“My lord,” he said with smooth civility, “Ihad no thought of offending until this rash young man drew on me.For no sane reason that I know of, for I never set eyes on himbefore.” He slid his blade coolly into the scabbard, with adeliberately ceremonious gesture of reverence towards the bishop.“He rides in here from the street, stranger to me, and beginsto abuse me like a kennel brawler. I drew to keep myhead.”

“He well knows,” flashed Yves, burning, “why Icall him turncoat, renegade, betrayer of better men. Good knightslie in castle dungeons because of him.”

“Silence!” said the bishop, and was instantlyobeyed. “Whatever your quarrels, they have no place withinthese walls. We are here to dispose of all such divisions betweenhonourable men. Pick up your word. Sheathe it! Do not draw it againon this sacred ground. Not upon any provocation! I so charge you,as for the Church. And here are also those who will lay the samecharge on you, as your sovereigns and liege lords.”

The great voice that had bellowed orders on entering the gateupon this unseemly spectacle had advanced upon the suddenly mutedcircle in the shape of a big, fair, commanding and very angry man.Cadfael knew him at once, from a meeting years past, in his siegecamp in Shrewsbury, though the years between had sown some ashenthreads in his yellow hair, and seams of anxiety and care in hishandsome, open face. King Stephen, soon roused, soon placated,brave, impetuous but inconstant, a good-natured and generous manwho had yet spent all the years of his reign in destructivewarfare. And that flash of bright colours in the doorway of theguesthall, Cadfael realized at the same moment, was, must be, theother one, the woman who challenged Stephen’s sovereignty.Tall and erect against the dimness within the hall, splendidlyapparelled and in her proud prime, there stood old KingHenry’s sole surviving legitimate child, Empress Maud by herfirst marriage, countess of Anjou by her second, the uncrowned Ladyof the English.