Vow of Obedience (21 page)

‘One corrupt or criminal policeman must cast a shadow over the reputation of the whole force,’ Mother Dorothy said.

‘Unfortunately that’s the case.’ He shook his head slightly as if to banish unpleasant thoughts and went on. ‘The two girls were killed almost immediately incidentally. Daisy has been telling us quite frankly that she lured them out of their houses and dropped the loop of wire over their heads as they knelt before the supposed vision. In both cases just round the corner from their homes. Of course she had extraordinary good luck in that nobody came by or looked out of the window at that precise moment. Then she simply put the body in the back of her Mini and covered it with a rug until the area round the school had been searched in the case of Valerie Pendon when she drove up there, dressed the poor
girl in the white dress and wreath she’d made and stuffed her into the cupboard. When she killed Tina Davies she dumped the body immediately in the shed on the edge of the Romany camp, first dressing her in a similar fashion. She’d bought a quantity of shoes of the same pattern in different stores and calculated the respective sizes of the victims very accurately before making the white dresses. She was punishing them for not having boy-friends and therefore the chance of babies, you see. Completely mad but in her view logical. Of course eventually she would have killed one of the Sisters here and found great satisfaction in the doing of it.’

‘And she went into the postulancy?’ Sister Teresa’s face had whitened.

‘Which was unlocked, of course.’ He cast a reproving glance over the semi-circle. ‘It gave her pleasure to wander round when its occupants were elsewhere. Then she read Sister Hilaria’s spiritual diary in which a full account of the supposed vision had been written. She tore out the pages and shredded them into the dustbin.’

‘What about the nightclothes in which the girls left their homes?’ Sister Joan asked.

‘She made two neat parcels and put them in the boot of her husband’s car,’ he said. ‘We searched high and low for those garments but nobody thought of looking in a car belonging to one of the officers concerned in the case. Barratt swears he didn’t know they were there; he may be telling the truth.’

‘She will plead insanity?’ Mother Dorothy looked at him.

‘Undoubtedly. Sergeant Barratt doesn’t have that excuse.’

‘You call it insanity?’ Sister Gabrielle tapped her stick impatiently on the floor. ‘I call it wickedness. Wickedness is an unfashionable word these days, but what that woman did was nothing short of wicked. Insanity indeed.’

‘Perhaps insanity is sometimes obedience to the evil within oneself,’ Mother Dorothy said.

‘Whatever.’ Detective Sergeant Mill rose, clearly disinclined for any kind of philosophical discussion.

‘Was it Daisy Barratt whom Constable Stephens saw when he brought Lilith back?’ Sister Joan asked.

‘She used to relish the thrill of wandering about near the convent, I suppose,’ he nodded. ‘She enjoyed the risk of being found out. Since she had never mixed socially with anyone
Constable Stephens took her to be one of the Sisters and gave Lilith’s rein to her.’

‘Didn’t he realize that her habit was black whereas we wear grey?’ Sister Perpetua asked, her reddish eyebrows shooting up.

‘It never entered his head. People don’t usually look very closely at nuns, you know.’

‘I knew it had to be her,’ Sister Joan said. ‘Sister Perpetua or whoever was in the kitchen would never have let him leave without a cup of tea.’

‘We would have got her in the end,’ Detective Sergeant Mill said, ‘but Sister Joan precipitated events and may well have foiled another death. I hope not too many rules were broken in the process?’

‘Sister Joan had my authority to assist the police in any manner she deemed suitable,’ Mother Dorothy said. ‘The manner she did choose was, I admit, somewhat
unconventional
but occasionally desperate circumstances call for desperate means. We are all particularly grateful to you, Detective Sergeant Mill, for coming so promptly when I telephoned you. I hope that no charges are to be brought against Luther Lee. I know that I speak for the community when I say we are not proposing to accuse him of trespass.’

‘He’s harmless,’ the detective admitted.

‘And was of the greatest help in rescuing Sister Joan when she was attacked. Daisy Barratt is much stronger than her physical appearance would suggest. I believe that too is an attribute of madness.’

‘There remains the question of security.’

‘Detective Sergeant Mill, I appreciate your concern, but I refuse to surround ourselves with bolts and bars,’ Mother Dorothy said impatiently. ‘I will guarantee that we will bolt or lock all outside doors at night but that’s as far as I am prepared to go. Later on we will see about a dog.’

‘As to that …’ He broke off, glancing towards the window as a police car drew up outside.

‘As to that?’ The prioress fixed him with an enquiring look.

