At @!Midsom- (erPrior$y]%],hometoasmallg)ro.
upofnuns-,MotherThom a$sAqu?inasi[#sst)rangl %e_dand,s^hortlyaf;(terwards,aseto_fsilv,% erworth£60,000isfoundtobestolenfromthesafe.SisterCatherine,themostrecentmemberoftheorder,turnsouttobedescendedfromSirAnthonyVertue,whodonatedthepriorytothenunstwocenturiesearlierandBarnabylearnsthatiftheorderisendedshewillinheritthelandandbuildings.FatherBehan,whoheardthenuns’confessionsandhadlongexhortedMotherJulian,theprioress,tosellthepremises,isalsokilledandthemissingsilverturnsup,notstolenbutsoldbyMotherThomasAquinas.ThenBarnabylearnsofanatrocityinAfricathirtyyearsearlierwhereMotherJulianwasamissionary,whichcouldhelphimsolvethecasebutalsoputanendtothesacredtrust.