The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett [214]
That frisson of fear gave her extra strength. With a mighty heave she moved the stone an inch or two. It covered a hole about a foot deep. She managed to move the stone a little farther. Inside the hole was a wide leather belt. She put her hand in and drew the belt out.
“There!” she said aloud. “I’ve got it.” It gave her great satisfaction to think that she had defeated the dishonest priest and retrieved her father’s money. Then, as she stood up, she realized that her victory was qualified: the belt felt suspiciously light. She unfastened the end and tipped out the coins. There were only ten of them. Ten bezants were worth a pound of silver.
What had happened to the rest? Father Ralph had spent it! She became enraged again. Her father’s money was all she had in the world and a thieving priest had taken four fifths of it. She marched out of the church, swinging the belt. On the street, a passerby looked startled when he caught her eye, as if there was something odd about her expression. She took no notice and went into the priest’s house.
Richard was standing over Father Ralph, with his sword at the priest’s throat. As Aliena came through the door she screamed: “Where’s the rest of my father’s money?”
“Gone,” the priest whispered.
She knelt by his head and put her knife to his face. “Gone where?”
“I spent it,” he confessed in a voice hoarse with fear.
Aliena wanted to stab him, or beat him, or throw him into a river; but none of it would do any good. He was telling the truth. She looked at the overturned barrel: a drinking man could get through a great deal of beer. She felt as if she might explode with frustration. “I’d cut off your ear if I could sell it for a penny,” she hissed at him. He looked as if he thought she might cut it off anyway.
Richard said anxiously: “He’s spent the money. Let’s take what we’ve got and go.”
He was right, Aliena realized reluctantly. Her anger began to evaporate, leaving behind a residue of bitterness. There was nothing to be gained by frightening the priest any more, and the longer they stayed, the more chance there was that someone would come in and cause trouble. She stood up. “All right,” she said. She put the gold coins back in the belt and buckled it around her waist beneath her cloak. She pointed a finger at the priest. “I may come back one day and kill you,” she spat.
She went out.
She strode away along the narrow street. Richard caught up with her, hurrying. “You were wonderful, Allie!” he said excitedly. “You scared him half to death—and you got the money!”
She nodded. “Yes, I did,” she said sourly. She was still tense, but now that her fury had abated she felt deflated and unhappy.
“What shall we buy?” he said eagerly.
“Just a little food for our journey.”
“Shan’t we buy horses?”
“Not with a pound.”
“Still, we could get you some boots.”
She considered that. The clogs tortured her but the ground was too cold for bare feet. However, boots were expensive and she was reluctant to spend the money so quickly. “No,” she decided. “I’ll live a few more days without boots. We’ll keep the money for now.”
He was disappointed, but he did not dispute her authority. “What food shall we get?”
“Horsebread, hard cheese and wine.”
“Let’s get some pies.”
“They cost too much.”
“Oh.” He was silent for a moment, then he said: “You’re awfully grumpy, Allie.”
Aliena sighed. “I know.” She thought: Why do I feel this way? I should be proud. I brought us here from the castle, I defended my brother, I found my father, I got our money.
Yes, and I stuck a knife into a fat man’s belly, and made my brother kill him, and I held a burning stick to a priest’s face, and I was ready to put his eyes out.
“Is it because of Father?” said Richard sympathetically.
“No, it’s not,” Aliena replied.