Brother Cadfael 16: The Heretic's Apprentice

"until I was fairly dismissed as free and fit to go, and I never meant to do otherwise than as I said. You told me, my lord, that I was free to come and go on my own business meantime, and so I did, and never thought wrong. I went after the lady because she was in distress for me, and that I could not abide. You saw it yourself, Father Abbot. I overtook her before the bridge. I wanted to tell her not to fret, for she did me no wrong. What she said of me I had indeed said, and I would not for the world have had her grieve at speaking truth, whatever might fall on me. And also," said Elave, taking heart in remembering, "I wanted to show her my thankfulness, that she felt gently towards me. For it showed plain, you also saw it, and I was glad of it."
    "And when you parted from her?" said Hugh.
    "I would have come back straightaway, but I saw them come boiling out of the gate here and quartering the Foregate, and it was plain they were hot on my heels already. So I drew off into the trees to wait my chance. I had no mind to be dragged back by force," said Elave indignantly, "when I had nothing in mind but to walk in of my own will, and sit and wait for my judgment. But they left the big fellow standing guard, and I never got my chance to get past him. I thought if I waited for Vespers I might take cover and slip in among the folk coming to church."
    "But you did not spend all that time close here in hiding," said Hugh, "for I hear they drew every covert for half a mile from the road. Where did you go?"
    "Made my way back through the trees, round behind the Gaye, and a fair way down the river, and lay up in cover there till I thought it must be almost time for Vespers."
    "And you saw nobody in all that time? Nobody saw or spoke to you?"
    "It was my whole intent that nobody should see me." said Elave reasonably. "I was hiding from a hue and cry. No, there's no one can speak for me all that time. But why should I come back as I did, if I meant to run? I could have been halfway to the border in that time. Acquit me at least of going back on my word."
    "That you certainly have not done," said Abbot Radulfus. "And you may believe that I knew nothing of this pursuit of you, and would not have countenanced it. No doubt it was done out of pure zeal, but it was misdirected and blameworthy, and I am sorry you should have fallen victim to violence. No one now supposes that you had any intent of running away. I accepted your word, I would do so again."
    Elave peered from beneath Brother Cadfael's bandages with brows drawn together in puzzlement, looking from face to face without understanding. "Then why these questions? Does it matter where I went, since I came back again? How is it to the purpose?" He looked longest and most intently at Hugh, whose authority was secular, and should have had nothing to do or say in a charge of heresy. "What is it? Something has happened. What can there be new since yesterday? What is it that I do not know?"
    They were all studying him hard and silently, wondering indeed whether he did or did not know, and whether a relatively simple young man could dissemble so well, and one whose word the abbot had taken without question only one day past. Whatever conclusion they came to could not then be declared. Hugh said with careful mildness: "First, perhaps you should know what Fortunata and her family have told us. You parted from her between here and the bridge, that she confirms, and she then went home. There she encountered and reproached your accuser Aldwin for bringing such a charge against you, and it came out that he had been afraid of losing his place to you, a matter of great gravity to him, as you'll allow."
    "But it was no such matter," said Elave, astonished. "That was settled the first time I set foot in the house. I never wanted to elbow him out, and Dame Margaret told me fairly enough they would not oust him. He had nothing to fear from me."
    "But he thought he had. No one had put it in plain terms to him until then. And when he heard it, as they all four agree - the shepherd, too - he declared his intent of running after you to confess and ask pardon, and if he failed to overtake you - the girl having told him where she had left you - of following you here to the abbey to do his best to undo what he had done against you."
    Elave shook his head blankly. "I never saw him. I was among the trees ten minutes or more, watching the road, before I gave up and went off towards the river. I should have