She slipped on a robe, walked to the bathroom down the hall, and showered, hoping the water could rinse away some of her anxiety.
But it had no effect.
She returned to her room and dressed in her habit. The order had long ago abandoned the white-sleeved tunic, scapular, and stiff coif of a headdress. No floor-length black dresses or rosary belts either. Instead, inside the convent they wore plain gray smocks, simple low-heeled shoes, with a matching gray veil that showed their hair and face. Outside the convent, though, they dressed as needed for the particular situation.
Like tonight.
She sat on the edge of her bed and stared at the laptop. Her mind and body felt dull and heavy. For so long she抎 basked in the halo of confidence that success generated in the young. But her luck ran out tonight. She抎 warned the abbess. Told her, and the other maidens, that this was not worth the risk. Now there was Sister Rachel抯 sacrifice to weigh.
But how much of a sacrifice had it been?
She stood and left her room, navigating the halls to the convent抯 inner chapel. The building was deserted. It was time for nightly prayers in the outside main church. Inside the dimly lit chapel, an older woman knelt in one of the pews, hands folded underneath her chin. Claire crossed herself and knelt too, praying for forgiveness, but all her effort brought was the unaccustomed dampness of renewed grief to her eyes. The older woman stopped praying and turned to face her.
揥hat happened??the older woman asked in French.
揝ister Rachel has been taken. She might even have been killed or injured.?
And she told her what happened.
揟he abbess must be informed.?
揟his is her fault,?she said.
揔eep your opinions to yourself.?
She glared at the older woman. 揑 don抰 need any lessons on my duty.?
揑 would hope not.?
揟his entire thing was unnecessary. And you know it.?
揑 know nothing, other than what a majority of the maidens wants. As should you too. What of the main objectives??
揂ccomplished. It抯 Sister Rachel who needs our help.?
揟hat抯 a decision for the abbess.?
She knew this woman was nearing eighty, a maiden for nearly sixty years and a former abbess, now retired. Once a capable guardian, like so many other women who抎 come before her, now she lived here in seclusion and safety, enjoying a hard-earned rest, far away from the realities to the south.
She was curious. 揇id you ever have to deal with death??
揙nce.?
She knew that in the time leading up to and including World War II, there抎 been several fatalities within the order. Ever since, though, she抎 always believed that things had remained relatively calm. But this woman was speaking of a time long after the war.
揑 was unaware,?she told her elder.
揟here is much you do not know.?The older woman laid a hand on her shoulder, the small appendage shaking with a slight palsy, worry lines heavy on her face. 揥e all believe that you will one day be abbess. You are a devoted guardian. But please don抰 forget your vows.?
None of that mattered at the moment.
Only Sister Rachel.
So she bowed her head.
And prayed.
Chapter 7
Bernat considered himself an experienced, worldly man with an infinite capacity for patience. But the sight of the bound priest swept waves of revulsion through him. And not for the older man抯 predicament. No. His thoughts were with the victims of this sexual predator. He抎 spoken the truth when he抎 told Tallard why they抎 come.
For justice.
揥aterboarding was one of the most common tortures employed by the Spanish Inquisition during the fifteenth century,?he said. 揟his has never been a secret. It is attested to by reams of letters, debates, manuals of instruction, and copious records of trials that include verbatim accounts of the torture sessions. I personally have read some of those in the historical archives of Spain. But it was not invented there. Since the thirteenth century it had been widely used by European civil and ecclesiastical courts. Unlike the Americans in the twenty-first century who wanted to label it 慹nhanced interrogation,?it is clearly torture梐nd was meant to be that from the start.?
Tallard抯 eyes were wild with fear.
揟he Holy Roman Church used it extensively here, in the Languedoc, when the Inquisition came after the Albigensian Crusade. And they were quite methodical with its application. When ready, the inquisitors and a recording secretary adept at speed writing would gather in a chamber. Everything that happened was written down. Sort of the electronic recording of its day. But unlike today, back then an attending doctor could rule the accused unfit to be tortured and order the procedure stopped.?He paused. 揙f course, that rarely occurred.?