Page 13 of The Trials of Neilina MacKai (The MacKai Brides #5)

T he beach near Baile Iasg

The following morning, Seona stepped into the fishing vessel sent for her.

“I surely do appreciate when the abbess has visitors. Keeps me and the other fishermen from starving when the catch is small.”

“That is a blessing.”

He was a chatty fellow who seemed to enjoy the sound of his own voice.

All Seona had to do was make an agreeable sound from time to time.

“And it’s been real good business this past couple of years. Why I took that other MacFearann lady out yesterday.”

Another MacFearann Lady ?

“Who would that be?” Seona asked, working hard at sounding casual.

“Oh, I don’t think you’d know her. You’re not from the castle, are you?”

“No, I don’t get to visit the castle often,” she lied.

“This lady talks funny, like the Reverend Mother, who’s a sassenach. She enjoys giving orders too. Tried to tell me how to sail my boat.”

“Rather full of herself, yes?”

“You have that right. Hope you don’t have to see much of her.”

“Hmm.” Seona hoped the same, for the only person she knew fitting that description was Lady Staunton. What was she doing visiting the abbess? Seona suspected she knew and prayed she was wrong. However, instinct said she wasn’t.

The boatman navigated through the channel between the rocks that led to the opening at the base of the island.

Once there he tied the vessel up to a sort of quay that had been constructed against one side of the lengthy cave.

Just as he was helping her from the boat, three nuns approached from darkness shrouding the far end of the space.

She suspected the large woman was the abbess.

A gold crucifix bedecked with rubies hung around her neck, and she carried a gleaming rosary from which dangled a second aureate cross.

One of the two other nuns carried a torch.

“Lady MacFearann, I am so glad to see you. I am Mother Superior Eadburgh. You may address me as Mother Superior. All our supplicants do so.” The woman’s broad smile did not reach her eyes. She wrapped a beefy arm around Seona’s shoulder.

“My things...”

“You brought the required donation?”

“In my saddle bags.”

“Sisters, see to Lady MacFearann’s belongings please. Now Lady MacFearann, you need worry about nothing. You are safe here and will be well guarded.”

Not too well guarded, I hope .

“There must be some mistake, Mother Superior. I am here only to take sanctuary until my brother can arrive to take me to his home. I am not a supplicant.”

The abbess leaned toward Seona’s ear. “Hush,” she whispered. “The other sisters will treat you better if they believe you to be a supplicant.”

Then the abbess straightened and spoke louder. “Yes, instead of attending the evening meal, I will permit you to do penance in the chapel. That will be your first lesson. Never contradict your mother superior again.”

Seona bowed her head. “Yes, Mother Superior. Thank you.”

Behind them the two nuns tittered quietly.

“Sisters!” snapped the abbess, halting in mid-stride. “Need I assign you penance as well?”

Seona lifted her head and turned a bit to the side. The two nuns were pale and shaken.

“N... no Mother Superior,” the two stammered, nearly in unison before falling silent.

“Excellent.” The abbess squeezed Seona’s arm, forcing her forward.

I’ll have bruises there tomorrow .

They followed the path cut into one side of the cave to where it bent out of sight.

Behind her, Seona heard the boatman push his craft away from the quay. Her last resort for escape had just departed.

Rounding the curve, they came to an opening blocked by a gate of iron bars. Just beyond the gate rose a steep narrow staircase.

“Sister Oda,” the abbess said. “Use my keys and open the gate, please.” She took from a leather cord around her neck a metal ring full with keys and handed it to the nun.

Odd, the keys are adorned with bits of yarn. I wouldn’t think the abbess was given to decorating such humble objects .

Sister Oda rapidly found the correct key and unlocked the gate then returned the key ring to the mother superior. That woman shoved Seona toward the stairs

Compelled to lead, Seona marched up the steps.

The only light came from the single torch, which was several steps to her rear.

She must secure a torch and hide it before any attempt at escape could be made.

The key ring was a more difficult problem to solve.

How could she steal it from Mother Superior Eadburgh without anyone discovering the theft until it was too late?

Even more worrisome was the number of keys.

How many locks could one community of holy women have? Did they not trust each other?

The abbess pushed past Seona to open a wooden door at the top of the stairs.

Seona blinked when she stepped out into the bright light of the late morning sun. A short distance away, chapel bells signaled Terce.

