Valley of Dry Bones

Начало книги

The late afternoon heat settled heavily on Prioress Eleanor. Sweat wiggled down her spine, making her itch as if some impudent crawling thing were caught beneath her habit. Now her arm grew numb from holding her staff of office.

Surely it should not take this long for the party from Edward’s queen to enter the priory gates. Their messenger had arrived just after the last Office. Was it not almost time for the bells to announce the next?

Beside her, Prior Andrew eased his weight to his other foot.

Her glance caught his brief grimace. “Does your leg trouble you?”

“It is nothing more than a man’s impatience to be busy, my lady. I am not accustomed to standing still this long.”

She nodded in response, knowing he had lied but letting him keep his pride. Her prior was a good man. His attempt at deception was innocent enough.

“Queen Eleanor honors Tyndal Priory by suggesting she might stop here on her pilgrimage route.” The prior clasped his hands in a prayerful gesture. The whiteness of his knuckles betrayed the pain he was suffering.

Читать дальше →