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officer of a secular court to investigate and hold an inquest for our brother s death. I will send one of the monks to examine the body, if that would allay your fears that the death might be questionable, but there is no doubt that Brother Rupert died a natural death. He was an aged man. Surely, God must have called him.
     
    "I did the preliminary examination with the aid of Sister Anne."
     
    "What!" The prior rose halfway out of his chair, his face as pale as his wispy hair. "This was not proper for.
     
    "Prior Theobald, as you well know, I am in charge of this priory and such actions are within my responsibility. A dead mans body is hardly a shock or a temptation to sin." She raised her hand as the old man opened his mouth. "Nor am I ignorant of the differences between bull and cow. Indeed, Brother Rupert did not die of age, he..."
     
    The prior flapped his hand in the air as he eased himself back into his chair. "Disease of the lungs. Of course. Not uncommon here, but I was unaware he was so afflicted. Although I may have heard him coughing..." He glanced tentatively at the towering and well-fleshed monk standing beside him. Brother Simeon smiled down at Theobald with obsequious agreement.
     
    Frustrated with the prior s inability to listen long enough to hear her out, Eleanor dropped all attempts to soften the news. "His lungs were not at issue. He was stabbed and castrated." She sat back in her chair, raised her eyes, and waited for the expected reaction, but the taste in her mouth was bitter.
     
    "Castr...castrated?" Prior Theobald's voice shifted up an octave in shock. He pulled his cross over his heart. "Brother Simeon! Why was I not told that Brother Rupert was troubled with such lust? Why was he not brought to me for prayer and counseling?" His voice cracked.
     
    Eleanor blinked at this unexpected interpretation and looked over at Sister Ruth with hope that she might have some understanding to give to her. The nun looked away but not before Eleanor saw that her face was bright red.
     
    Simeon smiled without humor and showed a few gaps in his yellowed front teeth.
     
    "Surely, my lord, you remember when I mentioned my concern over his, shall we say, unusual attachment to..." he nodded in Eleanor's direction and lowered his voice "...our revered Prioress Felicia? However, since her death, I assumed, in your wisdom, you had..."
     
    Eleanor muttered a short prayer under her breath for the renewal of a patience she was quickly losing, then snapped. "Prior, he did not castrate himself. It was done to him. After death. A knife in the chest killed him, Sister Anne believes, but the blade was broken off..."
     
    His face scarlet, Theobald leaned toward her. "How could you..."
     
    Eleanor was about to tell him exactly how and why she could when a gentle rapping at the chamber door stopped her.
     
    Theobald jerked upright in his chair. "Yes?" He squealed as his elbow hit the edge of his chair.
     
    When Brother Andrew emerged from the doorway, he looked at the expressions of those in the chamber, then backed up and ever so slowly reached behind him to feel for the door. He gently pushed it shut before continuing. "My lord, the priest we have been expecting has arrived," he said. "He is a young man as you hoped. What shall I do with him?"
     
    Brother Simeon's face softened as he bent to Theobald's ear and put his hand reassuringly on the prior's shoulders. "I suggest you bring him in to us here first, my lord. As a young
     
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    man, surely he would have the energy to take over all a priest's responsibilities with the hospital and nuns. And, perhaps, he might help our prioress settle this matter of our poor brother's death in an expeditious fashion."
     
    Theobald exhaled as if he had been holding his breath and relaxed in his chair. "My thoughts exactly," he said. "Bring him in, Brother Andrew."
     
    Eleanor raised her hand. "Just a moment, brother."
     
    The monk stopped in mid-step,