Read Brother Cadfael 12: The Raven in the Foregate for Free Online

the chapped hands that would surely make their usual January appearance among the copyists and illuminators in the scriptorium. There would be coughs and colds, too, no doubt, later on, and now was the right time to prepare such of his medicines as would keep through the winter.
    When it was almost time to clear away his impedimenta and prepare for Vespers he went out to see how his acolyte was faring. No one likes to be watched at his work, especially if he comes raw to the practice, and maybe a thought sensitive about his lack of skill and experience. Cadfael was impressed by the great surge the young man had made down the formidable butt of ground. His rows were straight, clearly he had a good eye. His cut appeared to be deep, by the rich black of the upturned tilth. True, he had somewhat sprayed soil over the border paths, but he had also ferreted out a twig broom from the shed, and was busy brushing back the spilled earth to where it belonged. He looked up a little defensively at Cadfael, flicking a glance towards the spade he had left lying.
    "I've blunted the iron edge against a stone," he said, and dropped his broom to up-end the spade and run his fingers gingerly along the metal rim that bound the wood. "I'll hammer it out fine before I leave it. There's a hammer in the shed there, and your water trough has a good wide rim to the stone. Though I was aiming at two rows more before the light goes."
    "Son," said Cadfael heartily, "you've already done more than ever I expected of you. As for the spade, that edge has been replaced three times at least since the tool was made, and I know well enough it's due for a fourth sheathing very soon. If you think it will do yet a while, at least to finish this task, then beat it out again by all means, but then put it away, and wash, and come to Vespers."
    Benet looked up from the dented edge, suddenly aware of cautious praise, and broke into the broadest and most unguarded grin Cadfael could ever recall seeing, and the speckled, limpid light blazed up in his trout-stream eyes.
    "I'll do, then?" he said, between simple pleasure and subtle impudence, flushed and exhilarated with his own energy; and added with unwary honesty: "I've hardly had a spade in my hands before."
    "Now that," said Cadfael, straight-faced, and eyeing with interest the form and trim of the hands that jutted a little too far from the outgrown sleeves, "that I never would have suspected."
    "I've worked mostly with -" Benet began in slight haste.
    " ... with horses. Yes, I know! Well, you match today's effort tomorrow, and tomorrow's the next day, and yes, you'll do."
    Cadfael went to Vespers with his mind's eye full of the jaunty figure of his new labourer, striding away to beat out the dented iron edge of the spade into even sharpness, and his ears were still stretched to catch the whistled tune, certainly not liturgical in character, to which Benet's large young feet in their scuffed shoes and borrowed pattens kept time.
    "Father Ailnoth was installed in his cure this morning," said Cadfael, coming fresh from the induction on the second day. "You didn't want to attend?"
    "I?" Benet straightened up over his spade in ingenuous surprise. "No, why should I? I've got my work here, he can take care of his without any help from me. I hardly knew the man until we set off to come here. Why, did all go well?"
    "Yes - oh, yes, all went well. His sermon was perhaps a little harsh on poor sinners," said Cadfael, doubtfully pondering. "No doubt he wanted to begin by showing his zeal at the outset. The rein can always be slackened later, when priest and people come to know each other better, and know where they stand. It's never easy for a younger man and a stranger to follow one old and accustomed. The old shoe comforts, the new pinches. But given time enough, the new comes to be the old, and fits as gently."
    It seemed that Benet had very quickly developed the ability to read between lines where his new master was concerned.