‘He accused Lord Jasper of using you, Sian.’ Evan’s cheeks grew pink under his dark stubble when he said this. ‘Like the Norman conqueror claiming droit de seigneur. He said he felt ashamed that he had taken gold for the kind of service you were providing. I’m sorry, Sian, it’s best you hear it from me rather than find out later from wicked tongues. Had you come to Tŷ Cerrig he might well have refused you entry.’

I felt as if someone had punched me hard in the stomach. ‘But, Evan, you have sworn fealty to Lord Jasper. What do you think?’

My brother kicked a stone on the beach and sent it spinning into the water. ‘I liked Lord Jasper the first time I met him – same as you did. And he did not change when he became a lord. Our father did not read him right.’

‘So you would not betray him?’

He shook his head. ‘I wanted to enlist in Owen Tudor’s archers but Father would not let me. Even so I could not believe it when he marched off to join William Herbert’s muster.’

‘He was an old fool,’ I said bitterly. ‘Too old to fight. Why did he not send Dai?’

‘Because Dai is no soldier. Besides Father said that if Owen Tudor was fit to fight then so was he.’ Evan shrugged and made a hapless gesture. ‘It turned out neither of them was.’

‘At least Hywel died on the battlefield and could not have been involved in Owen’s execution. That would have been terrible indeed.’

‘I hope he would have refused to be party to that. What will you do, Sian, if Lord Jasper is captured?’

Evan’s blunt question took me by surprise. Since we had come to Tenby, Jasper and I had avoided this topic, but he had told me when he first returned to Pembroke that he wanted me to take our children to Tŷ Cerrig and if Myfanwy does not come back, Davvy too. With Maredudd now head of the household I supposed he believed we would be safe there. But I could not bring myself to confide, even to Evan my own entirely different intentions. I had learned that in general men became dictatorial if a woman showed any sign of defiance.

‘And little Harri? What will happen to him?’ Evan asked.

I frowned. ‘Since Lord Jasper is attainted, I think wardship of Harri reverts to the crown and no doubt some noble person will be granted his custody. I hope it might be his mother but I think it unlikely, sad to say. One thing is certain though, I will never be permitted to remove King Henry’s nephew to a rustic farmhouse in Gwynedd. Even one that has a grand new tower!’ I gave Evan a rueful smile. I had a suspicion that Harri might rather like to grow up on a farm.