St. Rumwold the Infant Prodigy

Abbess Cynethrith and the Bishop are chatting in the opening scene of Courting Trouble.

“Abbess, do you remember blessed St. Rumwold, the infant prodigy?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Though he only lived on this earth three days, God gave him the gift of speech, and do you know what he preached about?”

“Yes,” I said.

“He preached about the most blessed and heavenly Trinity.”

“Yes,” I said. “I often wish the young would hold their tongues.” Because I’m old, I can get away with remarks like this. People think I didn’t understand what they said.

Meet Abbess Cynethrith

 When we first meet Cynthrith she is the Abbess of Whitburh. She' a little cranky and lets us know pretty quickly that she probably isn't entirely holy. From Courting Trouble

You’ve heard my story already. Or rather, you think you have. I’ve heard it myself a few times on visits to my grandchildren, bellowed out in the hall by some whelp too green to know a thing about it—and too dim to realize that the source of his fable is sitting right in front of him. I think that’s why the old die in the end: we get so disgusted with young people.

Speaking of disgusting young people, did I tell you about the bishop’s visit last week?. . . .