Cadfael straightened his back and mopped the sweat from a tonsured scalpburned to the colour of a ripe hazel-nut; and there was Brother Oswald thealmoner bustling along the path towards him, with skirts flapping, andpropelling before him by the shoulder a boy of about sixteen, in the coarsebrown cotte and short summer hose of the countryside, barelegged but verydecently shod in leather, and altogether looking carefully scrubbed and neatfor a special occasion. The boy went where he was directed, and kept his eyeslowered with nervous meekness. Another family taking care to put its childrenout of reach of being pressed for either side, thought Cadfael, and small blameto them.
“Brother Cadfael, I think you have need of a helper, and here is ayoungster who says he’s not afraid of hard work. A good woman of the townhas brought him in to the porter, and asked that he be taken and taught as alay servant. Her nephew from Hencot, she says, and his parents dead.There’s a year’s endowment with him. Prior Robert has given leaveto take him, and there’s room in the boys’ dortoir. He’llattend school with the novices, but he’ll not take vows unless he himselfcomes to wish it. What do you say, will you have him?”
Cadfael looked the boy over with interest, but said yes without hesitation,glad enough to be offered someone young, able-bodied and willing. The lad wasslenderly built, but vigorous and firm on his feet, and moved with a spring. Helooked up warily from under a cropped tangle of brown curls, and his eyes werelong-lashed and darkly blue, very shrewd and bright. He was behaving himselfmeekly and decorously, but he did not look intimidated.