~flails~ what a marvelous, marvelous story. You've done a brilliant job with Cuthbert, who becomes the only rational, normal person in the story as he tries so hard to do the right thing, even as he knows he little understands and feels himself slipping away. What a wonderful and believable background for Walburga. I felt my heart break a little along with the two of them.
All the little touches are just so, right down to his impressive body of work.