“I think we are on the same quest,” he said.“If you are looking for Olivier de Bretagne, so am I. I knowhe was in Faringdon, I know as all who know him must know that hewould never change his allegiance, and I know he has been hiddenaway out of reach. He was my champion and saviour once, he is mybrother now, my sister carries his child. Closer to me than myskin, and dear as my blood, how can I ever rest,” said Yves,“until I know what they have done with him, and have haledhim out of captivity?”

“I was with him,” said Yves,“until they garrisoned Faringdon. I was with him from thetime I first bore arms, I would not willingly be parted from him,and he of his kindness kept me close. Father and brother both hehas been to me, since he and my sister married. Now Ermina issolitary in Gloucester, and with child.”

They sat together on a bench beneath one of the torches in theguesthall, Hugh and Cadfael and the boy, in the last hush of theevening after Compline, with memories all about them in the dimnesswhere the torchlight could not reach. Yves had pursued his questalone since the fall of Faringdon had cast his friend into limbo,unransomed, unlisted, God knew where. It was relief now to open hisheart and pour out everything he knew or guessed, to these two whovalued Olivier de Bretagne as he did. Three together might surelydo more than one alone.

“When Faringdon was finished, Robert of Gloucester tookhis own forces away and left the field to his son, and Philip madeBrien de Soulis castellan of Faringdon, and gave him a stronggarrison drawn from several bases. Olivier was among them. I was inGloucester then, or I might have gone with him, but for that while