1:30 PM, Chester Book and Print Chester, England

When Rose was called to the Mother Superior’s office after breakfast she was afraid that her transgression in the reliquary had been somehow discovered. She was relieved to learn that the Mother Superior, aware of her friendship with the Mason family required her to visit them and ascertain their needs if any at this time and when the burials of the Master Mason and his son would take place. She used the opportunity to visit the book store on Duke Street owned by Mr. Cooper.

Rose had been in the store a few times as a little girl but her hard-working family had little money to spend on books for a girl. Steeling herself she stood before the door, taking a deep breath before entering. The small shop was located on the street level of an old wooden Tudor building painted the traditional black and white.

The aged door required a hard shove to open, announced by the faint tinkling of a doorbell above her head. The elderly man who came out from the back of the shop was wiping his hands on a rag, chewing on food in his mouth. He waved his hand to his face in a nonverbal request to wait until he had swallowed, “Good afternoon, Sister. How may I help you?”

Rose looked out the window of the shop to see if all was clear, then stepped up to the counter.

She removed a note from her habit, unfolding it and smoothing it out on the counter. “I have copied this from a book in the library I was hoping you could help me read it.”

The man looked around the counter then chuckled and on felt the top of his head, finding his reading glasses. Dropping the glasses to his nose he looked at Rose’s note.

He gave her a look over his glasses then walked around the counter to a bookshelf. The shopkeeper stepped up onto a small footstool to reach the top shelf and pulled down a thick tome. Making his way back to the counter he opened the book and flipped pages back and forth. The man hummed to himself as he deciphered the writing.

“It’s a title, The Exultation of St Ostric. Illuminated by a Brother Aetherwel, of the Abbey at Bardney,” disclosed the man.

“What else does it say?” asked Rose.

He put his glasses down on the book, “Sister, this is a most strange request. Is there no one capable of translating this for you at the convent?”

“I am afraid there isn’t,” Rose answered feeling a resistance from the shop owner.

“Not the librarian?”

“I suspect her letters are as bad as mine. Mr. Cooper, would you teach me to decipher this, as it is unreadable to me? It doesn’t look like Latin or English and if it is French, the old nuns won’t help me out of fear that I would now know what they say behind my back.” said Rose.

“You appeal to my biggest weakness; that of learning, and to teach another is such a temptation, but think what you’re asking? This task will take months and you would need to bring this book for us to work on together. If it was discovered that a young nun was taking works from the convent and meeting with a man. Well, it would not be good for either one of our reputations,” finished Cooper.

He was right. She would be punished, but he could be run out of town or worse. “I have an idea. I will transcribe from the book as I did here today. The next opportunity I have to come into town, I will leave the letters with you for your transcription. Then we can arrange for a short lesson, with you sharing the translation,” Rose proposed.

“That is an interesting thought, but this is a far bigger undertaking than you imagine. You will need a reason to come into the store,” Cooper grabbed a small book from behind the counter and handed to Rose, “Can you read this?”

Rose began slowly reading.

Cooper interjected, “You find the book too difficult, do you?”

“No, it is manageable,” said Rose.

“Good, then you read that book, when you're done you bring it back and I will give you another. First, we will improve your English, then we can work on Latin and an old form of English and then the French. The books I lend to you will be selected to support our research,” the shop keeper conspired.

Rose liked the idea and couldn’t think of a reason there would be trouble with his plan, the Mother Superior was often heard grumbling about the lack of education of these young English nuns. If Rose could say it was helping her Latin surely, she would approve. “Thank you, Mr. Cooper,” she said with gratitude, turning to leave.

“Sister, it is never too late to learn. You will be better for this endeavor as it will bring strength and fitness to your mind.”