the bird into the small garden and threw it into the air, watching it as it circled once, then flew in the direction of its home.
Back in the warmth of the kitchen, Brother Daniel waited until Colin had placed the dough on a tray, slid it into the clay oven, and closed the door.
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Belaset’s Daughter
The boy stood before him, waiting to be told what to do next.
"Take our guests their food, Colin," said Brother Daniel.
Obediently, Colin took some wooden bowls and ladled a thick soup into them, then took a number of flat loaves from the morning’s baking. Loading it all on to a large wooden tray, he took his burden into the infirmary itself, where he gave a bowl and a loaf to each of the old monks, as they sat or lay on their beds.
Coming back into the kitchen, he served himself the same meal, and sat at the table to eat it, dipping chunks of the loaf into the soup, and pushing them greedily into his mouth.
He grinned happily at Brother Daniel, clearly showing his appreciation of the food, and nodded with satisfaction, before lowering his head again and concentrating on it.
Brother Daniel went to join the rest of the brothers, slipping into the great church via the chapter-house, and taking his place quietly in the semi-darkness inside. What a blessing a dark, January day could be, he thought, with a grim smile. How many secret meetings and movements it could hide! Prior Foville, he noted, was there in his place by the altar, taking part in the singing of the Psalms as though there was nothing else on his mind but this act of worship. Prior Foville, thought Daniel privately, is a clever and therefore a dangerous man.
The dove sent from the Priory was watched for eagerly in the room where Judith waited after her meal. At last, she could bear the wait no longer, and hurried out to check the shed. It was there, and carried a message agreeing to a meeting, she saw with relief.
Hurrying back into the house, she took her cloak and wrapped herself in it. Carefully and quietly, she left the house and made her way down the hill and across the stream to where the Priory loomed up in the short twilight of the winter’s day.
She stood, well-muffled against the cold and discovery, in the shadow of one of the towers which were being built at the west end of the priory church. It was not yet half-built, but its size was already sufficient to provide some shelter from the wind, and the curious gaze of any passer-by not that many were out today. Her tall figure, and the dim light of the winter afternoon, coupled with her deliberately-chosen clothing, gave her the appearance of a youth, loitering for some reason of his own outside the church.
She heard the small door in the side of the tower nearest to her creak softly as it opened.
A hooded figure looked out, and a voice whispered softly, "Judith?"
"Yes here!" she answered, equally softly, and moved forward, so that Daniel could see her.
He beckoned, and stepped back into the tower. Judith followed him as quickly as she was able, picking her way through the rubble left by the builders, who had stopped working on the construction of the tower before Christmas and not yet started again.
Ahead of her, Brother Daniel opened another door and led her into the church. He genuflected hurriedly in the direction of the high altar, invisible at the other end of the building, then turned right sharply, between two of the great pillars which marched BOSON BOOKS
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Belaset’s Daughter
massively and silently down each side of the building. Had she not been so close behind him, she would have lost sight of him completely. Now they were within the confines of the Priory, behind the high wall which protected it from the outside world.
They walked along the west side of the cloisters, and then rounded the corner, to the short flight of stone steps which led to the Prior’s lodging. One furtive look round, to make sure that there was nobody to see them, and Daniel led her quickly up the steps, where he knocked for the second time that day at the door. Again, William Foville opened it himself, as he had that morning. Judith stepped inside, and the door closed. Outside, Brother Daniel looked at the closed door, shook his head, and made his way back to the infirmary.
"Well,"