The Cloister and the Hearth Chapter 4

In which the quiet afternoon in the hosier's house at Tergou is enlivened by the return of Gerard, weary yet triumphant from a contest of arts where he is honoured beyond expectation, much to the admiration and envy of his household. As he is invested with holy powers and summoned by the burgomaster under a cloud of mystery, the family’s fortunes and affections pivot around this young man’s rising promise and the subtle tensions it arouses.