Paul Doherty - Corpse Candle

‘I am busy!’ he called out.

‘And so am I, Father Prior!’

Prior Cuthbert moaned in despair: that sharp-eyed clerk with his spate of questions!

‘I am busy.’ Even Prior Cuthbert realised how his voice was faltering.

‘Father, I need to speak to you urgently.’

Prior Cuthbert kicked the whip under a bench and, going across, unbarred and unlocked the door. Corbett and Ranulf stood on the threshold like avenging angels. One look at Sir Hugh’s face and Cuthbert knew that he would finally have to tell the truth.

‘I think it’s best if we came in.’

Prior Cuthbert stood aside. He closed the door behind them.

‘Satan’s Teeth!’ Ranulf clapped his hands together. ‘This chamber’s cold.’

Corbett had already walked across and stood staring down at where Prior Cuthbert had been kneeling.

‘Blood on the flagstones,’ he murmured.

Corbett crouched down, his gauntleted hands skimming the floor. He caught sight of the whip under the bench, pulled it out and held it up.

‘I am not a monk, Prior Cuthbert,’ he said quietly, ‘but I am a King’s clerk searching for the truth.’

The Prior sat down in a chair, head bowed, hands clasped as if in prayer.

‘Why should the Prior of St Martin’s whip himself so hard,’ Corbett demanded, ‘that the blood seeps through his robe?’

He stared round at the well-furnished chamber with its carved chairs and coffers, desk, benches, and shelves bearing books.

‘And why should he kneel almost naked,’ he pointed to the unstrapped sandal, ‘and punish himself in a freezing chamber?’

Prior Cuthbert closed his eyes and muttered.

‘ Miserere mei Domine et exaudi vocem meam .’

‘Christ will have mercy on you and hear your voice,’ Corbett translated. ‘If you tell the truth.’ He got to his feet. ‘You were the Abbot’s loyal prior, weren’t you? You had dreams of building a great guesthouse and having Sigbert’s remains as a precious relic. What started off as a dream became a burning ambition. Under Abbot Stephen’s rule, St Martin’s had grown in fame and royal patronage. Yet Abbot Stephen was insistent: Bloody Meadow was not to be touched. So you and the rest of the Concilium plotted, turning a blind eye to each other’s activities. Did Aelfric take you into his confidence? Did he tell you the truth about Taverner and Archdeacon Wallasby?’

Prior Cuthbert sat, head bowed.

‘Perhaps he hinted at it? You turned a blind eye, didn’t you? As you did to Brother Dunstan’s infatuation with the tavern wench, Blanche. You are sharp-eyed, Cuthbert, and as Prior you are responsible for the discipline of this abbey, but of course you needed your treasurer’s allegiance. Like the priest in the parable of the Good Samaritan, you passed by on the other side and turned a blind eye.’

Corbett came and crouched before him. The Prior’s eyes were tightly shut.

‘Look at me!’ Corbett urged.

Ranulf stood fascinated. When they had first met Cuthbert, he had been very much the haughty prelate, the ruler of this abbey. Now he sat a broken man, on the verge of tears.

‘You saw something else, didn’t you?’ Corbett declared. ‘You weren’t really concerned with the plottings of Aelfric. You were hunting bigger quarry. You saw what you thought was a secret and hideous sin. You reproached your Father Abbot with it, hinting that if you had your way and were allowed to build a guesthouse, that sin would remain a secret between you. So, Father Prior, what did you see?’

Prior Cuthbert sat, shoulders shaking. When he opened his eyes tears coursed down his cheeks.

