“Huh. ‘Desperation bakes heroes from the most rotten flour,’ Farans wrote.”

Rogont blew out a heavy sigh. “We are running short of time for this particular loaf to rise.”

“I thought that talk about you having trouble rising was all scurrilous rumours…” There was something familiar about one of the ladies in Countess Cotarda’s party, more simply dressed than the others, long-necked and elegant. She turned her head and then her horse, began to ride down the grassy slope towards them. Monza felt a cold twinge of recognition. “What the hell is she doing here?”

“Carlot dan Eider? You know her?”

“I know her.” If punching someone in the face in Sipani counted.

“An old… friend.” He said the word in a way that implied more than that. “She came to me in peril of her life, begging for protection. Under what circumstances could I possibly refuse?”

“If she’d been ugly?”

Rogont shrugged with a faint rattling of steel. “I freely admit it, I’m every bit as shallow as the next man.”

“Far shallower, your Excellency.” Eider nudged her horse up close to them, and gracefully inclined her head. “And who is this? The Butcher of Caprile! I thought you were but a thief, blackmailer, murderer of innocents and keen practiser of incest! Now it seems you are a soldier too.”

“Carlot dan Eider, such a surprise! I thought this was a battle but now it smells more like a brothel. Which is it?”

Eider raised one eyebrow at the massed regiments. “Judging by all the swords I’d guess… the former? But I suppose you’d be the expert. I saw you at Cardotti’s and I see you here, equally comfortable dressed as warrior or whore.”

“Strange how it goes, eh? I wear the whore’s clothes and you do the whore’s business.”

“Perhaps I should turn my hand to murdering children instead?”

“For pity’s sake, enough!” snapped Rogont. “Am I doomed to be always surrounded by women, showing off? Have the two of you not noticed I have a battle to lose? All I need now is for that vanishing devil Ishri to spring out of my horse’s arse and give me my death of shock to complete the trio! My Aunt Sefeline was the same, always trying to prove she had the biggest cock in the chamber! If all your purpose is to posture, the two of you can get that done behind the city walls and leave me out here to ponder my downfall alone.”

Eider bowed her head. “Your Excellency, I would hate to intrude. I am here merely to wish you the best of fortune.”

“Sure you wouldn’t care to fight?” snapped Monza at her.

“Oh, there are other ways of fighting than bloody in the mud, Murcatto.” She leaned from her saddle and hissed it. “You’ll see!”

“Your Excellency!” A shrill call, soon joined by others, a ripple of excitement spreading through the horsemen. One of Rogont’s officers was pointing over the river, towards the ridge on the far side of the valley. There was movement there against the pale sky. Monza nudged her horse towards it, sliding out a borrowed eyeglass and scanning across the ridge.