Brother Cadfael 13: The Rose Rent

in your debt." And she led the way with the conscious grace of a chatelaine. In three days, thought Cadfael, watching apart, she has grown accustomed to thinking of herself as the lady of the house; the habit can't be shaken off in an instant.
    Judith moved to follow, but Miles laid a hand earnestly on her arm to detain her for a moment. "Judith," he said in her ear, with anxious solicitude, "have you made her any promises? The nun? You haven't let her persuade you to take the veil?"
    "Are you so set against the cloistered life for me?" she asked, studying his face indulgently.
    "Not if that's what you want, but - Why did you run to her, unless...? You haven't promised yourself to her?"
    "No," she said, "I've made no promises."
    "But you did go to her - well!" he said, and shrugged off his own solemnity. "It's for you to do whatever you truly want. Come, let's go in!" And he turned from her briskly to call one of the weavers to take charge of the miller and the mules, and see both well cared for, and to shoo the spinners back to their spindles, but with good humour. "Brother, come in with us and most welcome. Do they know, then, at the abbey? That Judith's home again?"
    "Yes," said Cadfael, "they know. I'm here to take back some gift Sister Magdalen has brought for our Lady Chapel. And I have an errand to the castle on Mistress Perle's behalf."
    Miles snapped his fingers, abruptly grave again. "By God, yes! The sheriff can call off this hunt now, the quest's over. But - Judith, I'd forgotten! There must be things here you don't yet know. Martin Bellecote is here, and his boy helping him. Don't go into the small chamber, they are coffining Bertred. He drowned in the Severn, two nights ago. I wish I had not to spoil this day with such ill news!"
    "I have already been told," said Judith levelly. "Brother Cadfael would not let me return here unprepared. An accident, I hear." There was that in the sparsity of the words and the bleakness of her voice that caused Cadfael to check and look at her closely. She shared his own trouble. She found it almost impossible to accept that anything that had happened in connection with her person and her affairs during these June days was merely accidental.
    "I am going now to find Hugh Beringar," said Cadfael, and withdrew from them on the threshold to turn back into the street.
    In Judith's own private chamber they sat down together in sombre conference, Hugh, Sister Magdalen, Judith and Cadfael, greetings over, in mildly constrained formality. Miles had hovered, unwilling to be parted from the cousin he had regained, but with a respectful eye upon Hugh, half expecting to be dismissed, but with a protective hand on Judith's shoulder, as if she might need defending. But it was Judith who sent him away. She did it with a sudden flush of family tenderness, looking up into his face with a faint, affectionate smile. "No, leave us, Miles, we shall have time later to talk as much as you wish, and you shall know whatever you need to ask, but now I would rather be without distractions. The lord sheriff's time is of value, and I owe him all my attention, after the great trouble I have caused him."
    Even then he hesitated, frowning, but then he closed his hand warmly on hers. "Don't vanish again!" he said, and went light-footed out of the room, closing the door firmly behind him.
    "The first and most urgent thing I have to tell you," said Judith then, looking Hugh in the face, "I didn't want him or my aunt to hear. They have been through enough anxiety for me, no need for them to know that I've been in danger of my life. My lord, there are footpads in the forest not a full mile from Godric's Ford, preying on travellers by night. I was attacked there. One man at least, I cannot answer for more, though commonly they hunt in pairs, I believe. He had a knife. I have only a scratch on my arm to show for it, but he meant to kill. The next wayfarer may not be so lucky. This I had to tell you first."
    Hugh was studying her with an impassive face but intent eyes. In the hall Miles crossed the room, whistling, towards the shop.
    "And this was on your way to Godric's Ford?" said Hugh.
    "Yes."
    "You were alone? By night in the forest? It was early morning when you vanished from Shrewsbury - on your way to the abbey." He turned to Sister Magdalen. "You know of this?"
    "I know of it from Judith," said Magdalen serenely. "Otherwise, no, there has been no sign of outlawry so close to us. If any of the forest men