Camber of Culdi by Katherine Kurtz Read Free Book Online Page A

Certainly, a man is entitled to mourn his grandsire, even if the rest of the world has been renounced. What is the man’s name? Perhaps I can tell you his whereabouts.”
    â€œBenedict, now. Before that—ah, it was the grandfather’s wish that we not reveal his grandson’s identity, Reverend Father,” Joram replied. “Might we see those records now?”
    â€œNow , Father?” The abbot looked at Joram a little strangely. “Can it not wait until morning?”
    â€œThe grandfather felt himself much in need of prayer, Reverend Father,” Joram lied, “and we promised to find his grandson as soon as possible. Also, we would not disturb the routine of your house any more than necessary. If one of your brothers could show us to your archives and provide us with light, we would be most grateful.”
    â€œI understand, of course.” The abbot shrugged and bowed, his manner declaring that he did not understand at all. “Very well. Brother Egbert will show you the pertinent records and see to your needs. Perhaps you will at least join us at Mass in the morning and then break your fast with us?”
    â€œWe would be most honored.” Joram bowed. “Our thanks to you, Reverend Father.”
    With a last, disbelieving look at them, the abbot dabbed at his reddened nose and took his leave, disappearing down the corridor in one direction while Brother Egbert led them along another way.
    Rushlights were procured and lit outside a heavy wooden door which Brother Egbert unlocked with a large iron key. In a far corner of the library, Egbert indicated a shelf of neatly rolled scrolls—the induction records of the Ordo Verbi Dei —then bowed silently and turned to go.
    When the sound of the closing door had confirmed his departure, Joram set a rushlight on the reading desk and pulled out a scroll at random. Spreading it open on the desk, he scanned the legend at the top.
    â€œDecimus Blainus —the tenth year of the reign of King Blaine. That’s too recent. Daniel said the boy entered the order about twenty years ago?”
    Rhys nodded. “He said more than twenty, but I think we’d better check five or ten years to either side of that. Dan said the boy was nineteen when he took his vows, and that he’d be about forty now, but Dan was eighty-three, by his reckoning. He may be hazy on the dates.”
    â€œAll right. Twenty years—that would be 833, just toward the end of Festil III. We’ll go back to, oh, 22 Festil III, through, uh—3 Blaine ought to be far enough. That’s ten years back and five forward. Too bad we don’t know his secular name—even Draper won’t help us, since ecclesiastical records generally fail to show commoners’ surnames. But there can’t be that many men in a fifteen-year spread who took the religious name of Benedict. See if you can locate some writing materials while I start looking.”
    Joram’s optimism proved to be unfounded. By the time Rhys had returned with some scraps of parchment and a quill and ink, the priest had already found four Benedicts.
    â€œAnd that’s only through 25 Festilus III,” Joram lamented, as Rhys put down the writing materials and looked over his shoulder. “Look at this. 22 Festilus III: ‘ Rolf the son of Carrolan was received into the Ordo Verbi Dei and took the name Benedictus, and was cloistered at the Priory of Saint Piran.’
    â€œ23 Festilus III: ‘ Abel the son of John the Goldsmith was received into the Ordo Verbi Dei on Candlemas and took the name Benedictus, and was sent forthwith to the Monastery of Saint Illtyd.’
    â€œ25 Festilus III: ‘ Henricus, youngest son of the Earl of Legain —’ Well, I guess we can eliminate him, at least. Definitely the wrong father for our man.
    â€œ25 Festilus III: ‘ Josephus the son of Master Galiardi the Merchant … name of Benedictus … sent to