The Lion of Justice by Jean Plaidy Read Free Book Online

bones?’
    That the King should suggest using the ornaments on coffins was repugnant to the Archbishop and he ignored the King’s request.
    Rufus forgot Anselm temporarily. He had accumulated the 10,000 marks. The agreement was drawn up. Normandy was in pawn; and if Robert could not repay the loan and if he failed to return, then Rufus, King of England, would be also Duke of Normandy.

A Suitor at the Abbey
    HOW DREARY WAS life at Rumsey. There were lessons and prayers all through the day; and the girls were made to wear the black Benedictine robe of the order which had been founded by King Alfred.
    They were rebellious, as far as they could be. Edith had often taken off her robe when she was alone and stamped on it to relieve her feelings. One day when she was thus engaged, she perceived a pair of eyes watching her through the aperture in the door of her cell and she was suddenly more frightened than she had ever been in her life. The eyes disappeared but shortly afterwards her aunt came into her cell, but by that time she had hastily put on the robe and was kneeling before the cross on the wall. The Abbess stood quietly behind herfor some seconds; then a pair of hands was placed on her shoulders and she was forced down until her head was on the stone floor.
    â€˜Jezebel!’ whispered Aunt Christina. Edith’s head was pressed against the stones; she cried out in pain and Aunt Christina laughed derisively.
    â€˜Get up then, spawn of the devil,’ she said.
    Edith stood before her.
    The Abbess sat on the stone seat cut out of the wall.
    â€˜You like not the holy habit,’ she said.
    â€˜My father said I was not to be a nun.’
    â€˜It may be that God has punished him for denying his daughter her vocation.’
    â€˜I do not wish to take the veil.’
    â€˜It may be that you will have no choice in the matter,’ said Christina. She narrowed her eyes. ‘Take off the robe you so despise.’
    â€˜I do not despise it. It is only that I feel it is not for me.’
    â€˜Take it off,’ said Christina.
    Edith took off the robe and stood in the rough hairy shift.
    â€˜Take that off too,’ was the command.
    â€˜I have nothing beneath it,’ replied Edith.
    â€˜Well let us see this body of which you are so proud.’
    â€˜Nay, you mistake me. It is not pride. It is . . .’
    â€˜Vanity!’ The Abbess rose and taking the shift in her firm hands pulled it off. Edith stood naked before her.
    She studied the girl. ‘Voluptuary!’ she said. ‘So you wish to flaunt this, do you?’ She pinched the firm flesh and brought her face close to that of Edith. ‘Of what do you think when you lie in your cell? Of what are you thinking when you are on your knees? Pray tell me that. Nay, I will tell you. You are thinking sinful thoughts. You are thinking of men and this body in their hands.’
    â€˜No, no, Aunt Christina, it is not so.’
    â€˜Then you will take the veil.’
    â€˜No, I will not.’
    â€˜Why not, if your thoughts are as pure as you would have me believe?’
    â€˜I wish to marry, to have children.’
    â€˜Did I not tell you what was in your mind? So you add lies to your many sins.’
    â€˜My mother was a good woman – the best that ever lived,’ said Edith defiantly, ‘yet she married and had children.’
    The Abbess took Edith by the arm and pushed her down on her straw.
    â€˜So you long for men. You want this body you so much admire to be admired by others, to be caressed. I shall caress it in my way . . . in God’s way.’ She called to one of the nuns who was waiting outside the cell. The woman came in carrying a long thin cane.
    â€˜There, my daughter. This is the child from whom evil must be purged. She dreams of the caresses of men; give her the caress of the cane.’
    â€˜Mother,’ began the nun.
    The Abbess turned her venomous gaze on the nun.