World Without End Page 0,276

- close to the chapter house and the east end of the cathedral, but separated from the market place by the graveyard, so you'll have privacy and quiet."

"I want a big dining hall downstairs for banquets," Godwyn went on. "About a hundred feet long. It must be a really prestigious, impressive room, for entertaining the nobility, perhaps even royalty."

"Very good."

"And a chapel at the east end of the ground floor."

"But you'll be just a few steps from the cathedral."

"Noble guests don't always want to expose themselves to the people. They must be able to worship in private if they wish."

"And upstairs?"

"The prior's own chamber, of course, with room for an altar and a writing desk. And three large chambers for guests."

"Splendid."

"How much will it cost?"

"More than a hundred pounds - perhaps two hundred. I'll make a drawing then give you a more accurate estimate."

"Don't let it go above a hundred and fifty pounds. That's all I can afford."

If Elfric wondered where Godwyn had suddenly acquired a hundred and fifty pounds, he did not ask. "I'd better start stockpiling the stone as soon as possible," he said. "Can you give me some money to begin with?"

"How much would you like - five pounds?"

"Ten would be better."

"I'll give you seven pounds ten shillings, in ducats," Godwyn said, and handed over the fifty gold coins he had taken from the nuns' reserves.

Three days later, as the monks and nuns were filing out of the cathedral after the dinnertime service of Nones, Sister Elizabeth spoke to Godwyn.

Nuns and monks were not supposed to talk to one another casually, so she had to contrive a pretext. As it happened, there was a dog in the nave, and it had barked during the service. Dogs were always getting into the church and making a minor nuisance of themselves, but they were generally ignored. However, on this occasion Elizabeth left the procession to shoo the dog out. She was obliged to cross the line of monks, and timed her move so that she walked in front of Godwyn. She smiled apologetically at him and said: "I beg your pardon, Father Prior." Then she lowered her voice and said: "Meet me in the library, as if by accident." She chased the dog out of the west door.

Intrigued, Godwyn made his way to the library and sat down to read the Rule of St Benedict. Shortly afterwards, Elizabeth appeared and took out the Gospel of St Matthew. The nuns had built their own library, after Godwyn took over as prior, in order to improve the separation between males and females; but when they removed all their books from the monks' library, the place had been denuded, and Godwyn had reversed his decision. The nuns' library building was now used as a schoolroom in cold weather.

Elizabeth sat with her back to Godwyn, so that anyone coming in would not get the impression that they were conspiring, but she was close enough for him to hear her clearly. "Something I felt I should tell you," she said. "Sister Caris doesn't like the nuns' money being kept in the new treasury."

"I knew that already," Godwyn said.

"She has persuaded Sister Beth to count the money, to make sure its all still there. I thought you might like to know that, just in case you have... borrowed from them."

Godwyn's heart missed a beat. An audit would find the reserves short by fifty ducats. And he was going to need the rest to build his palace. He had not been expecting this so soon. He cursed Caris. How had she guessed what he had done so secretly?

"When?" he said, and there was a catch in his voice.

"Today. I don't know at what hour - it could be any time. But Caris was most emphatic that you should have no advance warning."

He was going to have to put the ducats back, and fast. "Thank you very much," he said. "I appreciate your telling me this."

"It's because you showed favour to my family in Long Ham," she said; and she got up and went out.

Godwyn hurried after her. What luck that Elizabeth felt indebted to him! Philemon's instinct for intrigue was invaluable. As that thought crossed his mind, he saw Philemon in the cloisters. "Get those tools and meet me in the treasury!" he whispered. Then he left the priory.

He hurried across the green and into the main street. Elfric's wife, Alice, had inherited the house of Edmund Wooler, one