“A number of things over the years. Owain must love him,or he would have let someone rid him of the pest long ago. But thistime, murder. Some months ago, in the autumn of last year, a partyof his closest men ambushed the prince of Deheubarth and killedhim. God knows for what mad reason! The young fellow was in closealliance with him, and betrothed to Owain’s daughter, therewas no manner of sense in such an act. And for all Cadwaladr didnot appear himself in the deed, Owain for one was in no doubt itwas done on his orders. None of them would have dared, not of theirown doing.”

Cadfael recalled the shock of the murder, and the swift andthorough retribution. Owain Gwynedd in outraged justice had senthis son Hywel to drive Cadwaladr bodily out of every furlong ofland he held in Ceredigion, and burn his castle of Llanbadarn, andthe young man, barely past twenty, had accomplished his task withrelish and efficiency. Doubtless Cadwaladr had friends andadherents who would give him at least the shelter of aroof, but he remained landless and outcast. Cadfael could not butwonder, not only where the offender was lurking now, but whether hemight not end, like Geoffrey of Mandeville in the Fens, gatheringthe scum of North Wales about him, criminals, malcontents, naturaloutlaws, and preying on all law-abiding people.

“What became of this Cadwaladr?” asked Mark withunderstandable curiosity.

“Dispossession. Owain drove him out of every piece of landhe had to his name. Not a toehold left to him in Wales.”

“But he’s still at large, somewhere,” Cadfaelobserved, with some concern, “and by no means the man to takehis penalty tamely. There could be mischief yet to pay. I seeyou’re bound into a perilous labyrinth. I think you shouldnot be going alone.”

Hugh was studying Mark’s face, outwardly impassive, butwith a secretive sparkle of fun in the eyes that watched Cadfael soassiduously. “As I recall,” said Hugh mildly, “hesaid: ‘Not quite alone!’ ”