"What of it?" Joan came to a halt in front of the last grated door. " 'Twas a practical bit of advice."
"She spoke as one who had been through the humiliation of a broken betrothal," Alice insisted. "I have begun to wonder if she herself took the veil because of a severed betrothal."
" 'Tis hardly an uncommon occurrence." Joan rapped briskly on the heavy oak paneling. "Many women have entered a convent for that reason."
"I realize that. But I wish to ask the sister if that was her reason."
Joan's eyes met hers. "And if it was?"
"Then I wish to know if the man who broke his vow of betrothal to her was Hugh's father, Sir Matthew of Scarcliffe."
Joan frowned. "But according to the tale, Sir Matthew never did break his vows. From all I have ever heard, he fully intended to marry the lady his family had chosen for him. Everyone believes that he wished to keep Hugh's poor mother as his leman. They say that was why she flew into a heartbroken rage and gave her lover a poisoned cup."
"So the story goes," Alice admitted. "But what if that was not what occurred? What if Matthew came back from France, discovered he had a son, and determined to marry the woman he had seduced?"
"You're saying that the lady to whom he was betrothed may have sought vengeance?"
" 'Tis possible, is it not?"
" 'Tis somewhat extreme," Joan said crisply.
"You said yourself that Sister Katherine is a woman who suffers from extreme humors," Alice reminded her.
Joan stood on tiptoe and peered through the grate. "Her cell is empty. She is not inside. There is something very strange about all this."
"It would appear that she has left the convent."
"But where could she have gone? Surely someone would have noticed if she had taken one of the horses from the convent stable."
Alice went to peer through the grate. "There is a sheet of parchment on her bed."
"Sister Katherine is excessively neat. She would not leave personal items scattered about."
Alice glanced at her. "Unless she meant for someone to discover it."
Joan's gaze grew more troubled. Without a word she lifted the heavy ring that was attached to her belt. She selected one of the iron keys from it and inserted it into the lock of Katherine's door.
A moment later Alice walked into the tiny chamber. There was little to be seen other than the narrow bed, a small, wooden chest, and the rolled sheet of parchment that lay on the straw mattress.
Alice started to reach for the parchment. She paused and glanced at Joan. Joan mutely nodded her permission.
Alice picked up the parchment sheet and carefully unrolled it. A heavy gold ring set with a green gem fell onto the bed. Alice examined it closely. "Does this belong to Sister Katherine?"
"If it does, she has kept it hidden all these years. I have never before seen it."
"It looks familiar." Alice glanced up. "I believe that Lady Emma wears one very similar to it. She said that Sir Vincent gave it to her when they exchanged their vows."
"Worse and worse," Joan muttered. "What does the letter say?"
" 'Tis only a short note."
"Read it."
Alice frowned intently over the painstakingly precise script.
The bastard son has paid for the sins of his father and mother. It is finished.
"Dear heaven, what does she mean?" Joan whispered.
"Katherine no doubt believes that she has had her vengeance." Alice rerolled the parchment. "She cannot know yet that she failed."
Joan's keys rattled on the iron ring as she turned toward the door. "I shall ask one of the nuns to talk to the villagers. Mayhap someone has seen Katherine."
Alice glanced through the narrow window of the cell. Outside the gray mist had grown darker. "It grows late. I must return to the keep before someone becomes anxious about my absence." Namely Hugh, who might even now have awakened and begun to plan his vengeance against Rivenhall.
Joan led the way out of Katherine's cell. "I will send word to you if I locate the healer."
"Thank you," Alice said quietly. "I think it best if poison is not mentioned, Prioress. You know how people fear it."
"Aye. I shall not speak of it," Joan promised. "God knows we do not need any rumors of poison spread about on this manor."
"Agreed. I will speak with you tomorrow, madam. Now, I must hurry home if I am to resolve this situation before a new storm is loosed upon these lands."
Benedict was waiting for Alice in the great hall. He greeted her with an urgency that spoke volumes.
"Thank the Saints you have returned," he said. "Lord Hugh awoke less than an hour ago and immediately asked for you. When I told him you had gone out, he was most displeased."
Alice unfastened her cloak. "Where is he?"
"In his study chamber. He said you are to go to him at once."
"I intend to do precisely that." Alice started for the stairs.
"Alice?"
She paused, one toe on the bottom step. "Aye, what is it?"
"There is something I have wanted to tell you." Benedict glanced around quickly to make certain that none of the servants was within hearing distance. He took a step closer to Alice and lowered his voice. "I was with Sir Hugh when he fell ill."
"I know. What of it?"
"The first word he spoke when he realized that he had drunk from a poisoned cup was your name."
Alice flinched as though she had been struck. A great weight settled on her. "He thought I tried to murder him?"
"Nay." Benedict smiled wryly. "At first I believed that was his meaning. I told him it was not possible. Then he made it clear that he was asking for you because he knew you were the only one who could save him. He blamed Vincent of Rivenhall from the beginning. He never once suspected you."
The intolerable burden lifted from Alice's soul. She gave Benedict a shaky smile. "Thank you for telling me that, brother. It eases my heart more than you can possibly know."
Benedict flushed. "I know how much you care for him. Sir Dunstan says that a man of Lord Hugh's nature does not allow himself to indulge in soft emotions. Sir Dunstan told me that Lord Hugh scoffs at love and would never give his heart to a woman. But I thought you should know that he at least trusts you. Sir Dunstan says that it is most unusual for my lord to trust anyone."
" 'Tis a start, is it not?" Alice whirled and hurried up the stairs.
She clutched Katherine's note and the ring very tightly as she swept down the corridor at the top of the staircase. She came to a halt in front of Hugh's door and knocked sharply.
"Enter." Hugh's voice held a bone-chilling edge.
Alice drew a breath and opened the door.
Hugh was seated at his desk. There was a map spread out in front of him. He looked up when Alice entered the chamber. When he saw her he surged to his feet. His palms flattened on the desk. His eyes were savage.
"Where in the name of the devil have you been, madam?"
"The convent." Alice studied him closely. "You appear to have recovered from your ordeal, sir. How do you feel?"
"I have regained my appetite," Hugh said. "And I seem to have acquired a taste for vengeance."
"You are not the only one who craves that particular dish, my lord." Alice tossed the parchment and ring onto the desk. "Today it appears as though you were the victim of a woman whose hunger for vengeance is even greater than your own."
Chapter 19
"The healer was the poisoner?" Hugh looked up from the short letter Katherine had left on her bed. He was stunned by what Alice had told him. But he could not deny the evidence she had brought back from the convent.
"Judging by that ring and the words of the note, I suspect she was the woman who was betrothed to your father." Alice sank down onto a stool. "I would hazard a guess that when Sir Matthew returned from France he sent word to her that he intended to break the betrothal."