Brother Cadfael 19: The Holy Thief by Ellis Peters

was need of it, and we were heartily thankful. But no use looking further afield until we've looked close at home, and made sure no over-zealous idiot has put the lady away somewhere safely and mislaid her. We've asked of every soul within the walls, better consult these last two, or we might stop short of the simple answer."
    "Ask whatever you will," said Eudo simply. "You'll find them both across in the stable or the carthouse. And I wish you might get your easy answer, but I doubt it. They hauled the wood down there, and loaded it, and came home, and I recall Gregory did tell me what was going on in the church, and how high the water was come in the nave. But nothing besides. But try him!"
    Secure among his own people, Eudo felt no need to watch or listen what might come to light, but went back practically to the bellows, and the ring of the smith's hammer resumed, and followed Cadfael across the yard to the wide-open door of the carthouse.
    They were both within, wheeling the light cart by its shafts back into a corner, the warmth of the horse they had just unharnessed still hanging in the air about them. Square-built, muscular men both, and weatherbeaten from outdoor living in all seasons, with a good twenty years between them, so that they might have been father and son. Most men of these local villages, tied to the soil by villeinage but also by inclination, and likely to marry within a very few miles' radius, tended to have a close clan resemblance and a strong clan loyalty. The Welsh strain kept them short, wiry and durable, and of independent mind.
    They greeted him civilly, without surprise; in the past year or two he had been an occasional visitor, and grown into a welcome one. But when he had unfolded what was required from them, they shook their heads doubtfully, and sat down without haste on the shafts of the cart to consider.
    "We brought the cart down before it darkened," said the elder then, narrowing his eyes to look back through the week of labour and leisure between, "but it was a black bitch of a day even at noon. We'd started shifting the load over to the abbey wagon, when the sub-prior comes out between the graves to the gate, and says, lads, lend us a hand to put the valuables inside high and dry, for it's rising fast."
    "Sub-Prior Richard?" said Cadfael. "You're sure it was he?"
    "Sure as can be, him I do know, and it was not so dark then. Lambert here will tell you the same. So in we went, and set to, bundling up the hangings and lifting out the chests as he told us, and putting them where we were directed, up in the loft over the barn there, and some over the porch in Cynric's place. It was dim inside there, and the brothers all darting about carrying coffers and candlesticks and crosses, and half the lamps ran out of oil, or got blown out with the doors open. As soon as the nave seemed to be clear we got out, and went back to loading the wood."
    "Aldhelm went back in," said the young man Lambert, who had done no more than nod his head in endorsement until now.
    "Aldhelm?" questioned Cadfael.
    "He came down to help us out," explained Gregory. "He has a half yardland by Preston, and works with the sheep at the manor of Upton."
    So there was one more yet before the job could be considered finished. And not today, thought Cadfael, calculating the hours left to him.
    "This Aldhelm was in and out of the church like you? And went back in at the last moment?"
    "One of the brothers caught him by the sleeve and haled him back to help move some last thing," said Gregory indifferently. "We were off to the cart and shifting logs by then, all I know is someone called him, and he turned back. It was not much more than a moment or two. When we got the next load between us to the abbey wagon and slung it aboard, he was there by the wheel to help us hoist it in and settle it. And the monk was off to the church again. He called back goodnight to us."
    "But he had come out to the road with your man?" persisted