The priest walks around the cluttered work table, drags a finger down its surface and holds it up for inspection. He scowls and wipes it on his cassock, walks slowly up the stairs to the kitchen. He stands before her, hands clasped behind him.
“Listen, daughter. I came to speak to your husband about his reputation. I do not carry gossip, for I care nothing for the chattering of such birds. No, I speak of his professional reputation. Under normal circumstances I would never trouble a wife with my concern, but you and I enjoy a certain confidence gained by your life in the Church. I say to you in all candor: your husband is on the verge of losing his good name, if he has in fact not lost it already. My errand today was to offer him opportunity to right the harms his dalliance have caused the Church. It could be considered a commission. On the other hand, it might be considered a penance as well, for I cannot offer much in the way of financial compensation. It is a chance. Perhaps it is a last chance. So, my daughter, I ask you this: will you not approach your husband with my offer?”
This is an excerpt from a novel in progress about Marie of the Incarnation and her mission to New France in the 1640s.
Intriguing excerpt. What is the dalliance and what is the offer?
He spends his time in a disorderly house of catamites. The offer is to create a tapestry for the cathedral depicting the martyrdom of St. Thomas, but the husband is delivered to the door as a corpse soon after. Marie is never able to convey the message to him.
Wow, sounds like a great read. I can’t wait.
It will be a long wait, I think. ;-)
Intriguing passage, the priest counseling into the woman’s ear fits he prompt photo well. Good luck with the rest of the novel.
Thanks. This one has proven to be extremely difficult and complicated.
Not sure I’m fond of this priest.
I wonder how Marie feels about delivering the message, and if she would have done had he been able to return home of his own volition.
Great connection to the image, and in intriguing look into your novel in progress. Definitely great tension built in this scene.
This feels pretty different from what I’m used to seeing from you, both in content and style. Or have your novels always tended more historical than what you post for flash fiction?
This fits the prompt perfectly I think it also works in stand-alone format.
Thanks!
And what of the wife? Will she keep him? Keep her mouth shut?
Well done!