Yakob made to speak again but Gryss lifted a hand to stop him. ‘Do you agree or don’t you?’ he demanded. ‘It’s that simple.’ He paused briefly. ‘If you don’t, then fair enough. I’ll involve you no further. All I’ll ask of you is that you keep quiet about this meeting.’

There was a brief, injured silence, then Yakob said heatedly, ‘You’ve no call to speak like that. Of course we want to do something.’ Harlen and Jeorg both nodded in agreement. ‘But I presume we’ll be allowed the odd moment to speak about our regrets, won’t we? It’s not as if anything springs immediately to mind that we can do, does it?’

Gryss bridled a little at this rebuff but he fought back a scowl and managed to look appropriately contrite. ‘You’re right, Yakob. I’m sorry,’ he said, insincerely. ‘I’ve no doubt I can rely on you to guard against my impetuosity.’ This time it was Yakob who bridled at the sarcasm that Gryss had failed to keep out of his voice, but Gryss continued quickly. ‘As for what to do, I’m afraid we must succeed in what we failed to do before. We must get news of what’s happening to the capital.’

For the first time since she had sat down at the long wooden table, Marna looked up. She did not speak, but she leaned forward a little. Gryss noted the movement. ‘There’ll be plenty for you to do here, Marna,’ he said, partly to reassure Harlen, but mainly in an attempt to forestall any folly that she might be contemplating.

Unexpectedly she nodded understandingly and said, ‘Of course, Gryss.’

Gryss looked at her narrowly and made an immedi-ate resolution to watch her very carefully. When they were alone, he would speak to her a little more bluntly.

Yakob reverted to practicalities. ‘I suppose it’s all we can do,’ he said. ‘But how? There are far more guards downland than there were when Jeorg tried to leave, and if anyone’s lucky enough to get past them, there’s no saying how far over the hill these raiding parties of theirs are reaching now.’