Page 184 of The Evening and the Morning

Edgar felt a surge of compassion for the slight young figure, and a spasm of hatred for the men who had done this to her. He said: “There’s a nunnery on the island. Mother Agatha has some skill with injuries. Shall I take you straight there?”

“Yes, please, quickly.”

Edgar poled vigorously upstream. “What happened?” he said.

“It was a man in a helmet.”

“Ironface,” Edgar said, and he muttered ferociously: “The spawn of Satan.”

“And he had at least one companion. I was knocked unconscious. I suppose they left us for dead. When I came around we were naked.”

“They need weapons. It might have been your sword that attracted them. And Adelaide’s pendant.”

“If you know these men are in the forest, why don’t you capture them?” Odo’s tone was challenging, almost as if he thought Edgar condoned the thieves.

Edgar pretended not to notice the veiled accusation. “We’ve tried, believe me. We’ve searched every yard of the south bank. But they disappear into the undergrowth like weasels.”

“They had a boat. I saw it just before they attacked us.”

Edgar was startled. “What kind?”

“Just a small rowboat.”

“I didn’t know that.” Everyone had always assumed that Ironfacehid out on the south bank, as he always robbed there; but if he had a boat then his hidey-hole could just as easily be on the north bank.

“Have you ever seen him?” Odo asked.

“I put an ax into his arm one night when he tried to steal our pig, but he got away. Here we are.” Edgar beached the raft on Leper Island and stood holding the rope while Odo stepped off, still holding Adelaide.

He carried her to the nunnery door, and Mother Agatha opened it. She ignored his nakedness and looked at the wounded woman.

Odo said: “My wife...”

“Poor woman,” said Agatha. “I will try to help her.” She reached for the unconscious form.

“I’ll bring her in.”

Agatha just shook her head silently.

Odo let her lift Adelaide from his arms. Agatha took the weight effortlessly and went back inside. An invisible hand closed the door.

Odo stood staring at the door for several moments, then turned away.

They boarded the raft. “I’d better go to the alehouse,” Odo said.

“You won’t be welcome there, with no money,” Edgar said. “But the monastery will take you in. Prior Aldred will give you a monk’s robe and some shoes, and clean your wounds, and feed you for as long as you need it.”

“Thank God for monks.”

Edgar poled across to the bank and tied up. “Come with me,” he said.

Odo stumbled as he disembarked, and went down on his knees. “Sorry,” he said. “My legs feel weak. I carried her a long way.”

Edgar hauled him up. “Just a bit farther.” He walked Odo to the building that had been the priests’ house and was now the monastery. He lifted the latch and half carried Odo inside. The monks were at dinner around the table, all but Aldred, who stood at the lectern Edgar had made, reading aloud.

He stopped when Edgar and Odo came in. “What happened?” he said.

“On his way home to Cherbourg Odo and his wife were beaten, robbed, stripped, and left for dead,” Edgar said.