“Justify may not be the apt word, but there are those among the lords,more by far than take the opposite view, who would say, better a man foroverlord than a woman. And if a man, why, Stephen was as near as any to thethrone. He is King William’s grandchild, just as Maud is.”

“But not son to the last king. And in any ease, through his mother,who was a woman like Maud, so where’s the difference?” The youngvoice had emerged from its guarded undertone, and rang clear and vehement.“But the real difference was that Count Stephen rushed here and took whathe wanted, while the empress was far away in Normandy, thinking no evil. Andnow that half the barons have recollected their oaths and declared for her,after all, it’s late, and what’s to come of it but bloodshed anddeaths? It begins here, in Shrewsbury, and this won’t be the end.”

“Child,” said Cadfael mildly, “are you not trusting me toextremes?”

The boy, who had picked up the sickle and was swinging it in a capable,testing hand, turned and looked at him with blue eyes suddenly wide open andunguarded. “Well, so I do,” he said.

“And so you may, for that matter. But keep your lips locked amongothers. We are in the battlefield here, as sure as in the town, our gates neverbeing closed to any. All manner of men rub shoulders here, and in rough timessome may try to buy favour with carrying tales. Some may even be collectors ofsuch tales for their living. Your thoughts are safe in your head, best keepthem there.”

The boy drew back a little, and hung his head. Possibly he felt himselfreproved. Possibly not! “I’ll pay you trust for trust,” saidCadfael. “In my measure there’s little to choose between two suchmonarchs, but much to be said for keeping a man’s fealty and word. Andnow let me see you hard at work, and when I’ve finished my cabbage patchI’ll come and help you.”

He watched the boy set to work, which he did with immense vigour. The coarsetunic was cut very full, turning a lissome body into a bundle of cloth tied atthe waist; possibly he had got it from some older and larger relative after thebest of the wear was out of it. My friend, thought Cadfael, in this heat youwon’t keep up that pace very long, and then we shall see!