“God bless the work,” said Hugh, and took him by thearms, “if any’s been done here this afternoon. Ithought you had taken root.”

“I was pondering the circular nature of human life,”said Cadfael, almost apologetically, “and the seasons of theyear and the hours of the day. I never heard you come. I was notexpecting to see you today.”

“Nor would you have seen me, if Robert Bossu’sintelligencers had been a little less busy. Come within,”said Hugh, “and I’ll tell you what’s brewing.There’s matter concerning all good churchmen, and I’vejust come from informing Radulfus. But there’s also an itemthat will come close home to you. As indeed,” he owned,thrusting the door of Cadfael’s workshop open with a gustysigh, “it does to me.”

“You’ve heard from Leicester?” Cadfael eyedhim thoughtfully from the threshold. “Earl Robert Bossu keepsin touch? He views you as one of his hopefuls, Hugh, if he’skeeping that road open. What’s he about now?”

“Not he, so much, though he’ll be in it to thethroat, whether he quite believes in it or not. No, it’scertain of the bishops have made the first move, but there’llbe some voices on either side, like Leicester’s, to backtheir efforts.”

Hugh sat down with him under the dangling bunches of dryingherbs, stirring fragrantly along the beams in the draught from theopen door, and told him of the proposed meeting at Coventry, of thesafe conducts already being issued on either part, and of suchprospects as existed of at any rate partial success.

“God he knows if either of them will so much as shift afoot. Stephen is exalted at having got Chester on his side, andGloucester’s own son into the bargain, but Maud knows hermenfolk have made very sure of Normandy, and that will sway some ofour barons who have lands over there to safeguard, as well as here.I can see more and more of the wiser sort paying mouth allegiancestill, but making as little move in the martial kind as they can