for once detecting the change of tense.
    "Had?" said Griffith thoughtfully.
    "He's gone, sir! You see what confusion he's left behind. This evening, when his keeper took him his supper, this brother struck him down with a board torn loose from the manger in this prison, and dropped the bolt on him and slipped away. It was some time before we knew. He must have climbed the wall, you see it is not so high. We have men out now looking for him in the woods, and searching everywhere here within. But I fear he's clean gone!"
    Cai made his entrance at the perfect time, issuing from one of the barns with shaky steps, his head wreathed in a white cloth lightly dabbled with red.
    "The poor man, the villain broke his head for him! It was some time before he could drag himself to the door and hammer on it, and make himself heard. There's no knowing how far the fellow may have got by now. But the whole household is out hunting for him."
    The bailiff, as in duty bound, questioned Cai, but gently and briefly, questioned all the other servants, who ran to make themselves useful and succeeded only in being magnificently confusing. And Prior Robert, burning with vengeful zeal, would have pressed them more strenuously but for the bailiff's presence and obvious prior right, and the brevity of the time at his disposal if he was to get back for Compline. In any case, it was quite clear that Brother John was indeed over the wall and clean gone. Most willingly they showed the place where he had been confined, and the manger from which he had ripped the board, and the board itself, artistically spattered at one end with spots of Cai's gore, though it may, of course, have been pigment borrowed from the butcher.
    "It seems your young man has given us all the slip," said Griffith, with admirable serenity for a man of law who has lost a malefactor. "There's nothing more to be done here. They could hardly expect such violence from a Benedictine brother, it's no blame to them."
    With considerable pleasure Cadfael translated that neat little stab. It kindled a spark in the speaking eyes of the young person in green, and Griffith did not miss it. But to challenge it would have been folly. The clear brown eyes would have opened wide enough and deep enough to drown a man in their innocence. "We'd best leave them in peace to mend their broken mangers and broken heads," said Griffith, "and look elsewhere for our fugitive."
    "The wretch compounds his offences," said Robert, furious. "But I cannot allow his villainy to disrupt my mission. I must set out for home tomorrow, and leave his capture to you."
    "You may trust me to