Cutting Edge Music

As Blythe Gifford posted in September, I also listen to music when I write. I even create a playlist to get me in the mood. So how is this post different than the excellent one she posted last month?

Well, most of what I listen to is popular music. Cutting edge music. But we all tend to think of historical music as "classical." Venerable. Revered. Even stodgy and dull. What we all forget is that the music we now think of as stodgy and dull was the popular, cutting edge music back in its day.

Think of the waltz? Boring dance right? Well, maybe compared with modern gyrations on the dance floor it might be, but when it first appeared it was scandalous. Men and women in each others arms, pelvises together mimicking...sex. It was popular. It was cutting edge. And everybody was doing it - even if they only did it behind closed doors.

Now think of the musicians creating that music. Creating scandal. As today, they were the bad boys that all the women and girls probably watched with baited breath whether they admitted it or not.

What do we think of when we think of Mozart? He's the epitomy of classical music today. But when he was making music, he was a scandal. He was rude, crude and obnoxious (if the play/movie Amadeus can be believed). Yet the women went nuts for him. Well, if he really looked like the portrait to the left, I can guess why. There's a wicked twinkle in his eye that women respond to. He's not bad looking and dang, he created some amazing music. How could he not attract the chicks? He was the Elvis of his day. And I bet the dads hated the guy and kept their little girls far, far away.

I'm sure the antipathy between dads and musicians go back far longer than that. After all, the Middle Ages featured the troubadours. Young men who traveled from place to place with their instruments and made a living off their music. Secular music. Music about love. Courtly love. Forbidden love. Oh my...more sex. How delightfully wicked.

Imagine Nickelback (or fill in your favorite rock band with appropriately hot lead singer) showing up at your front door offering to play their music while you eat dinner. What's not hot about that?

In the image I've added here (painted by Edmund Blair Leighton) I don't know if the dude with the fancy hat is the father or the husband, but either way...he looks worried. And well he should. Musicians are and were the hot bad boys we'd all love to dally with in our deepest fantasies. And back in the day, their music was the scandalous, cutting edge stuff that rock music or hip hop is today. Keep it in mind when you're writing because it can help you create a useful and/or funny scene for a historical romance you write in the future.

What's your favorite historical music? Do you think the composer or performer was stodgy or a bad boy back when he wrote it?

Dressed for Success - Medieval style

illustration from 'T-tunic' - the period way by Lady Muireann ingen Eoghain ua Maoil Mheaghna

In the early middle ages there was one style of dress - a t-tunic. It didn't matter if you were king or peasant, this was your style. The only variation was in the type of fabric (linen, silk, or wool) and the quality of the weave and the trimmings. The finer the fabric and trimmings, the wealthier the owner. But everyone was dressed in the same style at least until the 12th century, but we'll get to that.

These tunics were entirely geometric. As you can see by the above illustration, not a piece of fabric was wasted. Garments were made in a large geometric style so that more than one person could wear a single garment, thereby getting the most use from it. When a garment "wore out" it was because it had been worn to nothing - literally. If someone outgrew it, it was given to someone else, or possibly cut down for a younger member of the family. The wealthy gave their old clothes to servants who when they wore them out gave them to those even poorer than they. Ultimately, the fabric shreds which were too small to make or repair clothes with, were used to stuff mattresses.

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The photo to the right is me, taken several years ago wearing a Viking style tunic and apron.
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Why such frugality? Because you didn't go to Walmart for $1 a yard fabric back then. You hand wove it...every blessed inch of it. Gores (additional fabric inserts in the side and front of a garment) and gussets (small squares of fabric under the arms) were used to provide ease of movement which are not easy to create if you only use rectangles. The differences between men's and women's clothes were length, and depending on your station a man's tunic might be as long as a woman's. Generally, one also wore layers. The wealthier the person, the more layers one could afford to wear. A noblewoman usually wore (at least) a chemise or shift, an undertunic, and an overtunic. She may also wear robes and cloaks as well.

