Brother Cadfael 16: The Heretic's Apprentice

opposed. He could hardly turn on the abbot in his own house, but I doubt he feels much love for me. I'd better keep my head low till he moves on."
    "You did quite right," said Margaret warmly, "to stand by your master. I hope it's done you no harm."
    "Oh, surely not! It's all past now. You'll be at the Mass tomorrow?"
    "Every man of us," said Jevan, "and the women, too. And Girard, if we can find him in time, but he's on the move, and may be near the border by now. He meant to come back for Saint Winifred's feast, but there's always the chance of delays among the border flocks."
    Elave had left the wooden box lying on the bench under the window. He rose to fetch it to the table. All eyes settled upon it with interest.
    "This I was ordered to deliver into Master Girard's hands. Master William sent it to him to be held in trust for Fortunata until her marriage. It's her dowry. When he was so ill he thought of her, and said she must have a dowry. And this is what he sent."
    Jevan was the first to reach out to touch and handle it, fascinated by the beauty of the carving.
    "This is rare work. Somewhere in the east he found this?" He took it up, surprised at the weight. "It makes a handsome treasury. What's within it?"
    "That I don't know. It was near his death when he gave it to me and told me what he wanted. Nothing more, and I never questioned him. I had enough to do, then and afterward."
    "So you did," said Margaret, "and you did it well, and we owe you thanks, for he was our kin, and a good man, and I'm glad he had so good a lad to see him safely all that way and back again home." She took up the box from the table, where Jevan had laid it down, and was fingering the gilded carving with evident admiration. "Well, if it was sent to Girard, I'll keep it aside until Girard comes home. This is the business of the man of the house."
    "Even the key," said Jevan, "is a piece of art. So our Fortunata lives up to her name, as Uncle William always said she would. And the lucky girl still out marketing, and doesn't yet know of her fortune!"
    Margaret opened the tall press in a corner of the room, and laid both box and key on an upper shelf within. "There it stays until my husband comes home, and he'll take good care of it until my girl shows a fancy to get wed, and maybe sets eyes on the lad she wants for husband."
    All eyes had followed William's gift to its hiding place. Aldwin said sourly: "There'll be a plenty will fancy her for wife, if they get wind she has goods to bring with her. She'll have need of your good counsel, mistress."
    Conan had said nothing at all. He had never been a talker. His eyes followed the box until the door of the press closed on it, but all he had to say throughout was said at the last, when Elave rose to take his leave. The shepherd rose with him.
    "I'll be off, then, and take the pony, and see if I can find where the master is. But whether or not, I'll be back by nightfall."
    They were all dispersing to their various occupations when Margaret drew Elave back by the sleeve, delaying him until the rest had gone.
    "You'll understand, I'm sure, how it is," she said confidingly. "I wouldn't say anything but just to you, Elave. You were always a good lad with the accounts, and worked hard, and to tell the honest truth, Aldwin is no match for you, though he does his best, and can manage well enough all that's required of him. But he's getting older, and has no home or folks of his own, and what would he do if we parted with him now? You're young, there's many a merchant would be glad to hire you, with your knowledge of the world. You won't take it amiss..."
    Elave had caught her drift long before this, and broke in hastily to reassure her. "No, no, never think of it! I never expected to have my old place back. I wouldn't for the world put Aldwin out on the roads. I'm glad he should be secure the rest of his life. Never trouble for me, I shall look about me and find work to do. And as for bearing any grudge that I'm not asked back, I never so much as thought of it. Nothing but good have I had from this house, and I shan't forget it. No, Aldwin can go on with his labours with all my goodwill."
    "That's like the lad I remember!" she said with hearty relief. "I knew you'd take it as it's meant. I hope you may get good service with some traveling merchant, one that trades overseas. That would suit you, after all you've seen and done. But you will come up with us tomorrow after Uncle William's burial, and take