They crossed the great court towards the gatehouse, whereHugh’s horse was tethered, the tall, rawboned grey that wasalways his favorite mount, and could have carried twice or threetimes his master’s light weight.

“There’ll be no more snow tonight,” saidCadfael, eyeing the veiled sky and sniffing the light, languidwind, “nor for a few days more, I fancy. Nor hard frost,either, we’re on the edge of it. I pray you’ll have atolerable ride south.”

“We’ll be away at dawn. And back, God willing, bythe new year.” Hugh gathered his bridle and swung himselfinto the high saddle, “May the thaw hold off until yourroof’s weatherproof again! And don’t forget Aline willbe expecting you.”

He was off out of the gate, with a sharp echo of hooves ringingfrom the cobbles, and a single brilliant spark that had come andgone almost before the iron shoe left the frozen ground. Cadfaelturned back to the door of the infirmary, and went to check thestores in Brother Edmund’s medicine cupboard. Another hour,and the light would be already dimming, in these shortest days ofthe year. Brother Urien and Brother Haluin would be the last pairup on the roof for this day.

Exactly how it happened no one ever clearlyestablished. Brother Urien, who had obeyed Brother Conradin’sorder to come down as soon as the call came, pieced together whathe thought the most probable account, but even he admitted therecould be no certainty. Conradin, accustomed to being obeyed, andsensibly concluding that no one in his right senses would wish tolinger a moment longer than he must in the bitter cold, had simplyshouted his command, and turned away to clear the last of the