If you were wealthy you might have a few changes of clothes but if you were poor, you probably had - at best- two sets. Most likely only one. Yep, the folks were probably pretty ripe smelling -especially the poor ones. So if you find yourself writing early medieval fiction, make sure you don't have your protagonists dressed in tailored garments. The clothes were loose fitting and cinched in with belts.

In the mid-1100s a new style garment became the rage. It was called a bliaut and yes, both men and women wore these garments. This garment was fitted to the individual - hence it wasted fabric - and the construction was far more complex than previous garments.

The sleeves were close fitting, as were the bodices. These garments were to be worn by one individual - not shared. These were the garments of the wealthy because it was entirely impractical to fashion garments which were tailored to fit someone. Also, because they fit so tightly, they often required assistance to get them on. Only the wealthy could easily afford that kind of assistance.

In the twelfth through fourteenth centuries, yet another new style appeared. The sideless surcoat, commonly referred to as the "gates of hell."

The gates of hell were the open sides of the garment which was considered risque and far too revealing. Why? Because good Christian men and women should not wear garments which revealed so much of their body to the opposite sex thereby enticing them to sin. No doubt there were a lot of "oh the kids these days..." comments. The undertunic was tight fitting but the sideless was loose over the top. Most sideless surcoates revealed the waist and hips through the sides of the garment so the moral danger was those open sides.

When you're writing something set in the middle ages, remember to do your homework first so you know what your hero and heroine would have been wearing. You don't want your Norman heroine wearing a sideless surcoat anymore than you'd want a contemporary of Eleanor of Acquitaine wearing an Elizabethan ruff around her neck. And trust me...neither do your readers. Cause if you dress your people wrong, your readers will know. And they'll tell you. grin.

Do you enjoy writing historicals because you love researching the clothes? Do you hate slogging through the clothing research? Are you curious about the way style developed and evolved through history? Please share a comment to let me know what you think!

The Book of Hours in the Middle Ages

Books in the Middle Ages were precious things. They were expensive to create and handwritten (up until the printing press). Each book was created by a craftsman and therefore unique.

Most people didn't own books. The nobility however could afford to purchase books and one book they typically owned was a Book of Hours. A Book of Hours was a popular devotional text of the laity (non-clergy).

Because the book was so important to the people of the Middle Ages, I wrote a scene where my hero Eaduin buys just such a book from a traveling book merchant for his new wife, Vérité. As this was a typical practice - new husbands gifting a new wife with a Book of Hours, I thought it was a good addition to the story.

The text usually contained a calendar, a sequence of Gospels, the prayer Obsecro te and the prayer O intemerata. The book also contained the Hours of the Virgin and may also contain the Hours of the Cross and the Hours of the Holy Spirit. The book would complete with the Penitential Psalms, the Litany, the Office of the Dead, and finally the Suffrage of the Saints.

The Hours of the Virgin had the same names as the Offices of the liturgy and usually appeared in a standard sequence with specific images associated with each hour. By reciting these prayers at particular times of the day, people could connect with the Virgin Mary and contemplate their religious duties and devotions privately. Sometimes they took the book with them to mass, following along as the Priest read the Psalms or other texts.

Early Books of Hours were written on vellum - calf skin. Books ranged from very fine to poor quality depending on the quality of the vellum, how well the calligraphy was done, how many images were included and how much color used. If one was very rich, gold leaf could be added for extra embellishment. The finer the cover used to bind the book, the wealthier the owner. If such a book was commissioned new, the owner would spend as much as he could afford to show off his wealth in a pious manner.

To tell a fine book from a poor one, look first at the binding then at the vellum. If the book is bound with fine leather which is tooled and the calf skin pages are smooth and white, it is likely a fine book. Remember, an animal skin has a hair side and an inside. The finest books utilized the finest vellum which had been scraped so carefully it was often difficult to tell which side was the hair side. If there are few holes or imperfections in the skin, it is a better quality book, too.

The more color used, the more images used, the more money was spent to create the book. A consumer who wished to purchase such a book would also have looked for text in dark black ink or vivid red ink. Special days such as Saints days, were always written in red, hence the phrase which is still in use today - "red letter day." Another point a consumer would have noted was the use, or lack of use, of abbreviations. Long words took up a lot of space and filled precious vellum. If words were spelled out in full, then the original purchaser of the book was willing to pay for the extra vellum.

