‘There’s no problem,’ interjected Brother Cyril. ‘I’ll just have to go down to the kitchen to get some.’
He came back, followed by the miniscule figure of Alfred Hobbes, the Vicar of the parish church, still dressed in his grimy cassock, and Father Hubert. Hobbes too, looked at the wine with distaste, and said he drank nothing but ale. Father Hubert said he preferred water. Nicholas drained his glass and, reaching for another, tried to smile reassuringly at the Prior. ‘Come, a toast,’ he said, after they’d taken their places at the table. ‘To the King, gentlemen.’
‘The King,’ they said solemnly as they raised their glasses.
Nicholas did his best. He sat between Hobbes and Wagstaff and talked pleasantries. He ate a great deal of the Prior’s giant pie made with the best beef and fresh ox kidneys. He drank quantities of Bordeaux wine and congratulated the Prior on the high standard of his cuisine. But he fought an uphill battle. Wagstaff and Laycock ate abstemiously, Father Hubert merely pecked at his food, but the meal was saved by Brother Benedict, who was in high spirits and prattled on regardless of the disapproving looks thrown in his direction.
When he’d finished, Nicholas pushed aside his plate. ‘Well, gentlemen, what’s the programme for tomorrow?’
Wagstaff, the more talkative of the two, looked up from his plate. ‘Just a general inspection, my Lord. We’ll attend a chapter meeting if that’s all right with you, Prior, and then move on to the accounts.’
The Prior winced. ‘You’re welcome to see anything you like. But as to the accounts, you’ll have to talk to Father Hubert about them. I never look at them myself. I never was any good at book-keeping.’
‘It appears, Prior, that you keep a fairly liberal regime here.’
‘Liberal? What the devil do you mean by that? I’m easy-going, yes. I like happy faces around me, people with strong digestions, wine drinkers, musicians. I can’t abide kill-joys, parsimonious types with long faces. Father Hubert’s one of the best treasurers we’ve had and I leave things to him.’
‘And I suppose you have a general audit once a year?’ said Wagstaff pleasantly.
‘General audit? Never heard of such a thing. No I consult Father Hubert when we need anything, and he generally accommodates our needs.’
Laycock pursed his lips disapprovingly and pushed aside the last piece of meat on his plate. ‘It’s not good enough, Prior. All institutions need a yearly audit.’
‘How dare you call us an institution,’ shouted the Prior, his face flushing alarmingly.
‘What else can we call you?’ said Laycock.
‘We’re a community. A community, I’ll have you know, dedicated to the worship of God. I hope you’ve heard of Him!’
Nicholas felt it was time to intervene. ‘What’s next on your list, gentlemen, after the accounts?’ he said evenly.
‘The Treasury. We’ll need to see all the plate. The King, we understand is coming next week, and he’ll want to see an inventory.’
‘You must give me time to clean it,’ said Father Hubert who’d been darting hostile looks at the two Commissioners throughout the meal.
‘Oh don’t waste your time on cleaning it. We only want to estimate its value.’
‘Its value! Do you realise that most of our plate is priceless? Some of it goes back centuries.’
‘All the more reason for an inventory,’ said Wagstaff. ‘We’re experienced in up-to-date prices.’
‘I must object, Prior,’ said Father Hubert, who was close to tears. ‘These are sacred objects he’s talking about. Master Wagstaff refers to them as if they were bits of junk bought at a Michaelmas Fair.’
‘Calm yourself, Father Hubert, our guests only want to take a look,’ said the Prior, who’d managed to get himself under control.
‘I still regard it as sacrilege.’
‘It seems to me that you regard everything as sacrilege,’ put in Hobbes, who’d been sitting there quietly eating his supper and listening to everything. ‘You won’t lend me a cope for High Mass at Easter, and when the Bishop came you wouldn’t let me borrow a thurible. You said it would be contaminated if I used it on the parish.’
