The Beautiful Thread

 

 

“Penelope Wilcock has created a wonderful cast of characters to fill the marvellously accurate fourteenth-century monastery in her medieval series. For the lover of medieval mysteries this is a series not to be missed.”

Mel Starr, author of
The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton

 

 

Other titles in the
Hawk and the Dove
series:

 

The Hawk and the Dove
The Wounds of God
The Long Fall
The Hardest Thing to Do
The Hour Before Dawn
Remember Me
The Breath of Peace
The Beautiful Thread
A Day and a Life
(coming June 2016)

 

 

 

 

Text copyright © 2016 Penelope Wilcock
This edition copyright © 2016 Lion Hudson

The right of Penelope Wilcock to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

All the characters in this book are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Published by Monarch Books
an imprint of
Lion Hudson plc
Wilkinson House, Jordan Hill Road,
Oxford OX2 8DR, England
www.lionhudson.com/fiction

ISBN 978 1 78264 145 2
e-ISBN 978 1 78264 146 9

First edition 2015

Acknowledgments
Scripture quotations marked KJV taken from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown's patentee, Cambridge University Press.

Cover image © Brian Gallagher

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

 

 

 

This one is

For Rosie, who has a glint of mischief in her eye, even when she is
being kind and forbearing.

For Grace, whose undeterred patience, tolerance and compassion is
a wonder to us all.

For Hebe, whose soul walks in bare feet, the Earth's friend, wisdom
and quietness her native territory.

For Alice, honest, loyal, true; who has the absolute humility of the
real artist.

For Fi, who tells me that “No” is not a bad thing to say, and who
feels her way to the heart of things.

For Tony, who always looks for the best, and covers my shortcomings
with gentleness, goes on believing in me when my hope runs out.

And for Harvey Richardson, who was kind to me.

 

 

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Jesus of Nazareth: John 13:35, KJV

 

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.
The Dalai Lama

 

Attachment to being right creates suffering. When you have a choice to be right, or to be kind, choose kind and watch your suffering disappear.
Dr Wayne Dyer

 

There are three ways to ultimate success:

The first way is to be kind.

The second way is to be kind.

The third way is to be kind.

Fred Rogers

 

Life goes by fast. Enjoy it. Calm down. It's all funny.
Joan Rivers

 

In your hearts enthrone him; there let him subdue
all that is not holy, all that is not true.
Look to him, your Saviour, in temptation's hour;
let his will enfold you in its light and power.
Caroline M. Noel

 

And be ye kind one to another…

Ephesians 4:32, KJV

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

 

The Community of St Alcuin's Abbey

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Glossary and Explanatory Notes

Monastic Day

Liturgical Calendar

The Community of St Alcuin's Abbey

(Not all members are mentioned in
The Beautiful Thread
)

 

Fully professed monks

Fully professed monks now confined to the infirmary through frailty of old age

Novices

Members of the community mentioned in earlier stories and now deceased

Abbot Gregory of the Resurrection

Abbot Columba du Fayel (also known as Father Peregrine)

Chapter
One

W
illiam stared uncomprehending at the ceiling. Bewildered, he half raised himself on his elbows and turned his head towards the window where the early sun flooded through in such glory this May morning that it had awoken him. He sat up completely, in consternation now, his heart racing. This was not his cell. Moments ago he had been immersed in an exceedingly pleasant dream enjoying an interlude of sublimely conjugal sweetness with Madeleine, and now… This was not his cottage, either. For one fleeting instant he wondered if he was going mad, if he had dreamed his entire marriage; then he remembered where he was. Relief flooded over him. St Alcuin's guesthouse. He had come to help Cormac with the complications that had arisen from the bishop's visit coinciding with this infernal wedding.

Allowing himself to sink back, trembling, onto his uncompromising monastic pillow, he wondered bitterly why he seemed to have been doomed to spend his entire life in a perpetual panic.

He let no more than a few moments pass. Self-pity feeds on itself and is futile. He kicked the blanket off and swung his legs over the edge of the low bedframe.

Unsure of the time, he padded downstairs to the garderobe and lavatorium. Nobody about. They must be in chapel, then. Often the guestmaster would stay at his post, but William guessed Brother Dominic must be taking advantage of the days remaining before visitors began to trickle in for the wedding. And the bishop. Best not forget him. But for the moment, Dominic probably judged William knew his way round well enough, and had gone to chapel. Putting his head round the refectory door, he saw a pewter plate set out on the table, a basket of bread rolls, a covered dish presumably containing butter, a flagon of ale, a beaker, a napkin. They'd not forgotten him, then.

As he loped up the stairs again to dress properly, he heard the Mass bell begin tolling, which let him know the time of day. He wondered what to do about that. Abbot John had in private given him Eucharist, but in the community setting he was as good as excommunicated, having broken his vows and walked out on them to marry Madeleine. Such things were not – ever – outlived. Best leave them to it and stick with Vespers and Compline. Or maybe go to the parish Mass later on, let folk assume he'd made his communion elsewhere earlier. Or…

Then, impatient at the uneasiness of it all, he shrugged the deliberations away and came out into the daylight. Now would be as good a time as any to prowl quietly round the kitchens, the stores, the stables, the scriptorium – take a look at the level of provision, judge if things looked healthy and well in hand. He wanted to see the infirmary (but that would not be unattended) and the sacristy (but that meant passing through the church within possible sight of the choir). Obviously he wanted to cast an eye over the books in the checker, but that would be locked. At least, he assumed Brother Cormac locked up when he left it empty. There was too much money and information in there not to turn a key against prying eyes and pilfering fingers. Brother Cormac… Abbot John had appointed him to the obedience of cellarer at William's recommendation. Was it turning out well? He dearly hoped so.