One other thing I found interesting when I researched was that a while the prayer text of Book of Hours was written in Latin, there might be words in the commonly spoken language of the area within the decorated page borders or images. That way even if the owner of the book did not have a strong grasp of Latin, they might still gain something from the book if they read their native language (which would have been Norman French during the time of my book).

These fascinating texts were part and parcel of everyday life for those of the nobility. They were given as gifts to spouses or children and when a person died, their Book of Hours was often included in an inventory of personal items which might then be willed to a particular loved one.

As print came into play in the early 1500s, these books became more available to the middle classes. While the images were not unique in these "mass produced" books, they could be personalized in a wide variety of ways. Purchasers could choose which woodcut prints to include, whether to have additional coloring and gold leaf added and they might be able to purchase a finer vellum because printing might bring down the overall cost. They could also personalize such a book with the binding. In the later middle ages, the bindings of these books were often jewel encrusted.

These books formed the background of daily life for individuals in the Middle Ages. I first researched this information back in graduate school in 2002. These images were taken by me of two French Books of Hours from the University of Iowa Library Special Collections department. It was fun to be able to use this knowledge in my writing.

To learn more about these fascinating and special religious texts, check out these books:

Alexander, Jonathon J.G. Medieval Illuminators and Their Methods of Work

Backhouse, Janet. Books of Hours

DeHamel, Christopher. A History of Illuminated Manuscripts

Harthan, John. The Books of Hours

Wieck, Roger S. Painted Prayers: The Book of Hours in Medieval and Renaissance Art

Wieck, Rogers S. Time Sanctified: The Book of Hours in Medieval Art and Life

King Stephen vs. Empress Maud

"In the days of this King there was nothing but strife, evil, and robbery, for quickly the great men who were traitors rose against him. When the traitors saw that Stephen was a good-humoured, kindly, and easy-going man who inflicted no punishment, then they committed all manner of horrible crimes . . . And so it lasted for nineteen years while Stephen was King, till the land was all undone and darkened with such deeds, and men said openly that Christ and his angels slept".

-- from The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (the Peterborough Chronicle, second continuation)

I mentioned in a previous post that I was inspired to set my medieval paranormal erotic romance, Seeking Truth, in medieval England during the reign of King Stephen because I'd watched the Brother Cadfael Mysteries.

I was totally confused the first time I watched one though. They kept talking about King Stephen - and I didn't remember any English King named Stephen. Then came the whole "Empress Maud" stuff. I thought it was totally bogus. Obviously, I didn't know my English history very well. To remedy that, I started reading historical books on the topic. It took a lot of reading in order to NOT make an idiot of myself. Even so, with my book coming out May 29, I realized I hadn't gotten the whole story. I have one little line near the end wrong - now I hope no one notices. Darn.

I started with trying to figure out what side my hero would choose. Ultimately, I decided he was a "king's man" like Sir Hugh Beringer. So then I had to figure out what that meant.

It took some work, but I discovered the bare bones of Stephen's reign. Henry I's only legitimate heir was a daughter, Matilda. Her unpopular marriage to Geoffrey, count of Anjou, did her no favors. Although Henry obtained fealty oaths to Matilda by many barons, there were objections to her because she was a woman and because she was married to an Angevins. Unfortunately for Matilda, when her father died in December of 1135 she made no effort to travel to England to assume the throne, but her cousin Stephen of Blois did.

Stephen acted decisively to hold London and was crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury. This audacious action is one my hero would approve, so I knew that my feeling that Eaduin would be a King's man was the right one. Of course, being crowned and keeping it on your head are two very different things. This began one of the most tempestuous lengthy periods in English history. Stephen reigned from 1135 to his death in 1154. Throughout almost all of his reign, civil war and anarchy covered Britain. Queen Matilda, or Empress Maud as she was also called, didn't let Stephen's actions stand. She, along with her bastard half-brother Robert, Earl of Gloucester waged war on Stephen and at the Battle of Lincoln in 1141 captured him.

