Not wanting the mood to sour, I asked what they had planned. Hereward told me and it was simple enough, but relied on good fortune. Without the grace of God we would not be escaping, but I nodded and smiled. There was really nothing else to say, and we soon all fell silent.

Despite the heat and the foulness that rose like a mist from the mud we sat in, the tribulations of the days behind us had taken a great toll on us all and, one by one, our heads nodded and the shadows were filled with the sawing sounds of snores. From time to time, one of the flies that flitted between the shafts of light lancing through the chinks in the walls would settle on an exposed piece of skin and we would slap it away, half waking from our doze and disturbing the others, who grumbled in the dark.

I would not have believed it possible, but soon I was deeply asleep. The drone of flies and the tickle of their scurrying feet punctuated my dreams, but I slept for a large part of the day in spite of them, and when I was awoken, the light had shifted around the walls of our prison to slant in from the other side.

None of us had heard anyone approach, so it was impossible for any of the plans Hereward and the others had devised to be put into practice before the solid timber door scraped on the packed earth outside. I blinked at the bright light that streamed in. The day was on the wane, the sun low in the west, touching the mountains over the river.

“You and you, are to come with me.”

I squinted at the dark figure in the doorway. He was in shadow, but I recognised the voice as that of Chlotar. I noticed that neither the Frank nor any of his men ventured into the disgusting hut. Several sharp spears glinted around Chlotar, the men clearly ready for a rushed attack from the prisoners. We would have been hard pressed to force our way from the cell. No matter how brave and strong were the men of our band, they would be no match for a thicket of spear-points jabbing at them from outside.

“Did you not hear me?” growled Chlotar. “Or are you asleep again?”

Some of the men outside chuckled at that. I felt my face grow hot as I realised he was addressing me. My eyes were growing accustomed to the new brightness, and I saw now that he was pointing in my direction. “Bring the old one too. The master would meet you both.”

I pushed myself to my feet, my body complaining at the battering it had taken these last days.

“He wants you too,” I said to Leofstan.

“Why?” he croaked, his voice hoarse. “What does he want?”

“Best not to keep the master waiting,” barked Chlotar, snapping his fingers impatiently.