‘He is not dead,’ I said, laying my hand against his neck. ‘But he is very cold. How long has he lain here?’ I tugged a blanket from the cot and tucked it around him, taking care not to move his head.

Jane shook her head. ‘I do not know. Not long I think.’ She waved her hand in the direction of a snivelling girl who stood in the shadows, wringing her hands. ‘Cerys here was sleeping in his chamber. She said she heard a bang but thought it was a door slamming somewhere. It was a few minutes before she got up to check on Harri and came straight to wake me.’

I glanced at the girl and wondered how few those minutes had really been, for the little boy was very cold. ‘Perhaps she could go and find a hot brick. There may be one beside the hall fire, or in the kitchen.’

Jane nodded and sent Cerys off on her errand. ‘She is a good girl,’ she said, putting the lantern down on a chest before returning to my side. ‘But obviously a sound sleeper.’ The light settled into a steady pool.

‘Many are, when young and hard-worked,’ I remarked, thinking of my slumbering squire. ‘We need to get Harri warm. I think he may wake up then and we can find out if any bones are broken.’

I heard Jane’s gasp of anguish. ‘Oh dear God, I pray not!’

‘Amen to that,’ I said and we both made the sign of the cross. Feeling suddenly dizzy, I put a hand to my forehead and felt the cold sweat on my brow. ‘Is there any water here in the nursery?’ I asked.

Beside the lantern stood a covered jug and a horn cup. ‘We keep spring water here for Harri.’ Jane brought me a cupful and watched me gulp it down. ‘That will clear your head. I heard you carousing with your friends.’

I began to protest indignantly, ‘We were not carousing –’ but broke off. Harri was stirring and making little moaning sounds.

Soon Jane was kneeling beside him, her soft voice calling ‘Harri. Harri. Can you hear me, sweetheart?’ The little boy’s eyes slowly opened and tried to focus, then he gave a groan, beginning to cry. ‘Sssh. You are all right, Harri,’ Jane told him and I marvelled at the calm tone she managed to summon in such a crisis. Gently she held him still, saying, ‘Do not move, Harri. You have fallen out of bed. Just lie still and try not to cry. It will make your head hurt.’ She placed her hand on his forehead and stroked the hair back, crooning a little tune. It must have been familiar to him because the crying stopped and Harri’s blue eyes fixed intently on Jane’s face.