‘Quite right, too. We have our things; the parish has theirs, Vicar. It’s always been like that,’ said Father Hubert crossly.
‘And you don’t think it’s sacrilege to harbour an old witch on your premises?’ said Hobbes.
‘What’s this?’ said Wagstaff, suddenly alert. ‘What old witch is this?’
‘She’s just a harmless old crone who’s being persecuted by the village people – you know how superstitious they are – and the Prior is very generously giving her sanctuary,’ said Nicholas.
‘That’s not what I heard,’ said Hobbes vehemently. ‘Some of the Brothers don’t like it. Not one bit, so they tell me.’
‘Who tells you?’ said Nicholas.
‘Why, all of ’em. Brother Martin doesn’t approve, neither does Brother Michael, nor Father Hubert here. He was moaning on about her to me the other day.’
The Prior could bear it no longer. He carefully replaced his glass on the table mat put there by the fastidious Cyril, and swung round to face Hobbes.
‘I’d be grateful if you’d leave the matter of Agnes Myles to my judgement, Vicar. She’s on monastic premises and until I have good evidence that she’s dabbling in the black arts she can stay here until the uproar dies down. If I were in your shoes, Vicar, I’d concentrate on preaching to the parishioners on Sundays. They seem to be letting their imaginations run away with them.’
‘Still, witchcraft is a serious accusation, Prior,’ said Wagstaff.
‘Indeed it is. And if I have proof that she is indeed consorting with Satan I shall have her removed instantly to the Bishop’s gaol. Now, Brother Cyril, have we any dessert? Or are you proposing to serve up yesterday’s leftovers?’
Fresh strawberries, forced under cover in the Priory gardens, were brought in with a jug of thick cream, followed by fresh goat’s cheese. The Commissioners were visibly mellowing.
‘I’ve got a favour to ask of you,’ said Hobbes suddenly. ‘Mistress Jane says she’ll come and sing to the congregation on Sunday. Will you lend me Brother Benedict to sing with her? I hear they go well together.’
‘By all means, Vicar,’ said the Prior amiably. ‘As long as you don’t think it’ll be sacrilege.’
‘Music can never be sacrilegious,’ said Nicholas firmly.
‘Music can incite unseemly passions,’ said Father Hubert primly.
‘Nonsense,’ roared the Prior, ‘what do you know about unseemly passions, Father Hubert? Of course you can borrow Brother Benedict,’ he said, turning towards the Vicar. ‘That’s what he’s here for; to entertain us.’
‘Does your Rule permit this, Prior?’ said Laycock. ‘I thought St Benedict confined his monks to singing in choir, not going out to entertain the rough peasantry. And I’m sure he wouldn’t approve of one of his monks singing with a woman! You should keep to the Rule, Prior.’
‘And you, gentlemen,’ said the Prior, getting to his feet, ‘should mind your own business. Allow me to decide what the blessed St Benedict would approve of, or not approve of. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I shall retire until I’m called to Matins. You, gentlemen can do as you please. Goodnight, Lord Nicholas.’
He bowed to Nicholas and stalked out. Nicholas looked helplessly at Brother Benedict, who shrugged his shoulders dismissively. ‘You must forgive my Lord Prior,’ he said to the company at large, ‘he has much on his mind.’
And if he behaves like this, thought Nicholas, he’ll have even more on his mind.
* * *
The Commissioners had only been here a few hours, he thought as he rode home, but already they’d collected enough evidence to damn the Prior out of hand; reluctance to show them the church plate; harbouring a suspect witch; enjoying rich and abundant food and fine wines; allowing one of his monks to sing in the parish church in front of a secular congregation – and with a woman; and flying off the handle at the first hint of criticism. The best advice he could give to the monks now was to start packing immediately! And after his recent conversation with Jane, he felt certain he could put out of his head any idea that the Prior was Ultor. The Prior was a man of impulse and emotion; Ultor was devious and calculating. The two were incompatible. Unless the Prior was a very good actor indeed.