The Sins of the Fathers

Chapter Eighteen

Ellington Manor

Meadvale

Surrey

Nigel Brown, his grace the Bishop of Meadvale, married Diane Walker to Harrison Slade in the chapel at Ellington Manor. Bishop Osborne gave her away, as he was her legal guardian as her employer, and Caroline Blackstone was her matron of honour. Hugh Blackstone stood as Harrison's best man, and the Osborne boys and their wives were the only guests, other than the twelve nuns from the Chapter House, standing in the choir stalls, their little mittens clipped to the pew rail, as always. It was hardly the big day Diane had dreamt of as a child and the preparations for it had almost killed her, thanks to Miss Bryant, but as the words were said and Harrison kissed her gently on the lips, waves of relief swirled around inside of her as she realised that she was finally safe. Her husband took her arm, and they were asked to sit down, so that Bishop Osborne could say a few choice words and bless their union in his own inimitable style.

"Family and friends...Sisters...this is a joyous occasion...one that reminds me of an old Chinese proverb," Sebastian Osborne said, before launching into the passage of Mandarin that he had been practising for a week, learning it phonetically by rote, concentrating on his pronunciation. He said it twice, ignoring the bemused look on the faces of Nigel Brown and the ladies, before returning to his own language. "Marriage before God is a blessing in itself and an unbreakable union no man can put asunder...Harrison has sworn to protect Diane for God, before God...a solemn responsibility we should all take seriously...our faith obligates the husband to shield the wife from sin and keep her from temptation..."

Which was the cue, Hugh Blackstone realised, tensing as he scanned the choir stalls, if the good bishop had got his lines right. And then the third Sister from the left, in the front row of two, slumped forwards over the rail in what looked like a dead faint. "Don't fret Sisters please...Dr Blackstone, could you..."

"Of course, your grace...if you could unclip her mittens, I can take her through into the sitting room to examine her?"

"Sebastian...the keeper should..." Nigel Brown began, but Harrison Slade cut in.

"Your grace, Hugh Blackstone is a doctor...he has a legal responsibility to preserve life in any circumstances...it is quite proper?"

"Of course...but she is a nun?" Brown stammered, obviously shocked as Bellamy Osborne helped Blackstone lift the unconscious nun out of the stall and carry her quickly out of the chapel.

"I shall report it, Nigel...but Mr Slade is quite right, outside of consecrated ground, he is obliged to treat her just like any other patient...come to the office with me and we'll do it together...Joshua, can you release the keeper and get her to return the other Sisters to the Chapter House...the rest of you, there is a buffet in the main drawing room...we'll join you in a few moments?"

Blackstone put Caris down and pushed her into a chair, before lifting up her veil, just to confirm it was her, whilst Deacon located her codes on Bishop Osborne's remote. Harrison Slade checked the recording equipment, as Blackstone took her pulse.

"I was acting Sir?" Caris said quietly, nervously, not exactly sure what was going on, and not keen on being uncovered before men.

"Oh, yes...you got the message, obviously?" Blackstone said, letting go of her wrist.

"His grace needs to work on...well, everything really? But I understood him?"

"Caris...I am Pan Deacon from the United Nations Human Rights Secretariate and I don't have long...you don't have long...I need to ask you a question that I think Bishop Osborne failed to ask you properly last time, and you rather fudged...why were you beaten up so badly before you were transferred here from the Priory?"