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themselves. Several closed doors faced into the hall.
The singing increased in volume as Belinda made her
way into the wood panelled vestibule. She picked up a
small brass bell and rang it. The sharp tinkle cut
through the chanting voices.
Belinda glanced around the walls. They were bare
apart from a framed picture of a mediaeval saint whom
she took to be St Augustine. There was no reply to her
summons and she was reaching for the bell a second
time, when the door at the far end of the hall opened
and a figure in grey monk s robes emerged. The
chanting had increased as he opened the door and
subsided as the monk closed it. Belinda concluded that
the Angeles ceremony was being celebrated in that
room. The monk folded his arms into his sleeves and
approached slowly, his leather sandals slapping gently
against the bare wooden floor.
He was no older than eighteen or so and Belinda
recognised him as the second monk she had seen
arguing with William de Montfort. He was also the man
that she and Mark had almost run down in a lane-way
the day they drove to the farm. His manner then had
been very hostile.
 May the grace of God be with you. His voice
revealed a London accent and Belinda imagined that if
he had been dressed in jeans and T-shirt he would be
indistinguishable from any youth in South Kensington.
 I d like to talk to Mr Godwin.
The youthful monk ran his eyes over Belinda in what
she thought was a distinctly unreligious manner.
Nevertheless when he replied it was in a whisper.  The
Master is at prayer at the moment. He turned to one of
the nearby doors.  If you wait in here, the Master will be
with you at the end of the service.
He flung open the door and gestured for Belinda to
enter. As she brushed past him, Belinda detected the
faint smell of marijuana. So, smoking pot is permitted. I
wonder what other pleasures are practised? she
thought as she entered the small room. The door
swung shut behind her and she heard the slap-slap of
the monk s sandals as he returned to prayer.
Two uncomfortable looking chairs, a small desk and
a bookcase were the only furnishings. Belinda
inspected the books. They appeared to be mostly
liturgical works and religious tracts. She sank down on
the least uncomfortable looking chair and waited.
Chanting and bells continued faintly and Belinda began
to wonder if she had made a mistake. Maybe the
Godwins were just a couple of religious eccentrics and
had no interest in the tapestry.
But the evidence of her own eyes witnessing the
monks at Kidbrooke House quickly drove any doubt
from her mind.
Lost in her thoughts, Belinda was startled when the
door was suddenly flung open and Mr Godwin
appeared. He stood, rather dramatically, Belinda
thought, framed in the doorway. For a moment his eyes
revealed his surprise at seeing Belinda, but he quickly
recovered and stepped into the room closing the door
firmly behind him.
 This is a surprise. A pleasant surprise, Miss
Lawrence. I must confess that I hardly expected you to
visit our little community. May I ask what brings you
here? He had not taken his gaze from Belinda and
continued to keep his eyes on her as he took a seat
opposite.
He s baffled, but glad I m here, thought Belinda.
Aloud she said,  I heard you have a religious group
here. Lately I ve been questioning my faith. My
attitudes towards life. The material world bothers me
and I am searching for some spiritual support.
Belinda wondered if she sounded convincing? She
thought it sounded a little too pat, however Godwin
seemed to accept her at face value. He nodded the nod
of a sage.
 The world is indeed concerned with material wealth
at the expense of spiritual values. He frowned and
looked keenly at Belinda.  But surely you practise your
faith? You are Anglican? He raised an interrogating
eyebrow.
Belinda nodded.  I am looking for more. Besides, my
local Vicar died recently & under rather horrible
circumstances. She watched Godwin s face for a sign
of acknowledgement but was disappointed. His face
was a mask.
 Yes, he replied, examining a fingernail,  I heard that
he d died. Tragic. The world is full of sinful actions. He
settled back into his chair.  So you are looking for
more? What do you know of our community?
 Nothing really. Belinda wondered if the man was
totally convinced of her search for faith.
 We here at the fellowship are dedicated to the
ideals of the great St Augustine. Do you know of St
Augustine?
Belinda shook her head.  I ve heard of him, but I was
educated in Australia. I m really only now discovering
English history.
Godwin was silent for a moment, then rose and
walked to the window. He addressed Belinda with his
back to her.  Augustine was sent from Rome in 597
along with a party of forty monks. His holy task was to
convert the barbaric English to Christianity. To the
monks surprise they were welcomed here and
Augustine converted King Ethelbert. It s said that he
baptised over ten thousand converts on Christmas
Day.
 Here in Bath?
Godwin turned to face her, a superior smile on his
lips.  No. Canterbury. The king gave Augustine his own
palace in Canterbury and later Augustine founded an
Abbey just outside the walls of the city. The ruins are
still there.
 Did he build Canterbury Cathedral as well?
Again the superior smile.  No, but the present
cathedral is built on the site of Augustine s original
church.
He took his place opposite Belinda and looked hard
into her eyes. Distrustful as she was, Belinda felt his
magnetism and charm.
 We try to follow the simple life of Augustine and
early Christians by meditation, prayer and human
interaction, with as little influence from the outside
world as possible. As you can see, we have a farm and
we re pretty much self-supporting. Our daily routine
involves prayer and contemplation intermingled with
work. Much as the early monks did.
 I see, said Belinda, in what she thought was a
suitably subservient voice,  but can anyone join? I
mean, could I?
 We take people on trust to begin with. There is a
period of initiation; a noviciate, if you will. After a time,
one can become either a full member or, as we call
them, an associate. That is one who does not live in but
practises our beliefs nonetheless. The full members are
baptised and are permitted to wear the robes of St
Augustine. The associates may live outside the
community but come here to pray and enter into our
activities.
 That sounds as though it would suit me, said
Belinda.
 You don t feel you re ready to leave the world?
Not on your life, said Belinda to herself. To Godwin
she presented an apologetic gesture.  I believe it would
take time for me to adjust.
Godwin nodded thoughtfully.  You re probably
correct. After all, many are called but few are chosen.
He rose and moved to the door.  As I explain our beliefs
to you, I ll show you around our chapel.
Belinda followed him into the hall and they walked to
the far door. Godwin opened it and ushered Belinda in.
She found herself in a large room with windows along
one side. It would have been the central communal
room in the original farmhouse but was now converted
into something resembling a chapel. At the far end was
a wooden table, draped by a white cloth. On it, a large
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