Lesbian nuns in the Middle Ages--The Unicorn, The Mystery revisited for #LGBT history month #amreading
- Janet Mason
- Feb 21
- 2 min read
“I was in such agony, staying away from you, Heloise,” confided Isabella. “I knew the Mother Superior was on to us and I didn’t want to make her even more angry.”
“I told you there is no pleasing the Mother Superior. She’s always angry. I think she was born that way.” Heloise giggled.
“Sshh,” Isabella admonished. “Someone might hear you. We are not allowed to talk in the abbey.”
“We are not allowed to talk anywhere,” retorted Heloise. If she sang in the choir — if women were allowed in the choir — her voice would be as pure as any eunuch.
“To tell you the truth,” whispered Isabella, “I thought she was right. I thought loving you was an abomination in the eyes of God. But I suffered so much trying to stay away from you. God would never want me to be so miserable.”
Heloise was quiet for a moment. Then she spoke:
“I thought you were trying to do what you thought was the right thing. That’s why I didn’t come after you. I wanted you to make up your own mind. But I wondered if you really love me. Do you, Isabella? Do you love me as much as I love you?”
“My God, YES. I love you more than the sky and the earth — more than the known lands and even more than the unknown lands. I love you so much I would die for you.”
I remembered my prayer to God of wanting to die in the place of my beloved unicorn. Being willing to die for someone must be an expression of love — though in my case the love I feel for the unicorn is chaste. But I had a feeling that with these two women, being willing to die for love might not be just an expression.
CINNAMON, my most recently published novel, is available on amazon.com: Cinnamon: A dairy cow’s (and her farmer’s) path to freedom: Mason, Janet: 9781958419786: Amazon.com: Books
CINNAMON is also available through your local bookstore and library
(just ask them to order it if they don’t have it).
For more information on my novel THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders published by Adelaide Books click here.
To learn more about The Unicorn, The Mystery, click here:
For more information on my novel Loving Artemis, an endearing tale of revolution, love, and marriage, click here.
To order my book Tea Leaves, a memoir of mothers and daughters, click here.
Comments