Prince of Darkness

look so fierce now. Of medium height, he gave an impression of strength, as if drawn from oak and the dark rich soil. A man of the Commons, blunt and honest in speech and action His face was ascetic, though Corbett noted the humour lines which offset the fanaticism in the brooding eyes.
    'You knew the Lady Eleanor?' Corbett asked.
    'Aye, a fine lady even though she was a whore.'
    The priest gazed about, his eyes narrowing when he saw Dame Frances standing with Ranulf at the top of the path.
    'A place of evil,' he muttered out of the corner of his mouth, 'make no mistake of that, Clerk. Satan walks and devours souls whose bodies will bum in his belly for all eternity.'
    'And the Lady Eleanor?'
    'A poor blighted toy of princes. Now she is dead, Christ have mercy on her soul!'
    'How do you think she died?'
    'By her own hand, of course!'
    The friar wiped his own and continued speaking.
    'The dark forces present here may have unsettled her mind.' He gestured towards the far convent wall and a polished plinth of stone which rose five feet from the ground.' Look at that, Clerk – the sign of Priapus. They say in ancient times it was a shrine, an altar to some ancient, bloody-mouthed god.'
    Corbett followed his gaze. The stone was polished smooth and glinted in the sunlight. He smiled to himself. There was no mistaking its shape and he wondered how the nuns could allow such a pagan object within their grounds. He looked back at the friar.
    'You still haven't told me, Father, what you were doing in the death house?'
    'Praying, man. I was praying for Christ to have mercy on the souls of those two unfortunate women. As I will pray for you.' He looked darkly at the clerk. 'Believe me, before you have finished here, you may have need of my prayers!'

Chapter 4
    Corbett rejoined Ranulf and Dame Agatha.
    'So you met Father Reynard?' she said. 'A good man though rather extreme. I suppose he ranted about our plinth?'
    Corbett nodded.
    'The sisters regard it as nothing more than a piece of harmless magic but, like all men, Father Reynard thinks women are feckless creatures, easily swayed by a piece of rock.'
    'Where's Dame Frances gone?' Corbett asked more abruptly than he intended.
    The young nun smiled mischievously.
    'She said she had better things to do than dance from one foot to another waiting for clerks.' She became more serious. 'The Sub-prioress means no harm. She has invited you to stay and has gone to prepare a guest chamber. You will stay, won't you?'
    Corbett looked at Ranulf.
    'Talking of dancing from one foot to another, Ranulf, if you go back round the convent building, over near the stables, you will find the necessary house.'
    His servant flushed with embarrassment.
    'I thought you had never been to Godstowe before, Master?'
    I hadn't but, as we entered, I noticed a groom hurrying in that direction and, a short while later, emerge with a look of relief on his face. So go! After that, see to our baggage.'
    He waited until Ranulf was out of earshot
    'Dame Agatha,' he said, 'I do not wish to stand on my authority but I would like to question the other nun, Dame Elizabeth.' He pointed back to the death house. I have just seen the corpse of her friend.'
    'Of course.' Dame Agatha smiled. I am sure the Lady Prioress would agree.'
    She led him back round past the Prioress' lodgings to the front of the main convent budding, up the broad steps and into the hall – a large, forbidding place dominated by the great wooden staircase with dark-shadowed recesses on either side.
    'The Lady Eleanor died here,' Dame Agatha murmured, pointing to a spot at the foot of the stairs.
    'How was she found?' Corbett asked. 'I mean, the position of her body?'
    I don't really know. The Lady Prioress discovered her and sent Dame Catherine to get me from the refectory. When I arrived Lady Eleanor's corpse had been arranged more decently.'
    'What did you think when you first saw it?'
    I thought she had fainted.'
    Corbett noticed the young nun look away, raising her white, lace-edged cuff to her eyes. The clerk placed his hand gently on her shoulder.
    I am sorry,' he murmured. 'If I could only help…'
    Dame Agatha turned, her eyes like two dark butterflies swooping up to meet his. She murmured her thanks and, raising the hem of her gown, led Corbett upstairs, allowing him full view of her seductive, swaying hips and elegant, trim ankles. She turned left at the top of the stairs, entering a long sombre gallery, and stopped at a huge metal-studded