Prince of Darkness

lie, Sister. The Lady Amelia would never allow you to go wandering off by yourself. I am sure you have no business at the village.'
    The nun's face blushed a deeper crimson. Ranulf appreciatively watched the woman's plump breasts rise and fall beneath her grey, woollen gown.
    'You are following us,' Corbett declared. 'I glimpsed you out of the corner of my eye when I was talking to the porter.'
    'I…' The nun looked away. 'Yes, I was following you,' she confessed. 'I saw you talking to the porter, then suddenly leave. I was curious.'
    'Why?' Corbett asked.
    Dame Catherine's face hardened. 'You have come into our priory to insinuate that evil deeds have been committed,' she snapped.
    'That's because they have, Sister.' Corbett turned and angrily waved at the porter to stay where he was. 'I do not believe that Lady Eleanor fell downstairs. I am suspicious about old Martha drowning in her bath, and you may tell the Lady Amelia that I am now curious about the two corpses found in the forest nearby.' 'Oh!'
    Corbett stepped closer.
    'You heard about that?' Ranulf interrupted.
    'Yes, we all did. I believe the Lady Amelia has told you everything we know.'
    Corbett ran his fingers through his hair. 'What actually did the Lady Amelia tell us, Sister?' The clerk stared up at the clear blue sky. 'Come on,' he urged gendy. 'You left the priory this morning on her orders, so tell me what you and Sister Amelia know about the corpses in the forest. It will save further questioning.'
    The nun shrugged. 'About eighteen months ago,' she answered, 'the two corpses were found. They were put in canvas sacks and taken to the church in Godstowe for burial. The Sheriff and coroner came to the village and held the Inquisicio Post Mortem but they found nothing except that two travellers fitting the dead persons' descriptions had passed through the village earlier in the day.' Dame Catherine made a face. 'As I said, they were found naked, murdered, and no one came to claim their bodies.'
    'Where were they travelling to?'
    'We don't know.'
    'Were two such visitors expected at Godstowe?'
    'No. We have many visitors but most of them have the Prioress' permission to come and visit relatives. No such guests were expected. I…' Dame Catherine stopped and straightened her wimple. I am responsible for the preparations for such visitors. The Sheriff asked me the same question and I gave him the same answer as I have you.'
    'What then?'
    Dame Catherine licked her dry lips. 'The Sheriff concluded as we did, that the two unfortunates were travellers on the road and were ambushed by outlaws.' She stared into the green darkness of the forest.' We have such wolfshead round here.' She smiled falsely at Corbett. 'You are going to the place where their bodies were found?'
    'Yes, the porter agreed to take us there,' Corbett lied.
    'I'd better…' Dame Catherine stammered. 'I'd better return.'
    'Dame Catherine?'
    'Yes, Master Clerk?'
    'Did you like the Lady Eleanor?'
    'She was a royal whore!' The nun spat the words out 'Make of it what you want Clerk, she should not have been sent to Godstowe!'
    'Yet the Lady Prioress agreed?'
    'The Lady Prioress is a law unto herself,' Dame Catherine spitefully added. 'She has her own rules. She owes her position to her father's services to the Prince many years ago.'
    'You dislike the Lady Prioress?' Ranulf asked curiously.
    'The Lady Amelia can be strict,' Dame Catherine answered carefully. 'She banished pets and festivities from the priory. She is most strict on where we go and limits the number of our visitors. She has forbidden hunting or hawking, and then -'
    'And then,' Corbett interrupted smoothly, 'she allowed the royal whore to come and stay in your midst?'
    'Yes.'
    'But did you like her?' Ranulf persisted. 'I mean, the Lady Eleanor?'
    Dame Catherine pursed her lips. 'We left her alone. She was haughty, distant The only people she spoke to were the Lady Prioress and Dame Agatha.
    Corbett nodded and clapped Ranulf on the shoulders. 'In which case, Sister, there is no further need for you to accompany us. You may tell Lady Amelia where we are going for our walk and that we will return shortly.'
    They stood and watched the nun spin on her heel and waddle off with as much dignity as she could muster.
    'Strange,' Corbett mused. 'I really do wonder where the Lady Prioress thought we were going.'
    They continued their walk, rousing the surly porter from where he crouched at the edge of the track, chewing a piece of fresh