“Without your prayers?” said Cadfael.
“Have I said so?”
“Father,” said Cadfael, “it is written in theRule that the brother who by his own wrong choice has left themonastery may be received again, even to the third time, at aprice. Even penance ends when you shall say: It isenough!”
Chapter Two
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The day of the council at Coventry was fixed asthe last day of November. Before that date there had been certainevidences that the prospect of agreement and peace was by no meansuniversally welcome, and there were powerful interests ready andwilling to wreck it. Philip FitzRobert had seized and held prisonerReginald FitzRoy, another of the empress’s half-brothers andEarl of Cornwall, though the earl was his kinsman, on theempress’s business, and bearing the king’s safeconduct. The fact that Stephen ordered the earl’s release onhearing of it, and was promptly and correctly obeyed, did notlessen the omen. “If that’s his mind,” saidCadfael to Hugh, the day they heard of it, “he’ll nevercome to Coventry.”
“Ah, but he will,” said Hugh. “He’llcome to drop all manner of caltrops under the feet of all those whotalk peace. Better and more effective within than without. Andhe’ll come, from all that I can make of him, to confront hisfather brow to brow, since he’s taken so bitter a rageagainst him. Oh, Philip will be there.” He regarded hisfriend with searching eyes; a face he could usually read clearly,but its grey gravity made him a little uneasy now. “And you?Do you really intend to go with me? At the risk of trespassing toofar for return? You know I would do your errand for you gladly. Ifthere’s word to be had there of Olivier, I will uncover it.No need for you to stake what I know you value as your lifeitself.”