“Aye, I agree. What lesson does it teach us?”
Freya considered for a moment. “Words are cheap,” she said at last. “Words are nice, but they mean nothing if they aren’t backed up by actions.”
The Abbess nodded. “A shrewd observation. Now. What is it ye wanted to ask me.”
Freya drew in a breath. “First of all, I don’t think it’s fair that Kyla should be punished alongside me. She says that she was responsible for me, but I’m a grown woman and should bear responsibility for my own mistakes.”
The Abbess eyed her closely. “That’s very generous of ye. Are ye saying that if I released Kyla from her chores now, and set her to something more pleasant, ye would be happy to finish the dining room floor on yer own?”
There was alotof floor to clean. But Freya tilted up her chin and met the Abbess’ eye.
“Aye, I would.”
It was clearly the right answer. The Abbess gave an approving nod.
“It will be done, then. Is there anything else?”
“Yes, there is,” Freya felt her pulse quickening. Should she have mentioned this first, or would she have lost the nerve to ask about Kyla’s release from extra chores? “I’m concerned about Brendan.”
The Abbess shot her a sharp, unreadable look. “Oh?”
“He walked me home and kept me safe after the commotion two nights ago,” Freya confessed. “He was kind. And that meant he was left to walk back alone, with soldiers swarming over the town. I… I haven’t heard from him since. I’ve asked around, and he’s not been to the convent to make any deliveries. Two daysisn’t a long time, but I have a bad feeling. I’m a little concerned that something might have happened to him.”
The Abbess considered this, a frown appearing between her brows.
“I have noticed Brendan’s absence,” she confessed. “In these dangerous times, it’s impossiblenotto worry. However, two days is not a long time, and he is not tied to the convent. I will make inquiries.”
Was that all? Freya blinked up at the woman, waiting for something else. The Abbess threw a shrewd look at her.
“I sense ye are not pleased with this,” she remarked idly. “What else would ye have me do?”
“Go to his home. Check on him.”
“I do not know where he lives. And Brendan is a private man. I know he does not care for folks to know where he lives. He does not much like visitors. He’s cut himself off from the world.”
“Butwhy?” Freya asked, the question coming out before she could stop herself.
They walked in silence for a few moments, the Abbess looking straight ahead. She had just resigned herself to not receiving an answer when the woman spoke again.
“It is easy to make judgements and jump to conclusions when we look at the lives of others,” she remarked, almost to herself. “An easymistake. I don’t consider myself privy to the secrets of even those closest to me, and nor should ye, Freya.”
She flushed at this gentle rebuke, but pressed on. “A secret shared is a secret halved, though, aye?”
“Very true. But who chooses whether to share that secret or not? Is it not the one who holds the secret?”
Freya bit her lip and said nothing. She had a feeling that the Abbess knew more than she was letting on. It didn’t matter, though, because she had no intention of sharing what she knew.
“I understand,” Freya managed at last.
The Abbess narrowed her eyes at her. “Ye are very meek all of a sudden, Freya.”
She tried to look innocent, and the Abbess chuckled, shaking her head. They had almost reached the study, and Freya could already hear the murmuring of nuns inside, waiting for the meeting to begin. The Abbess paused, turning to face Freya.
“Was there anything else ye wanted to ask me?”
Freya only hesitated for a moment. “Senga. She’s been here for years, but doesn’t take vows to become a nun. Why not?”
The Abbess tilted her head. “Ye must know I’m not going to tell ye that, lassie.”
