Judith, daughter of Belaset, daughter of Rav Benedict of Leicester, son of Master Moses of Lyons; and Aaron, son of Benjamin, son of Joce Yechiel of London..." she read.
"You remember Aaron you liked him, I think?" said Belaset gently.
Judith nodded.
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"He seemed pleasant enough, Mother," she said. "I have no objections to this marriage, if it pleases you, but..." she sighed again.
"What is it, my daughter? Do you prefer another? Tell me now, and we won’t sign the ketuba."
Belaset’s concern made her voice tremble slightly.
"There’s no-one else," said Judith. "I have no wish to marry at all, yet it seems I must."
"It’s hard for a woman to be alone," said her mother. "Others will think you are unable to make a good marriage for some reason that there’s something wrong with you, or some secret in your family which cannot be told."
Judith stood up and came round the table to hug her mother.
"I know all that," she said. "Perhaps to marry someone for whom you feel nothing is an advantage. There are no illusions to be broken. Don’t worry, Mother, I will marry Aaron and try my best to be a good wife."
Belaset smiled with relief, and patted her daughter’s hand.
"You’re a good daughter, Judith," she said. "We’ll arrange for the ceremony to take place in a few months in April. Let’s talk about it again later."
She picked up the contract, rolled it, and wrapped it carefully in its linen cover, tying the strings to hold it tightly bound, then, rising from the table, she went over to one of the heavy chests standing against the wall, and laid the scroll carefully inside.
She smiled at her daughter and bustled out of the room, with an air of satisfaction.
Judith stood where she was, staring out of the window. Such a short space of time in which to accomplish all that she had promised to do for the King s cause. She must get a message to the Priory and arrange a meeting with Prior William Foville as soon as possible. She took a scrap of parchment from the corner of a piece which lay on the table, and marked it with the symbols ’J?’, to indicate her wish to meet that afternoon, then took it with her as she went out of the room, down the stairs and out into the yard at the back of he house. Pursing her lips, she made a twittering sound as she entered a little shed, built into the corner of two walls. Inside, a white dove cooed nervously as she approached it, but she soothed it, as she fastened the parchment to its left leg, tying it on with a piece of ribbon.
Holding the bird firmly, she walked out into the centre of the yard and threw it into the air. She watched, as it circled once, then flew out of sight, in the direction of the Priory.
She should receive a reply quickly, telling her that the meeting was arranged. She went back into the house and prepared to wait patiently. Wanting to distract herself, she wandered into the kitchen, where the servant was preparing the midday meal. She hovered over the fire, sniffing the contents of the cauldron. The old woman smiled at her, as she continued stirring.
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"It will be ready very soon," she said. She went to the table and tore two chunks of bread from the loaf that was there, then took two silver bowls from a cupboard and ladled a generous helping of the soup into each one. Placing the bowls on a tray, she added the bread, and two silver spoons, before lifting the it and leaving the kitchen, with Judith following eagerly behind her. They processed in this manner to another large room, where Belaset sat sewing beside a blazing fire. The servant put the tray on the table, curtsied to her mistress, and left.
Judith and Belaset sat together at the table. Belaset covered her head and spoke the grace before meals.
"Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth," she said.
"Amen," said Judith with her.
The two women began their meal in silence.
* * *
The dove had flown straight down the valley, into the grounds of the great Priory.
Brother Daniel, watching the dumb lad, Colin, kneading dough in the infirmary kitchen, saw it fly into the garden and across to the dovecote. Glancing round to see that he was not observed, he walked quickly out of