Oh, the French had been cunning! Either way King Edward of England was trapped. No wonder Eudo's master, Hugh Corbett, senior clerk in the English Chancery, had sent him a stream of instructions begging him to find out the secret counsels of the French. Eudo smiled. He had been successful and surely he would reap his well-deserved reward? First, he had found there was an assassin in England, a member of the accursed de Montfort family, stalking the King and plotting his death. Eudo had sent this information directly to King Edward some months earlier but nothing had come of it so he had mentioned it again in his most recent despatch to Corbett.

He lifted his hand and wiped the sweat from his brow. He had done what had been asked, it was up to the King and Corbett how they used the information he sent. Yet he had learnt more: the French were not only plotting mischief around the Prince of Wales' former mistress, the Lady Eleanor Belmont, they even had a spy at Godstowe where the woman had been immured…

Eudo heard the footfalls of the night watch fade away. He adjusted his cloak, grasped the dagger and continued on his way.

The leprous beggar was crouched as usual in the corner of the alleyway opposite the house.

'Is everything all right?' Eudo whispered.

He could barely make out the huddled outline of the beggar, shrouded in his robe, but he saw the silvery head nod gently and the skeletal hand thrust out for its usual payment. Eudo swallowed, hid his distaste, threw a coin at the man and padded towards the door of the house. As arranged, it was unlocked.