Urien told the story as he had heard it, and Prior Robert elaborated at suchlength that Brother John, growing bored and restless, let his eyes stray totake stock of the occasional figures that passed along the fence, with alertears and shy but sharp eyes. His interest and curiosity were somewhat lessdiscreet than theirs. And there were some very handsome girls among them! Theone passing now, for instance, her step graceful and slow—she knew shewas watched!—and her hair a great, heavy braid over her shoulder, thecolour of polished oak, a light, silken brown, even with silvery dashes in itlike the grain of oak…

“And the bishop has given his consent to your proposal?” askedHuw, after a long minute of silence, and in a voice that suggested wonder anddoubt.

“Both bishop and prince have sanctioned it.” Prior Robert wasuneasy at the very hint of a hitch at this stage. ‘The omens have surelynot misled us? Saint Winifred is here? She lived out her restored life here,and is buried in this place?”

Huw owned that it was so, with so curious an intonation of caution andreluctance that Cadfael decided he was trying to recall exactly where the ladywas to be found, and wondering in what state her grave would be discovered,after all this time since last he had so much as thought of it.

“She is here, in this cemetery?” The little white-washed churchgleamed provocatively in the sunshine.

“No, not here.” Some relief this time, he did not have to revealher whereabouts immediately. “This church is new since her time. Hergrave is in the old burial-ground of the wooden church on the hill, a mile ormore from here. It is long disused. Yes, certainly the omens favour your plans,and beyond question the saint is here in Gwytherin. But…”

“But?” said Prior Robert with displeasure. “Both princeand bishop have given us their blessing, and commended our cause to you.Moreover, we have heard, and they have agreed, that the saint in her stay hereamong you has been much neglected, and may well wish to be received wheregreater honour will be paid to her.”