Awaken

Chapter One: Friday, the 15th of September, 1851-4

10:20 AM, The road to Chester

The three nuns walked quietly into town, just the sound of the earth and stones of the path crunching under their feet. The path they took turned onto the main road that passed the Cathedral. Workers were pulling apart the pile of wood and iron used for platforms and ladders that the stoneworkers had constructed to scale the church.

To reach the Masons’ home, the Sisters the shortest route was to go into Chester proper, passing through the old Roman walls to reach the bridge that crossed to the south bank.

Originally a Roman fortress known as Deva or Deva Victrix, the heart of the city had been constructed around 70 AD as a garrison for the 20th Legion Valeria Victrix and covered some sixty-two acres. Many remains from the Roman occupation were still visible, but the most obvious example were the walls that encompassed the city. The massive walls were nearly five feet thick at the base and there were nearly two miles of them circling the city.

Inside the walls wooden and stone Tudor structures lined the streets. A mix of residences and shops, the streets were busy with the day’s trade. As the Sisters walked through town, those they met either averted their eyes or crossed themselves, though there were fewer now that performed that action. England was predominately Protestant and the sign of the cross was not common to that faith. The townsfolk knew where they were headed, and it was a reminder of the tragedy that had befallen the town. Rose was aware of the covert glances or open stares of the towns people and it made her feel uncomfortable. It was if they somehow blamed the sisters or thought they would bring further calamity upon them, they weren’t openly hostile, but she could see lips moving as they muttered to themselves or each other. The trio passed through the south gate and across the Old Dee Bridge passing the field where the ancient Roman temple still partly stood.

Rose had played with Eddie and his sisters in that field near the old sandstone ruin. They had all grown up together as children frolicking about Chester without a care. Now he was dead, and Rose wondered what life had in store for her, as she watched the middle-aged woman she walked with. Sister Honoré, like Rose had joined the order at sixteen, transforming from a village maiden to a bride of Christ.

Just south of the River Dee, Rose pointed to a path heading off to the left of the road that led to a row of cottages lying paralleling the main road. “It’s just ahead,” A group of men were congregated outside one of the cottages at the end of the path.

The men, workers for the Masons stood outside the neat garden in front of the cottage. They made way for the nuns. While the Masons and most of their workers and neighbors were Anglican it was the custom of the Carmelites to minister to all the local families.

“Sisters,” said one man with a nod of his head and removing his cap. Rose and Judith took their cues from their elder, Sister Honoré. They all gave the men a nod and walked the path to the house.

Inside the Mason home, the two daughters of the house sat with their arms around their mother, their grief all too clear on their faces. Two men attended them.

“Sisters, good of you to come,” said Father Wheaton the local vicar.

“The Carmelite Sisters would like to pray for you and with you in this time of loss and grief,” said Honoré, in a heavy French accent.

“Rose, Judith!” cried Catherine, the eldest Mason sister. She ran to the two young nuns hugging both then breaking down in Rose’s arms.

“What happened?” asked Rose looking at Catherine and wiping away the tears from the Mason girl’s face.

“Pa and Eddie were on the scaffolding at the cathedral when it collapsed. They were killed in the fall, along with John the foreman. Their bodies were taken to the mortician we were getting ready to go over there with the sheriff.”

Rose looked at the lanky county official who urged, “We should go, Mrs. Mason,”

“What will happen, to us Rose?” asked Catherine in a panic.

“Why don’t we stay here while your mother goes with the sheriff and let them work out the arrangements? The circumstances look dire, but we will look for some good to come out of this. Isn’t that right, Father Wheaton?” Rose offered, but the words felt hollow as she thought of what would happen to her family’s prospects if her father was killed.

“Something caused it to fall, I say,” came a loud voice from outside. An argument ensued.

Sheriff Alderton and Father Wheaton went outside to try and quieten the argument, Rose followed to see three of the workers arguing.

“I was there and seen that scaffolding come down, as if it was held together with straw and you were one of the blokes what put it together. What if we were all up there?” said the tallest man.

“I tell ya, mate. Someone is behind this. I saw half the lock pins scattered, not a one sheared or splintered. I put those in with Master Edward me’self and that scaffolding was as solid as the church,” argued the youngest man.

“Gentlemen, no one serves their grief or that of the family by accusations and anger. We need to be here to pray for the family and the souls of those men,” urged the Vicar.

"We masons know how to hang a scaffolding," said the tall man with a scowl as he walked away.

Rose turned to the sheriff “Do you think someone did this on purpose?”

“Sister, we will listen to what the men say, and get to if there was sabotage or shoddy work and if someone is at fault, I’ll pursue it. Don’t you worry,” said the sheriff.