What intrigued me about this was that rather than kill him and claim the throne outright for Maud, they held him hostage and left a rallying point for the opposing forces. Forces led my Stephen's wife, Matilda. Yeah, not much in the way of creative naming back then. It was REALLY confusing when I started my research.

In March of 1141, Matilda/Maud was recognized as Queen in Winchester but still had the formidable task of holding London and being formally crowned. By all accounts she was a strong and forceful woman - in modern terms we'd probably call her a "bitch on wheels." Being a strong female is admirable in modern views, but in 1141, not so much. She wasn't remotely conciliatory with her new subjects or with Stephen's son, Eustace or Stephen's Queen, Matilda.

Maud should have known better. She might have won through if she hadn't ticked off Stephen's wife, Queen Matilda by planning to disinherit her son, Eustace and being rude to her. The turning point of this story is two strong willed Matildas going at it. Queen Matilda (Stephen's that is) decided that she'd had it with "diplomacy" and decided to wage war to retrieve her spouse from his prison. I like her...a lot. Queen Matilda raised a large force and marched on London.

Maud had complete confidence, until the people of London rose up against her. You see, she wasn't particularly popular with them. She'd been as unpleasant to them as she'd been to Queen Matilda. The Empress and her half-brother Robert left London...at a run. Queen Matilda (Stephen's wife) then turned her army to Winchester. Empress Maud was inside besieging a bishop and was in turn besieged from outside. Empress Maud managed to escape, but her brother Robert, Earl of Gloucester did not. Maud needed her brother's support desperately and ultimately, Stephen was swapped for Robert.

Even after these calamities the war continued. My books are set after the critical battles of Lincoln and Winchester. I chose to set things during the slightly more stable period of 1146. But I continue to learn more about this time period so I hope I don't find I've made any huge errors. No doubt, readers will tell me if I do.

Looking for books on this troubled period? Here are some of my go-to books. If you know more, please share! I'm always looking for more information on this time period.

Stephen and Matilda: The Civil War of 1139-53 by Jim Bradbury

The Troubled Reign of King Stephen 1135-1154 by John T. Appleby

The Anarchy of King Stephen's Reign edited by Edmund King

The Reign of Stephen: Kingship, Warfare, and Government in Twelfth-Century England by Keith J. Stringer

The Empress Matilda: Queen Consort, Queen Mother, and Lady of the English by Marjorie Chibnall

King Stephen's Reign edited by Paul Dalton and Graeme J. White

The Reign of King Stephen, 1135-1154 by David Crouch

Additionally, check out this VERY COOL blog by Teresa Eckford about the relationship between King Stephen and his lady, Queen Matilda titled Romantic Couples in History: King Stephen and Queen Matilda of Boulogne. (Link corrected per Teresa's Comment)

What's in a Name?

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" - William Shakespeare

Names. What you choose to name your hero and heroine can often make or break a story. It can inspire the writer or inhibit her. If the name is a turn-off to readers, they might not pick up the book to read. Yet, if you choose too modern a name for a historical character, your readers will laugh at your ignorance.

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism since the late 1990s. One of the first choices any newbie makes is to choose their name. The name reflects the culture and personality you hope to project to the world.

It was as I was trying to name myself that I first felt sympathy and empathy for expectant parents. So many names to choose from and the name is so important. The nickname shouldn't be horrible but even though I was careful, people persist in shortening my first name, Francesca. Anyone out there calls me Frannie and you're dead. Seriously. No offense to the Fran and Frannies of the world , but Francesca is my name, not Fran or Frannie. But I digress. Choosing a name. It took me awhile but I found a first name I liked and use it both as my SCA name and my pen name.

I ran into the same issue when choosing character names. Fortunately, I know an SCA herald or two who can recommend good books and Web sites which offer excellent documentation for medieval names. My SCA persona isn't English but when I knew my stories would be set in Medieval England, I asked an SCA herald for books to document names. He suggested two and I swear by them both.

The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names by E.G. Withycombe is WONDERFUL. It documents when specific first names came into common usage in England. So not only is it useful to those of us who write stories set in the Middle Ages, but it provides origin information for later time periods too.

