Lady Abbess had asked for a meeting in her own chamber. Her
room, at the end of the long, dark hallway, past a number of smaller rooms, was
larger than Emily’s but more simple. No fireplace cheered the darkness and one
small window slit pierced through a corner, letting in a bit of light.
Everildis sat in a large chair partly made out of leather.
She had a small table, on which was laid a quill pen and some pieces of
parchment. One small cross was on the bare walls. Emily could not see a bed,
but in one corner, a mat was rolled up. Everilidis lived the life of an
ascetic.
“Are you quite comfortable, Emily?” The Abbess asked
quietly. Her large blue eyes again startled Emily. “Yes, Lady Abbess. I am
comfortable and well, but homesick for my own people and my own times, a bit.”
“Today, I have arranged for you to attend Mass and also, if
you can manage the Latin, or our language, which you are obviously learning to
use well, you may go to Confession. I have spoken with the priest and he will
be glad to see you. You know his name I think.”
Emily perked up. Was she going to meet the famous St. Wilfrid? She could hardly contain her interest.
“Thank you, Lady Abbess.”
“I want to speak with you about your situation, my dear. It
seems to me, as I believe that nothing is an accident, and that you are here
for a reason. If you stay or if you go back to your own people and times, God
is in charge. I hope you can trust that truth.”
Emily choked back tears. Yes, she could trust God. And, here
were good people, very good people, of her own faith, practicing this faith as
all Catholics of all ages had done for over 2,000 years. She was not in totally
strange surroundings. After all, she was only a mile or so from her home in
Everingham.
“I do not understand any of this, Lady Abbess, and although
I am a bit afraid, I do trust in God and in you.”
Lady Abbess smiled. She got up and brought Emily’s handbag
and her clothes over to the young woman. “I am returning these things to
you. We cleaned your clothes, but you
must know that you cannot wear these things, except for the understhings, while
you are here. You would be considered, well, a loose woman. I know you
understand. But, would you like to explain a few of these strange toys to me? I
am interested and see no harm in the explanations.”
For a half-hour, Emily defined cosmetics, wallets, identity
and credit cards, insurance card, driver’s licenses, keys to her flat, keys to
her car, photographs, tissues, and the magical cell phone. Lady Abbess was
intrigued, but Emily knew that she was really watching her, rather than
primarily interested in the things. But, one thing did create interest in the
Lady Abbess. This was Emily’s rosary. When Emily explained what the rosary was
and how it had been revealed by the Queen of Heaven herself, Lady Abbess knelt
on the dirt floor and kissed the rosary in Emily’s hand. “Your people are,
indeed blessed. You have so many gifts from God and His Mother to help you to
heaven. Just think, to pray on such jewelry. What a gift!”
Emily felt a bit ashamed. She did not always say her daily
rosary. She reflected on Lady Abbess’ reaction.
Just then, a little bell, like a cow bell, rang. Everildis
stood up and told Emily it was time to go to the chapel for Mass and
Confession. Emily followed the Abbess into the large chapel. To her surprise,
it was crowded with about eighty people, men, women, including the nuns in the
choir, and children. Then, Emily realized it was Sunday.
Suddenly, Emily felt totally at home. Here, in the centuries
before England
Emily noticed that many of the people waited for her to come
in and kneel in a special place set aside for her in the choir. Then, she
remembered that she was wearing the clothes of a princess. She looked at the
floor, humbled by their deference. This unknown, unpopular and failing journalist
was being honored as a relative of the Abbess.
Mass started and Emily was happily surprised that the entire
set of prayers were in Latin, Only the blessing at the end was in Anglo-Saxon,
and, of course, the sermon, which was on the Gospel of the day, and the
Epistle, the second from II Corinthians 3;4-9 and the first from Luke 10:23-27.
Emily could not follow the entire sermon, as her Old English had been primarily
literary and not full of the colloquialism and quaintness of daily speech. But,
she knew that the long heritage of the Catholic Church had its foundations in
little congregations such as this one on Bishop’s Hill.
After Mass, where Emily was not offered Communion, the
priest came up and took Emily out of the choir into the sacristy, a very small
room to the left of the altar. He then indicated that she should begin her
Confession. This would be the strangest Confession Emily ever made, an odd
mixture of Latin and Anglo-Saxon. Later, the Abbess would tell Emily that the
priest realized he was listening to a highly educated young woman. “She would
be of great use to this monastery, for record keeping, and for the archives.”