‘I’ve taken the liberty of picking out a nice little Alsatian bitch from a local litter. Compliments of the Department – if I can prevail on you to accept the gift.’

‘We can, at least, take a look at the animal, I suppose,’ she
allowed.

‘Excuse me a moment, Sisters.’ He went out, taking with him the indefinable odour of masculinity.

‘A little kitten would have been nice,’ Sister Mary Concepta said wistfully.

‘A cat is not an adequate guard,’ Sister Perpetua objected.

‘The Romans used to employ geese to guard their property,’ Sister David volunteered.

‘Geese,’ said Sister Gabrielle, ‘bite.’

‘This is the puppy.’

Detective Sergeant Mill had returned, bearing a wriggling bundle which he deposited on the polished floor.

‘Oh, the little love.’ Sister Katherine was on her knees at once.

‘It’s far too small to be an adequate guard dog,’ Mother Dorothy said.

‘Better for her to grow up knowing this is her home,’ Sister Perpetua said. ‘I daresay that there are obedience classes and so on to which she could be taken.’

‘When she’s six months old. I can arrange it for you, Sisters. Also all the necessary injections etcetera.’

‘You’re being very kind,’ Mother Dorothy said in a softened tone. ‘But puppies make messes.’

‘They can be trained to – er – make them in the right place, Mother,’ Sister Martha coaxed, ‘and I am always in search of rich compost for my vegetables.’

‘Shall we say a period of probation then?’ Mother Dorothy rose with an air of having reached a satisfactory compromise. ‘We had better think of a name.’

‘Juno?’ Sister Joan hazarded.

‘Positively not, Sister. A convent is no place for a heathen goddess.’

‘Lilith isn’t exactly a Christian name,’ Sister Joan murmured.

‘Lilith was named before we obtained her,’ Sister Gabrielle reminded her.

‘Well, not Juno anyway. It ought to be a more respectable name in my opinion.’

‘Blackie?’ said Sister David.

‘Alice,’ Mother Dorothy said, a note of finality in her voice. ‘Alice is a most respectable name. Alice, come here.’

The puppy, engrossed in chasing its own tail, fell over sideways and shot a distinctly horrified look in the direction of the prioress before scrambling up and trotting up to her where it sat, ears pricked and one paw raised.

‘It recognizes the voice of authority,’ Detective Sergeant Mill said with a faint grin. ‘I’ll leave her with you, Mother Prioress.’

‘Sister Martha,’ said Mother Dorothy firmly, ‘will take her into the garden. Now, if you please, Sister.’

Sister Martha grabbed the puppy and bore it away hastily.

‘Alice,’ said Sister Joan, fighting down a great desire to laugh. ‘Alice indeed.’

‘If you have a moment, Sister?’ Mother Dorothy fixed her with a look.

‘I must go. Thank you for your time, Sisters.’ Detective Sergeant Mill shook hands. ‘Oh, I telephoned the hospital. Sister Hilaria is being discharged in the morning.’

‘She will convalesce in the main house and Sister Perpetua can take charge of the novices in the postulancy,’ Mother Dorothy said. ‘I’ll walk with you to your car, Detective Sergeant Mill. Sister Joan, isn’t it time you were preparing lunch?’

‘Yes, Reverend Mother.’

Today it was soup and a thick slice of buttered toast. This evening there would be kippers with vegetables and a rice pudding. The ordered tenor of the days had taken up their interrupted course. The danger and the excitement were over, and she had her regular duties to perform without recognition for any help, however unconventional, she had been able to give.

Going along the passage into the kitchen she fixed her mind firmly upon soup.

‘Mother told me to hang it there,’ Sister Teresa said, clambering down from a chair as Sister Joan entered.

A small painting of the loch where she had spent her recent spiritual retreat hung on the whitewashed wall. It had been one of her best efforts. She approached it, stood looking up at its rich autumnal colours, at the neat card tucked into the frame.
 
Painted
by
Sister
Joan
of
the
Order
of
the
Daughters
of
Compassion

It was, she thought with a lifting of the heart, Mother
Dorothy’s oblique way of telling her that in the end she had done well.

‘Let’s get on with the lunch, Sister,’ she said. ‘Tomato would be nice, don’t you think?’

Echo of Margaret

Pilgrim of Desire

Flame in the Snow

Hoodman Blind

My Pilgrim Love

A Vow of Silence

Last Seen Wearing

Vow of Chastity

My Name is Polly Winter

Vow of Sanctity