When I was choosing a name for my heroine, I wanted to choose the name Verity because it means "truth." Well, I looked up the name in Withycombe and ran into a brick wall. One line, and I quote "Verity (f.): used as a christian name since 17th C." I thought, "well, crap." Then I contacted the herald that recommended the book and pretty much begged him to offer me a plausible out. Thankfully he did. He said it would have been unusual BUT a parent might have named their child Vérité...maybe. (Which probably meant - no they wouldn't have, but I was desperate cause I wanted her to be named Verity, darn it!!) So Vérité she became. I just love artistic license, don't you?

BUT, I can document my hero's name. Eaduin is an older spelling of Edwin. My hero had an Anglo-Saxon father and a Norman mother. Eaduin is Old English - well Eadwine is. It was also the name of the first Christian king of Northumberland. The spelling "Eaduin" can be found in the Domesday Book, according to Withycombe. So this worked great. Of course, Eaduin was actually the villain in another book (which will never see the light of day). After I created him, he convinced me he was merely misunderstood and NOT a villain. I picked the name Edwin because I was sure it was a name I would NEVER name one of my hero's. Eaduin had the last laugh and he's a hero now. He can be very seductive when he wants to be.

The other book I highly recommend for English name research is: A Dictionary of English Surnames by P.H. Reaney. I have the 3rd edition which was updated by R.M. Wilson. If you're a name geek, this book is fascinating reading. My heroine's last name is - by modern spelling - Savigny. This entry provided variations and de Sauigni was documented to the Domesday Book. Score!

I have to admit, once I'd picked out my first names, I just read through the surnames book and looked for names that sounded good together. I was happy with what I found.

Finding names for other cultures can be a challenge, but you can try searching at the Web site for The Academy of Saint Gabriel which is a group of around 50 volunteers who research medieval names primarily for the SCA. Now, you may not be interested in the SCA (which is fine) but let me tell you SCA researchers are sticklers for authenticity and they are also obsessive about excellent documentation. So chances are if you stumble across an SCA site, you will probably find good information. By all means, cross-check your information so you can find things in more than one resource, but an SCA related Web page isn't a bad place to start your research. Look for bibliography information and you'll have located a gold mine.

Now go forth, and name characters! What are your favorite names for heroes and heroines? What names do you hate? Share your adventures in naming!

Note: Just found out this morning (4/20/09) that Seeking Truth will be released by Ellora's Cave on May 29, 2009. Wooo Hooo!

Medieval Love

About twelve years ago, I fell in love with the Middle Ages. I'd always found the concepts of chivalry and courtly love pretty cool, but I didn't have any real way to express the fascination. Then I discovered the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism). The SCA is a group that re-enacts and educates about the time period of 600 - 1600 CE. Once I discovered this group it was only a matter of time before it found it's way into my writing.

Now, all these years later, my writing and my passion for the Middle Ages have come together to create the book I just recently contracted to Ellora's Cave called Seeking Truth. Here is the blurb.

Seeking Truth

Pain. Baron Eaduin Kempe has experienced enough of it to last him a lifetime, yet again it stalks him. Judith, his beloved foster mother, suffers in agony which cuts like a blade to his own gut. He'll do anything to ease her pain, even if that means that he, a man of dominant, fierce passions, must marry an innocent, convent-raised healer to obtain her services.

Witch. Lady Vérité de Sauigni fears this accusation more than any other, because of her psychic gift to see truth. A convent should be a haven for service to God, but her father made it her prison. Vérité will do anything to escape, even marry a sensual, handsome man who only wants her for her healing skills.

Vérité's healing skills, though prized in her new home, can't save her from charges of witchcraft when King Stephen and His Court arrive at Kempe Castle. Will Eaduin honor the vow she extracted from him to kill her so she won't suffer under questioning? Or will he do more? Will he risk his life for love?


In my daily life I work as a reference librarian and when you add that to my SCA experience research is probably a given, but I have to admit I had a great time completing the research for my book. Since I write for Ellora's Cave, I knew the book would be an erotic romance. I took a lot of time researching Medieval sexuality, Canon Law regarding marital relations, and the rights of women in marriage.