Wilfrid and Everildis began to perceive a plan of God.
The midday dinner was the largest of the week, with meat and
fish, and to Emily’s surprise, the entire congregation was in attendance. Long
tables of food were set outside near the flower beds, and the families were fed
along with the priest.
Emily ate with the nuns inside, in the small
refractory. She wondered why she had
been requested to eat with them. Their diet, although consisting of meat and
fish, as well as bread and ale, was less food than was being served outside.
Emily loved the sounds of the children and the endless talk of the people of
God. But, most of all, she loved the silence.
But, she was tired, very tired. Lady Abbess noticed this and
instructed Mary Wuldreda and Mary Bega to escort Emily back to her own little
room. Emily had to admit that she was grateful for the bed and for the small
basin of water for washing herself. There was no soap, but some long green
plants which were used to scrub the skin before rinsing with warm, scented
water.
Emily smiled as she washed, which she had done daily here,
at the modern false idea that the Anglo-Saxons never washed. She was surrounded
by rather modern standards of hygiene, but then, she recalled, some of her
carers were descended from those who created Bath
The young woman fell asleep quickly, as the two nuns began
Evening prayer. Emily could hear them sing a simple, gentle song dedicated to
Mary. She thought the words were those of the Magnificat. Emily fell into a
deep sleep and the last thing she remembered were the nuns changing her into
her own clothes. How strange.
But, the reason for this was immediately clear when Emily
woke up in a small room behind the chemist on the high street in Everingham.
She was truly startled and upset. But, there was Mary and Dave, and her doctor,
Doctor More. Emily tried to get her bearings, but all she could do was cry.
Mary bent over her. “We are going to take you to the
hospital, but the bleeding has stopped. You just need a check up, I think. Come
with us. Can you stand?” The two friends took her to hospital, where she was
diagnosed with a slight cut and a concussion.
Hours later, Emily was at Mary and Dave’s house, which was
strewn with boxes. Emily could not talk. She drank hot tea and at a biscuit.
Mary explained the change of their plans. “Dave’s company
changed their mind. They want him to stay here and have helped us to find a
house, as we had ended our contract. We are going to stay here after all.
Aren’t you glad? We are.”
Emily looked down at the table. She could not drink her tea
as offered. She was full of distress and a strange longing.
“Are you OK, Emily? You look so sad and you have not said a
word.”
Mary stared at Emily. “I am sorry, Mary, but I have had a
strange experience and I need to rest and just think. By the way, I need to
phone the office.”
Mary handed Emily her phone. Emily stared at it. “It is past
hours, but Jack will be there.”
Emily pushed the speed dial, and Jack answered. “This is
Emily. I just want to tell you that I quit. I am going to do something else.
What it is, I do not know. Send me my last check. Goodbye.” Jack said
something, but Emily did not listen. She hung up.
Mary stared at Emily. Then she smiled. “Well, I am glad you
quit. You were too good for that place. But, what is this ‘other’ stuff? You
have never said this before?’
Emily finished her tea. “I am really tired. Can I rest now?
I can tell you later, not now.”
Mary apologized, as she had forgotten that Emily still was
suffering from the concussion, and said that Dave had made up a room on this
ground floor for her. “And, here is your handbag. But, there is something
really odd sticking out of it. Did you stop at the health food store before you
were hit? This looks like a herbal drink and a scarf.” Emily took the small green glass bottle.
“What a strange bottle, like something from ancient Rome
Emily took the green bottle and opened it up. Inside was the
drink the nuns had given her for days. This dose was “one for the road”. ‘I am not sure of the name, but it works. I
have taken this before.”
Mary helped Emily into the small living room which had been
set up for her as a temporary bedroom. “I am so sorry for the mess, but you
know we move in a short time. But, you can stay with us as long as you need to
do so. Do you need anything else?”
Emily thought of her large nightly goblet of ale and herbs.
She missed the soothing hot drink. She smiled, “No, I am fine.”
As she lay in the front room, Emily made up her mind about
something. She would try and get back to the monastery of Everildis. She
realized that she felt so much more at home there than here. But, how would she
get back? And, why was she back in 2014? Why did any of this happen, to her, to
a no one?
To be continued…