There had been other women, before her and after. He remembered them withgratitude, and with no guilt at all. He had given and received pleasure andkindness. None had ever complained of him. If that was a poor defense from theformal viewpoint, nevertheless he felt secure behind it. It would have been aninsult to repent of having loved a woman like Mariam.

“They have alliances there that ensure peace now, if only for a time,” hesaid reflectively, “I suppose an Angevin lord might well feel he’s more neededhere than there, now it’s his own liege lady in the lists. And the man bears agood name, from all I hear. A pity he comes when hate’s at its height.”

“A pity there should be cause for hate between decent men,” agreed Hughwryly. “I am the king’s man, I chose him with my eyes open. I like Stephen, andam not likely to leave him for any lure. But I can see just as plainly why abaron of Anjou should rush home to serve his lady every whit asloyally as I serve Stephen. What a bedevilment of all our values, Cadfael, isthis civil war!”

“Not all,” said Cadfael sturdily. “There never was, for all I could everlearn, a time when living was easy and peaceful. Your boy will grow up into a betterordered world. There, I’ve finished here for tonight, and it must be nearlytime for the bell.”

They went out together into the cold and dark of the garden, and felt ontheir faces the first flakes of the first snow of the winter. The air was fullof a drifting unease, but the fall was light and fitful here. Further south itset in heavily, borne on a north-westerly wind, dry, fine snow that turned the