But I also set this book in a time period I knew little about, the troubled reign of King Stephen, the grandson of William the Conqueror, who reigned from 1135-1154. My book is set in 1146 which is after some of the worst of the civil war between Stephen and Empress Matilda, or Maud (as she was often known) who was the daughter of Henry I, had passed.

I discovered this time period by watching the Brother Cadfael mysteries featuring Derek Jacoby. As I watched The Rose Rent, I was struck by how well they'd researched the clothing. I'm a sucker for a properly researched historical drama - especially good clothes. As I watched more episodes, I decided to find out more about the time period. I requested books through interlibrary loan and purchased books for my personal collection.

This turbulent time in English history was the perfect world for my hero Eaduin, so I found him a heroine who would suit him and started to write. I'm happy to say it worked. I fell in love with my hero and liked my heroine. I took a bit of artistic license with the language and activities of my characters, but I think it worked. At least my editor likes it. ;-)

The nice thing for me was that when I ran into snags with my research I had friends in the SCA to whom I could turn for guidance. Some of the SCA fighters really helped me get inside the mind of my hero - a man well used to protecting his people by his command or by his own hand. I thank them for their input because it was something I couldn't have gained anywhere else.

As a tease, I'll include the opener of my book for you to enjoy.


Excerpt:
(© 2009 - Francesca Hawley)

His stallion’s hooves pounded like the beating of his heart as Baron Eaduin Kempe shook damp black hair from his eyes. Though a gentle spring rain fell, it felt like a driving storm. The presence of his beloved foster mother blunted the emptiness of his keep, but if he lost Judith…

Nay. He wouldn’t think on it. All had seemed normal with her, so well did she hide her pain.

Was he blind? How could he have missed something of such import?

Eaduin rode on grimly, determined to find aid. Today.

His horse leaped a ravine, clearing it easily. When he’d asked Judith to whom he should apply for aid, she’d ordered him to the Abbey of Blessed Virgin to seek vérité. He didn’t need to find truth. He needed medication to dull Judith’s pain. Despite her pain, her will was as strong as ever so to the Abbey he rode. Only Judith mattered. He glanced ahead, catching sight of the spires of the Abbey’s central chapel above the treetops.

His half-brother, Godwin who served as his Captain of the Guard, rode at his stallion’s left flank. They approached the gates at a gallop, but pulled up when they remained closed. He and Godwin had been five miles on the road, and would need to return before evening, for Eaduin wouldn’t leave Judith alone for longer. Where was the damned guard? Their horses sidled restlessly as the men exchanged glances. Godwin hailed the guard who should be atop the gates.

“Baron Eaduin Kempe wishes to speak with the Reverend Mother on a matter of grave urgency.”

Eaduin smiled faintly. It was his thundering voice which made Godwin’s squires jump to do his bidding, and it drew the immediate attention of the watch.

“Lord Eaduin bloody Kempe will find no welcome here!”

He grimaced, before looking up to see the old guard peering over the ramparts. “I seek no welcome from you, Artur Pecke, you insolent cur. How dare you swear within these sacred walls! Open the gates. I will speak with the Abbess. Now!” His roar echoed off the stone, making the old man wince then scowl, shaking his fist.

“And what army will see you past this gate?”

Eaduin swore under his breath. He just had to assign his father’s former guard captain here, hadn’t he? The old bastard hated him. Be damned to hell! He pulled his strung bow from his saddle and an arrow from his quiver. He knocked it, taking aim in one smooth movement then sighting on the stupid man’s head.

“I need no army, old man. Let me in and live to see the sunset!”

Eaduin knew the wily old guard could easily duck before the arrow even reached him, but Eaduin was out of patience. He heard Judith’s cries in his ears and had no time to parlay with a self-important idiot.

“Open the gate, you fool!” a voice inside the gates yelled.

