The group hesitated until Wilda stood by the woman’s side. “She is to be trusted. I know her heart.”
Alwin nodded. “Pieter, I, too, believe the woman. With Arnold, I believe she can make this happen. We need to trust them both…. I think Heinrich would.”
“It is agreed then?” Pieter asked.
The company nodded. The old man took a deep breath and laid his staff by Solomon. He moved toward Katharina and faced her squarely, peering deeply into her eyes. Then, laying his hands on her head, he prayed over her and the deed to be done, kissed the wooden cross hanging around his neck, and smiled. The gleam had returned to his eye. “Go, woman. Go with God. And may the angels be ready!”
It was before the bells of terce when Katharina strode boldly along Weyer’s footpaths and rapped on Arnold’s door. It was flung open, and the nearly crazed man dragged the startled woman into his home. “Where’ve y’been?” he growled. “I near soiled m’drawers at prime. I heard riders along the road going hard to Villmar. And where’s the others?”
“Not to worry, sir,” answered Katharina softly. She lifted the square parchment from inside her gown. “We have it!”
Arnold gasped. “I… I can hardly believe it! And it is what we thought? The Jew did not lie?”
Katharina laughed. “It is exactly what he said.”
Arnold grinned and filled two clay goblets with red wine. He passed one to Katharina. “Then we must find the prior. He’s most likely taking Mass now, but before terce hell be walking amongst the workshops.”
“Where should we meet him?”
Arnold thought for a moment. “It won’t matter. When he sees me, I’ll have his ear. But I doubt you can help. The monks would want you kept from sight. I think you ought to remain here.”
Katharina frowned. “I think not. I will walk with you to the abbey, then wait beyond its walls.”
“But you’ve naught to say! I don’t need you now!”
The woman looked at the man closely. “I will not interfere, but I must come. If you take the parchment inside the cloister, the prior will have you arrested at once. If you leave it here, he could easily send riders to Weyer before we could return. I will keep the parchment on my person. If he needs proof we have it, you can bring him to the portal.”
Arnold took a drink. He looked at the woman with newfound respect. “You’ve reasoned this well.”
Katharina blushed.
“So let’s be off then!” He finished his wine and laughed. “It feels so much better to do a good thing! Ha! If I had only known before!”
The bells of terce echoed over Münster when Pieter finally turned to Frieda. “So, girl. Do you agree?”
The young woman was exhausted, and her face was taut with strain and worry. The group waited. “There is much risk and little certainty in it.”
No one answered until Tomas stood. He tossed a bit of kindling into the small fire. “Frieda, we need to act quickly. Wilda’s priest says the trial may be on Friday. If that’s so, we’ve only three days. We cannot wait another day to begin apian.”
“We have no other way, Frieda,” added Helmut. Otto and the others nodded in agreement.
Maria took Frieda’s hand. “You must agree, else well not do it.”
Frieda knelt before her sister-in-law and took her in her arms. “I am so afraid, Maria. I’m so afraid we’ll fail.” She looked at her friends. “Pieter, pray for us. I think you are right. We’ve no other way.”
With sighs of relief, the pilgrims gathered beneath Pieter’s outstretched arms and received his blessing. Their plan had been painstakingly wrought over heated debate for these many hours. For each of them, having a plan was, itself, a comfort. Hearing Pieter’s words pronounced so boldly over them filled them each with fresh courage. When he finished, the priest turned to Tomas and Otto. “Lads, are you sure of your duties?”
“We are,” they answered together.
Pieter nodded. He was uneasy but walked quietly away into the deep wood. He found a large beech tree and leaned into its smooth bark with a groan. Solomon joined him, and the two sat for a quarter hour in comfortable silence. “Old friend,” the man said to his beloved dog, “I am not so sure of this. These lads will need to sin and sin grievously, and they are prepared to do it with nary a doubt. I do not know if I ought to fear for their souls or admire them!” He tossed a twig away. “When two virtues are in collision, my soul cries out for wisdom. We will soon have truth-telling opposed to justice. Ach, it should never come to this.”