‘The Lord God.’ Orm bowed his head.

Odo laughed. ‘You really are trying to please me, aren’t you, pagan?’

‘You’re a bishop,’ Orm said. ‘Just trying to be polite.’

‘Yes, very well. But God does sail with us, for we have the Pope’s endorsement. And that’s why I wanted to talk to you.’

‘Lord?’

‘I’ll get to the point. I have heard all about the Menologium of Isolde. The prophecy that has been bandied about in King Harold’s court.’

‘That belongs to a priest called Sihtric.’

‘Yes. Whose sister you tupped.’

Orm kept his face blank. ‘Your spies are good, my lord.’

‘Yes, they are. And they also tell me you have been present when this fool Sihtric has tried to fill his King’s head with nonsense from this document.’

‘And if I have?’

‘Don’t be evasive, boy, it doesn’t suit you.’ The bishop’s face was hard, more like William’s than ever. ‘This prophecy has become famous, at least in the English court. And such instruments can be dangerous. Perhaps even if we win the day, this prophecy will be read by wishful thinkers to say that William’s days will be short, that soon an English king will be back on the throne, Harold or one of his brothers. Something like that. You must see that such a prophecy can form a seed from which rebellion may grow. And I want you to make sure that doesn’t happen.’

Orm frowned. ‘How?’

Odo shrugged. ‘Work it out for yourself. Find this Menologium. Destroy every copy. Dispose of Sihtric if you have to. That sort of thing.’

Orm said tightly, ‘We are about to invade England. Thousands of men will die in the coming days, whatever the outcome. And you fret over a bit of parchment?’

‘It is a detail, I grant you. But worlds can be won or lost over details - and I see it as my duty to William to take care of such details for him.

‘And there is more.’ The bishop leaned forward, his clever face intent. ‘Once, under Rome, the Church was united, from Syria to Britain, from Germany to Africa. When the empire fragmented, so did the Church - and Britain fell away. A few centuries of incursions by your pagan forefathers didn’t help.’

‘And yours,’ Orm said curtly.

Odo grimaced. ‘I suppose I deserve that. But my point is that the popes in Rome have long been pursuing the reunification of the Church. When we are done England will be cut free of its ties to the barbarian nations of the north, and brought back into the Latin centre of the south, where it belongs.