Eaduin relaxed his drawn bow, his breath releasing with a hiss. He recognized the authority of Mother Anne’s voice when he heard it and so did Sir Artur. The clack of the windlass rattled loudly as the bridge lowered and the heavy doors opened ponderously. How ironic it was that his orders and his money barred his passage, for long had he given money to afford protection to these brides of Christ. Eaduin spurred his horse, traversing the bridge and coming to a stop in the courtyard—Godwin at his side. They dismounted, handing the stableman the reins.

“Treat them kindly. They’ve been run hard and will need to make a return trip shortly.” The chief stableman offered a respectful nod before leading the horses away. Eaduin turned to meet the concerned gaze of Mother Anne.

“Why are you here, Baron Kempe?”

“I need a healer. Where are your sisters who serve?” Eaduin strode toward the hospital, but the Abbess planted herself in his path.

“Why do you seek a healer? What help can we give you Mistress Judith cannot? After all, she has been the teacher to most of our sisters in the use of herbs and healing.”

Eaduin’s rubbed his face, trying to hide the anguish he felt but Mother Anne saw it and placed a comforting hand on his arm.

“Lord Eaduin? What is it?”

“It’s Judith. She’s very ill but none of us has the skills to help her.”

“Is it fever?” She tensed, her brows knotting in worry.

He shook his head. “Nay, she’s hidden her illness from all of us. A bit more than a fortnight ago, she collapsed. We have tried to follow her directions to offer her relief, but none of us know what we are doing. We are as likely to kill her as cure her the way we blunder about, but it might almost be a mercy.”

“Did she say what the illness is?”

“Nay. She looks far gone with child, yet there is none. After treating herself for months with syrup of poppies, the medicine eases the pain no longer.”

He could see the Abbess’ confusion with his poor description. His ignorance at his lack of expertise appalled him. He shook his head, his eyes filling with tears. He blinked before they spilled, lest Sir Artur taunt him.

“You are sure she’s not with child?”

“Certain. God forgive me but I hadn’t noticed how she had loosened her gowns and ceased to wear belts at her waist.” He shook his head in self-disgust. “God forgive my selfishness…” he muttered as he met Mother Anne’s serene blue gaze in chagrin. He took a deep breath, speaking forcefully. “She needs aid, Mother. Judith is in grave pain which nothing relieves. I can’t… I can’t bear listening to her pain-filled screams. It tears out my heart.”

Tears began to fall. He brushed them away with annoyance. The old guard captain studied him and Eaduin expected to see laughter at his show of weakness. Instead he saw shared pain. Mistress Judith was beloved of everyone, it seemed.

His need for his foster mother felt purely selfish to him. After all, Judith had given life to Godwin and his brothers and sisters. Surely their grief should supersede his, yet she was Eaduin’s salvation. He owed his sanity and conscience to her, for without her he would be a monster like his deceased father and half-sister had been. Both now suffered in the fires of hell. If not for Judith… God above...Judith… He must help her. Eaduin would not leave without aid—no matter what he had to do to receive it.

“When did you last sleep, my Lord?”

He paused in thought, trying to remember, then shook his head. “It matters not. Will you send someone to her? Please?”

Eaduin could see apology in the Reverend Mother’s face as she readied a refusal. Before she could reject his request, he dropped to his knees on the hard ground in front of her in the supplication of a penitent.

“I beg you, Mother, for Judith’s sake. Let me rot when the time comes, but for the love of God, don’t allow Judith’s suffering to continue. She doesn’t deserve it. Isn’t the pain she endured at my father’s hands enough?”

Eaduin beseeched the normally stern Abbess, whose bright blue eyes filled with tears which spilled down her cheeks. Mother Anne knew the truth of Judith’s suffering at Osweald Kempe’s hands. She took a deep breath.

“Judith ordered you here?” Eaduin nodded as the Reverend Mother considered, her hands settling on his shoulders as she looked down at him. “What did she tell you, my Lord? Exactly…”

“She told me to come to the Abbey of the Blessed Virgin to seek vérité,” he snorted. “Truth? Mother, I have no need of truth. I need a healer. Yet she was adamant. ‘Seek vérité,’ she said.”

“In this case, they are one and the same.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I know. But you will, my son. Rise. Let us go find the healer you seek.”