CHAPTER 31
Alison held her daughters’ hands as she waited to be admitted to the prior’s quarters, which had a separate entrance and was the only part of the abbey where females were permitted. She was anxious to be done with this and return to the castle.
The same monk who had brought her the message answered her knock and waved them into a small vestibule with a wooden bench on either side.
“Our prior has little fondness and less patience for children.” The monk looked at Beatrix and Margaret with a pinched expression that suggested he shared the prior’s view. “I’ll mind your daughters while ye go inside.”
Alison didn’t like leaving the girls, but her uncle and the prior would not want to discuss important matters in front of them.
“I won’t be long,” she told them, then turned to the monk. “We left before breakfast. I’m sure they’ll behave like little angels if ye bring them something to eat.”
“I’ll see that yourangelsare fed, Lady Alison.”
Beatrix stuck her tongue out behind the monk’s back, and Alison gave her a warning look.
“They’re waiting.” The monk put his finger to his lips before opening the door to the next room, then signaled for her to go in.
The two high-ranking churchmen ignored her entrance and continued speaking in low voices with their heads together. While she waited for them to acknowledge her, Alison examined them and the room. The two men sat in ornately carved chairs with matching silver cups at their elbows. The prior wore the plain robes of his order, which contrasted sharply with the richly furnished room. Her uncle, who had no need for an outward show of humility, wore a heavily jeweled cross and a fur-lined cloak over his purple cassock.
She had met the prior, who was her former husband’s uncle, many times, and she did not like him the better for it. She doubted that he was drawn to the Church by his devotion to God any more than her uncle was. For men from great families, the Church was another road to power.
Finally, her uncle turned toward her and held out his hand.
“Greetings, Your Grace.” She made a deep curtsy and kissed his ring, then turned to the prior and curtsied again.
“How do you fare, my dear?” her uncle asked.
“I’m well, thank you.”
“You poor child,” he said, shaking his head. “’Tis abhorrent to think of a niece of mine being forced to give herself to that foul Beast of Wedderburn.”
“Quite distressing,” the prior agreed. “Has the vile man mistreated youverybadly?”
The prior fixed his beady eyes on her and leaned forward, evidently hoping for a gruesome tale.
“My daughters and I have been well treated,” Alison said.
“No need to put a brave face on it,” her uncle said. “This has been dreadful for all of us.”
“If my being captured was disturbing,” she said, “why did no one come to help me when we were besieged?”
“Other matters took precedence at the time.” Her uncle stared down his long, pointed nose at her. The bishop was not accustomed to being challenged, particularly by a female. “However, this unfortunate situation can yet be remedied.”
Remedied?What could he mean?
“I suppose it is too much to hope,” the prior said, his eyes on her breasts, “that Wedderburn has not bedded you yet?”
She dropped her gaze to the floor as thoughts of what she and David had done in bed went through her head. This was not a subject she wished to discuss with a bishop and a prior.
“A minor issue,” her uncle said, waving his hand dismissively. “We can praise God that she was not a virgin.”
Alison’s cheeks grew hotter still.
“There will be no bloody sheets to contend with,” her uncle continued. “No proof.”
Understanding dawned on Alison as she looked from one churchman’s stern, unyielding face to the other.
“But there were many witnesses to the bedding ceremony,” she said, knowing now why David had insisted upon it.