The Priest’s Disappearance

Baron Gauci had a son, who became a priest, and who was his only heir to his inheritance. So long as he lived, the Baron’s sisters could never inherit his wealth. Many a time they begged their brother to allow his son to leave Mdina and spend a few days with them at Birgu. Finally, he accepted their apparently sincere invitation and sent his son to stay with them. After a week, the Baron had no news of his son and he went to find out for himself. His sisters told him that they hadn’t seen him for a long time. The Baron concluded that they had killed him to ensure that they would come into his inheritance on his death. To punish them for their evil design he left his wealth to the Mdina cathedral. Rumour soon spread that the young priest had been pushed into the oven and burnt alive.