The Rose Rent: Ellis Peters

This was to date my favorite of the Cadfael series. A widow, Judith Perle, gives her house to the abbey in exchange for a single white rose that grows on the property as rent. This way each year she is reminded by the rose that she was once truly happy. Both her husband and unborn child died within a month and she is considering becoming a nun. Shortly before the "rent" is due, brother Eluric, who usually delivers the rose asks to be dismissed from the responsibility as he has fallen in love with the widow who is much older. Cadfael consents and the next night a widower returns from visiting his daughter to find the rose bush hacked up and Brother Eluric dead near it. Cadfael sees the impression of a boot and orders a wax impression made. He believes Eluric was trying to save the rose and was unintentionally murdered. Judith decides to officially give the house to the Abbey the next morning, but is kidnapped that night. She is taken by a man hoping to marry her and she refuses, he escorts her to the Nuns. The rose bush is then burned and Cadfael exposes Judith's male cousin Miles as the man bent on getting the house for himself by urging Judith to become a nun.