Master Joseph, as though he had made up his mind, took a step back. 'Sir Simon, you are welcome, as always. So are Sir Hugh Corbett and Master Monck. Surely the others can wait outside?'

Gurney agreed, and he, Corbett and Monck rode forward, leaving Ranulf and Maltote to converse with an aggrieved Father Augustine and a rather disappointed Selditch. At the gates all three dismounted and followed Master Joseph and Nettler into the wide enclosure. Corbett stared around. It looked to him like any other small farm. There was a low one-storeyed house surrounded by a number of outhouses. Two dogs lay dozing at the entrance to a small barn near a well and some scrawny chickens pecked on the cobbles. He saw a small pig-sty and, on one side of the farmhouse, a small grassy hillock which probably served as a rabbit warren. Master Joseph followed his gaze.

'We are largely self-sufficient,' he said. 'We have plenty of water, we have fresh meat, and we grow our own herbs. Sir Simon pays us in cash or in kind for our work. And the sisters of the Holy Cross are generous to us, as are some of the more prosperous farmers.'

Corbett stared around. The place looked shabby yet well kept – the Pastoureaux had apparently worked hard to build their refuge.

'It's very quiet,' he said.

Then he heard the faint sounds of singing and Nettler pointed across to the farmhouse. 'The community is at prayer.'

'Then perhaps,' Monck said tartly, 'you should have allowed Father Augustine to enter.'

'The community rule is quite precise,' Master Joseph said. 'No more than three visitors are allowed at any one time. Father Augustine will understand.'

Corbett remembered the sour look on the priest's face and thought otherwise.

'You pray often?' he asked, tapping his feet on the ground and wondering if the Pastoureaux would take them in from the cold.