Brother Cadfael's Penance

To save his estranged son, Brother Cadfael risks breaking his monastic vows For Brother Cadfael in the autumn of his life, the mild November of our Lord & rsquo;s year 1145 may bring a bitter & mdash;and deadly & mdash;harvest. England is torn between supporters of the Empress Maud and those of her cousin Stephen. The civil strife is about to jeopardize not only Cadfael & rsquo;s life, but his hopes of Heaven. While Cadfael has sometimes bent the abbey & rsquo;s rules, he has never broken his monastic vows & mdash;until now. Word has come to Shrewsbury of a treacherous act that has left thirty of Maud & rsquo;s knights imprisoned. All have been ransomed except Cadfael & rsquo;s secret son, Olivier de Bretagne. Conceived in Cadfael & rsquo;s soldiering youth and unaware of his father & rsquo;s identity, Olivier will die if he is not freed. Like never before, Cadfael must boldly defy the abbot. The good brother forsakes the order to follow his heart & mdash;but what he finds will challenge his soul.