‘It was Gildas,’ he sobbed. ‘It was really his fault. The man couldn’t sleep and often returned to his workshop. I’d go down there at night and we’d sit and discuss the new guesthouse. One night, late in autumn, as I was coming back, I found the Judas gate off the latch so I went out into the open meadow. The sky was cloud free, the stars seemed to hang low, the meadow was moon-washed; an eerie place. By the burial mound, not hiding behind it but almost, stood two figures. At first I was going to call out but then one moved — his cowl and hood were pushed back and I recognised Father Abbot. The other was also dressed as a monk. I glimpsed cowl and robe but it was impossible to distinguish his features or see who it was. I hid in the shadows of the gate. I saw Father Abbot embrace the other person.’

‘How?’ Corbett asked.

Prior Cuthbert demonstrated with his hands.

‘He put one hand up behind the person’s head, and the other round his waist. They embraced and kissed.’

‘Full on the lips?’ Corbett asked.

‘I am not sure.’

‘Was the other person male or female?’

‘I cannot say.’

‘So, it could have been a woman disguised in the robe of a monk? Come, Father Prior,’ Corbett urged. ‘Up and down the the kingdom, scenes such as this take place in monasteries and abbeys. It is not unknown for a monk to bring his leman into the monastery disguised as one of the brothers. For all you can tell, that is what happened here.’

The Prior refused to hold his gaze.

‘Brother Dunstan had his paramour Blanche from the Lantern-in-the-Woods,’ Ranulf jibed. ‘Could it have been her?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Why didn’t you wait and see?’ Corbett asked.

‘I intended to but Father Abbot and this mysterious figure disappeared behind the tumulus. I didn’t dare walk across the meadow, as they would have heard me coming and the other person would have fled. I didn’t want to be accused of spying. I decided to wait for them to emerge again but Gildas came looking for me. I didn’t want him to see what I had so I went back through the Judas gate. I closed the gate more abruptly than I should, and it must have startled Father Abbot. I didn’t mention it to anyone else.’ The Prior beat his fists against his side. ‘I couldn’t get that image out of my mind. I was growing more and more frustrated with Abbot Stephen, so one morning I visited him in his chamber, and once again raised the question of the guesthouse, and the possibility of the abbey acquiring Sigbert’s holy remains. Abbot Stephen lost his temper and banged his fist on the desk. I was roused to fury and I told him what I had seen.’ Prior Cuthbert paused. ‘God forgive me, Sir Hugh, I wish I hadn’t. I really do. I expected him to deny it. He just sat, stricken, staring at me as I accused him of a hideous sin. I said that unless he agreed to my demands, I would accuse him of such before the full Chapter.’

‘And Abbot Stephen didn’t deny it?’

‘No, he sat like a man pole-axed.’

‘Did you repeat the blackmail?’

Prior Cuthbert nodded. ‘I was overwhelmed by my anger. I forgot my vows and charity. All I could see was this stubborn old man refusing a reasonable request whilst hiding his own secret sin.’

‘And you shared this information with no one?’

‘No.’

‘What made you think the sin was unnatural?’

‘I assumed it since the figure was dressed as a monk. Father Abbot didn’t deny it.’

‘And on the second occasion?’ Corbett asked.

‘He was more composed, serene. He quoted from the scriptures, “Your sin will find you out”. He said he would consider my request.’

‘But the other person could have been a woman? It might have been Blanche. After all, in his youth Abbot Stephen was known as a virile, young knight.’

‘True, true.’

‘Could it have been Perditus?’

‘No, why do you say that?’

‘Well, he was the Abbot’s manservant. He shared the same quarters.’

‘No, I am sure it wasn’t he. I went back to talk to Gildas but I was in a hurry to get away, as I thought I might find out who it was by watching the door to the Abbot’s lodgings. When I went across, I saw the lights shining from Perditus’s chamber. I went up, making some excuse. He was in his chamber reading a psalter by candlelight. I asked where the Abbot was and he replied that he had gone for a walk so I went back and hid again in the shadows. I must have been there some time before Abbot Stephen returned alone.’ Prior Cuthbert put his face in his hands. ‘I don’t know who it was but someone was there whom Abbot Stephen embraced and kissed. It must have been unnatural.’