CHAPTER FORTY TWO – THE FIRST ATTEMPT

As the days passed, Rebecca's determination to escape grew stronger. She began to observe the convent's routines with newfound intensity, mentally noting every detail that might aid her plan. During her daily chores, Rebecca paid close attention to the nuns' schedules. She noticed that Sister Agnes always took a nap after lunch, leaving the kitchen unattended for a precious half hour. The night watchman, old Brother Thomas, had a habit of dozing off around midnight during his rounds of the courtyard. Rebecca also began to collect small items she thought might be useful: a few pieces of bread saved from meals, a small knife from the kitchen, a length of rope she found in the garden shed. She hid these treasures beneath a loose floorboard in her room, her heart pounding every time she added to her secret stash. One afternoon, while working in the library, Rebecca overheard two nuns discussing a upcoming feast day. "We'll need to inventory the wine cellar," one said. "Some of those old