 A mortal bane by Roberta Gellis. Prologue. The 19th of April, 1139, St. Mary Overy. Only a thread of moon remained, and the hair-thin crescent cast no light on the path. That made no difference to the blind woman, whose staff swept back and forth, pausing, infinitesimalies at touch the grass verge on either side. She knew the way so well that she could have trod it easily without the staff, but the sturdy oak rod gave her confidence. There was little protection for a whore, especially a blind one, in London in the year of our Lord 1139, and she could wheel the staff quite effectively against anyone who came close enough to strike her or seize her. She was not afraid now, however, the path between the old priory guest-house, where she plied her trade, and the church, to which it once belonged, was through a walled garden. The next sweep of her staff scraped gently on a hard surface. The blind woman pulled the staff back toward her, took another careful step, and stretched her hand toward the gate that opened the wall between the garden and the church-yard. The latch lifted. She went through and continued up the path, until the staff touched the verge more quickly on the left than on the right. That was where the walk turned around the apps of the church. The blind woman adjusted her direction, took another step. Who is there? She stopped abruptly, recognizing the voice of the sacristan of the priory, and knowing he would not welcome her, and excommunicate whore into the church. In the next moment her keen ears picked up a soft thump, and then the sound of running feet. She stood where she was quietly, her lips curved into a gentle, amused smile, because she was sure the monk had come across a young couple sheltering in the dark of the porch for a caress or two. She listened intently for the footsteps of the sacristan pursuing them, but she heard nothing except the soft sound of the door closing. After a while she started forward again. Either the sacristan had gone back through the church, intending to catch the intruders as they came around to the front, or he felt he had startled the pair enough to discourage them and had gone into the church. It would be safe for her to go into the church now and pray for a little while. Priests said she must give up the life she led before God would listen to her prayers, but that made no sense at all. But what could she pray, born without eyes as she was except not to starve? And was that not why she hoared? Better to go on hoaring and pray for forgiveness. The path turned again more abruptly, and the staff scraped against another hard surface the first step to the north porch of the church. She brought her foot to the staff, mounted the step, mounted the next, and brought the staff forward to judge whether she was clear of the wall of the porch. The staff— Sample complete. Ready to continue?