“Sister Oda, Sister Triduana take Lady MacFearann’s bags to my chambers. Then you are dismissed to join the others in the kitchen. I must guide our new supplicant to the chapel and see her started on her penance. You will serve our morning meal after I finish here and am seated in the refectory”

The two sisters bowed then hurried away.

“Mother Superior, will my saddle bags be returned to me?”

“Do not worry yourself, Lady MacFearann. The bags will be returned to you when your penance is done, and you are assigned a cell.” The gaze above her toothy grin was guileful.

As they spoke together, dozens of black-robed nuns hurried past. Evidently no one wanted to miss a meal.

Mother Superior nodded at each woman who passed.

Some distance behind hurried a single novice.

“You!” the abbess bellowed and pointed at the novice. “Come here!”

She ran to stand before the abbess.

The abbess wrapped the rosary around her hand, fitting the crucifix into her palm so the golden arms and stem poked out between her fingers.

“Why are you running? You know that is forbidden.” The abbess’s tone had become dulcet, but her narrowed eyes gleamed.

She’s anticipating something that will please her .

The novice kept her head bowed. “I... I am sorry, Mother Superior. I was late and forgot. I promise it will not happen again.”

“Indeed, it will not,” cooed the abbess. “For I shall give you something to help you remember. Now look at me.”

The novice lifted her head.

Seona had never seen an expression of such abject fear.

The abbess backhanded the novice. The stem and arms of the cross tore the skin of the girl’s face. The force of the blow knocked her to her knees.

“Please, Mother Superior, no more,” the novice begged.

“Very well. However, you will go hungry this day. Now walk to your cell. Once there and on your knees, repeat the Ave Maria one hundred times. Then remain kneeling until I come to help you into bed.”

Seona saw tears brim in the girl’s eyes, but the novice made no sound as she followed the abbess’s orders.

When the courtyard was empty once more, the abbess strode off, pulling Seona along with her.

The pain of the woman’s punishing grip compelled Seona to move her feet.

What other options did she have? Seona knew that the bedchambers in abbeys were called cells, but knowing that did not prevent her from imagining chains and manacles as part of her room’s furnishings.

As distraction, she carefully noted all she could see.

The courtyard where they walked was surrounded on all four sides by walls five floors in height. From the tiny windows on the upper levels she assumed the walls formed one side of a series of rooms. How many nuns lived here?

The chapel was small compared with the other structures. The roof rose only to the height of the first level of windows. A bell tower topped the building. Its spire ended near to the third level. The bells had long since fallen silent.

“Open the door for your Mother Superior, supplicant,” the abbess ordered.

The large portals of oak were heavy, and the hinges squealed. Obviously care of the convent buildings was not a priority with the abbess.

Inside the chapel was dim and cool. Although candles cast some light, the stone floor offered no warmth.

Indeed, a chilly dampness seeped through the soles of Seona’s boots.

The single room was completely bare of any benches or other furniture.

At the far end a man-sized crucifix hung on the wall. Before it stood the communion table.

The altar was dressed with a gleaming white samite cloth embroidered in gold thread.

Holding the cloth in place were two aureate candle holders as tall as a man’s arm was long and as thick as a large man’s clenched fist. Each held a large wax column topped with flame.

The color and scent of the pure white candles revealed them to be made of highest quality beeswax.

A carved wooden rail separated the altar from the rest of the room. A small opening divided the rail into two sections. Clearly that was where a priest would stand when giving the Eucharist.

The abbess approached that space. When they arrived, she stepped aside, releasing her grip on Seona’s arm and leaving her outside the railing.

“Lie with your face to the floor here.” She pointed at the area in front of the break in the rail.

Seona did as ordered. She would have preferred a different penance, but the idea was to gain Mother Eadburgh’s trust. Though she strongly suspected that would no longer be possible, thanks to Lady Staunton.

Nonetheless, she must act out this play, if she was to learn for certain that she had been betrayed.

“Now spread your arms out.”

Seona complied again. The cold from the stones already had her shivering.

“This is the position our lord Christ had when he was hung on the cross. Contemplate that and the fact that he died to save sinners like yourself, Lady MacFearann.” The woman practically sneered the words. Gone was the polite measured speech of the Mother Superior’s greeting.