Brother Cadfael 16: The Heretic's Apprentice

appoint."
    "That is truth," said Serlo gallantly, thus encouraged to follow where he might have hesitated to lead. "My bishop would certainly wish to exercise his writ in such a case."
    A judgment of Solomon, thought Cadfael, well content with his abbot. Roger de Clinton will be no better pleased to have another cleric usurping his authority in his diocese than Radulfus is to see any man, were it the archbishop himself, leave alone his envoy, twitching the reins away from him here. And young Elave will probably have good reason to be glad of it before all's done. Now, how did he come to let down his guard so rashly with witnesses by, after one fright already past?
    "I would not for the world trespass upon the ground of Bishop de Clinton," said Gerbert, hastily jealous for his own good repute, but not sounding at all pleased about it. "Certainly he must be informed if this matter proves to be of true substance. But it is we who are faced with the need to probe the facts, while memories are fresh, and put on record what we discover. No time should be lost. Father Abbot, in my view we should hold a hearing now, at once."
    "I am inclined to the same opinion," said the abbot dryly. "In the event of the charge turning out to be malicious or trivial, or untrue, or simply mistaken, it need then go no further, and the bishop will be spared a grief and an aggravation, no less than the waste of his time. I think we are competent to probe out the difference between harmless speculation and willful perversion."
    It seemed to Cadfael that that indicated pretty clearly the abbot's view of the whole unfortunate affair, and though Canon Gerbert had opened his mouth, most probably to proclaim that even speculation among the laity was itself harm enough, he thought better of it, and clenched his teeth again grimly on the undoubted reserve he felt about the abbot's attitude, character, and fitness for his office. Men of the cloth are as liable to instant antipathies as are ordinary folk, and these two were as far apart as east from west.
    "Very well," said Radulfus, running a long, commanding glance round the assembly, "let us proceed. This chapter is suspended. We will summon it again when time permits. Brother Richard and Brother Anselm, will you see all the juniors set to useful service, and then seek out those three people named? The young woman Fortunata, the shepherd Conan, and the accused man. Bring them here, and say nothing as to the cause until they come before us. The accuser, I take it," he said, turning upon Jerome, "is already here without."
    Jerome had lingered in the shadow of the prior's skirts all this time, sure of his righteousness but not quite sure of the abbot's recognition of it. This was the first encouragement he had received, or so he read it, and visibly brightened.
    "He is, Father. Shall I bring him in?"
    "No," said the abbot, "not until the accused is here to confront him. Let him say what he has to say face-to-face with the man he denounces."
    Elave and Fortunata entered the chapter house together, open of face, puzzled and curious at being summoned thus, but plainly innocent of all foreboding. Whatever had been said unwisely at last night's gathering, whatever she was expected to confirm against the speaker, it was perfectly clear to Cadfael that the girl had no reservations about her companion; indeed the very fact that they came in together, and had obviously been found together when the summons was delivered, spoke for itself. The expectancy in their faces was wondering but unthreatened, and Aldwin's accusation, when it was uttered, would come as a shattering blow not to the young man only, but to the girl as well. Gerbert would certainly have one reluctant witness, if not a hostile one, Cadfael reflected, conscious of his own heart's alerted and partisan sympathy. Conscious, too, that Abbot Radulfus had noted, as he had, the significance of their trusting entrance, and the wondering look they exchanged, smiling, before they made their reverence to the array of prelates and monastics before them, and waited to be enlightened.
    "You sent for us, Father Abbot," said Elave, since no one else broke the silence. "We are here."
    The "we" says it all, thought Cadfael. If she had any doubts of him last night, she has forgotten them this morning, or thought them over and rejected them. And that is valid evidence, too, whatever she may be forced to say later.
    "I sent for you, Elave," said the abbot with