The Rose Rent (1986)

The Rose Rent is a medieval mystery novel set in the summer of 1142 by Ellis Peters. This is the thirteenth novel in The Cadfael Chronicles, first published in 1986.

It was adapted for television in 1997 by Carlton and Central for ITV.

A young monk is murdered next to a white rose bush at a home bequeathed to the Abbey by a young widow. Brother Cadfael finds the murderer as the widow makes peace with her loss.

Plot summary

Shrewsbury Abbey anticipates two events coming on 22 June in 1142: honouring the day five years earlier when Saint Winifred's reliquary was placed on its altar, and paying the rent due to the widow Judith Perle. Three years earlier, she lost both her husband and her unborn child within three weeks. She gave their home in the Foregate to the Abbey, half her patrimony, in a charter. The Abbey pays a single white rose from the garden, delivered to her in person, as rent. Brother Eluric delivers the rose. Eight days before the feast, he asks Abbot Radulfus to be released from this duty, as he is tormented by his desire for the widow Perle. The Abbot asks Niall the bronzesmith, who rents the property, to deliver the rose rent.

Judith asks Niall to make a new buckle for a girdle. She has several active suitors but is not interested in remarrying, still grieving her losses. She considers taking the veil at Godric's Ford with Sister Magdalen. Sister Magdalen advises her to wait, saying their door is always open as a place of retreat.

Niall, a widower, keeps his young daughter with his sister in Pulley, three miles away. He returns from an overnight visit to find that the white rose bush has been hacked at its bole. At its base lies young Eluric, dead with a knife by his side. While investigating the murder scene with the Abbot and Brother Anselm, Brother Cadfael finds a distinctive footprint and makes a wax impression. Judith arrives to pick up the repaired girdle; Cadfael tells Judith about Eluric's desire for her. That night, Judith tells her servant Branwen that in the morning she will make the gift unconditional, which news Branwen shares in the kitchen. The next day, Judith fails to arrive at the abbey. The Sheriff, called back to town, Cadfael, and Abbot Radulfus believe that Judith was kidnapped, either to be forced into marriage or to void the charter by her absence on rent day. The search begins. Cadfael finds the once firmly-attached bronze tag from the end of Judith's girdle, suggesting a struggle. It is found under the bridge where a boat had been hauled up for convenient use, stolen by the kidnapper. Cadfael searches the River Severn with Madog, finding the stolen boat discarded downstream.

Bertred, a foreman in her business, believes he knows where Judith is being held. Late that night, he goes to Hynde's disused counting-house, in an outbuilding to store the wool clips. The disused room was not known to the searchers in the daytime. Bertred hears Judith Perle inside with her gaoler, Vivian Hynde. Though confined, Judith is in control of the situation. Vivian pleads with Judith to marry him, but she scornfully rejects him. Bertred's foothold gives way and he falls; the sounds alert those within and the watchdog. Bertred runs toward the river to escape. The watchman and his dog pursue. The watchman gives him a glancing blow to the head but Bertred dives into the water, hits rocks on the shelving bank and lies senseless. The watchman assumes the interloper is swimming across the river.

In the counting-house, Judith convinces Vivian to take her to Sister Magdalen, where she will say she has been in retreat. She will not reveal Vivian's role. She wants her good reputation intact. He agrees; soon they slip out to stay in his mother's house until they can head for Godric's Ford. Someone sees Bertred in the shallows, and then kicks him out into the current of the river. Cadfael, working near the river the next morning, finds the dead body of Bertred. After examining the body, Cadfael sees that Bertred's boot is a match for the wax impression. He seems to be the murderer of Eluric. The watchman at Hynde's tells Hugh and Cadfael that Bertred was at the storehouse the night before, where they find the broken window sill. They search within but find no trace of the pair's presence the night before.

Niall visits his daughter again. On his return in the moonless night, he sees a man on a horse with a woman riding pillion and recognises Judith Perle. He follows them for an hour when Judith parts from the man on horseback, walking alone. Once Judith is alone, Niall hears her scream as someone attacks her with a knife. He struggles with her attacker and knocks the knife away, getting a gash on his left arm. The attacker flees. Niall and Judith continue to Godric's Ford. Judith asks Sister Magdalen for her help. Sister Magdalen stays close to Judith, keeping her reputation safe in Shrewsbury.

Judith tells her tale to Hugh, including her promise to keep her captor's name secret. The captor was with her when they heard Bertred fall, so he did not kill Bertred. Hugh acquiesces, telling her that Vivian Hynde is already taken; Hugh will release him eventually. Cadfael asks Sister Magdalen to obtain two well worn left shoes from Judith's household. She sends them via a trusted messenger, Edwy Bellecote the young carpenter. Cadfael examines the shoe that belonged to Bertred. It does not match the mould of the print from Brother Eluric's murder. The other shoe matches. Realizing the trouble is not over, Cadfael walks out to find the bush ablaze. The attacker dropped a burning torch over the wall onto the oil-covered bush. The bush is destroyed.

Early the day of Saint Winifred's translation, Hugh asks Judith's cousin Miles Coliar when he gave his boots to Bertred. Miles' mother says it was the day Eluric was found dead. Miles had killed Eluric and then given his boots to Bertred. Miles confesses all and he is taken away by Hugh's men to await his trial.