A good deal of Jasper’s story is set in Wales and several enjoyable research trips were made there, including one very wild sortie into Snowdonia to view Tŷ Mawr Wybrnant, the 15th Century farmhouse where Bishop William Morgan was born, who first translated the bible into Welsh. It is currently run by the National Trust and well worth a visit, being the building on which I based the fictional Tŷ Cerrig farmhouse. But I advise you to choose fair weather and a full tank of petrol, because on our exit from its remote location in the depths of winter my husband and I found ourselves lost in a snowbound wilderness without a mobile signal and no sign of life for many icy miles. It gave me a very good idea of how lonely and stark was the landscape in which Jasper spent his outcast days in the high mountains. The location of Tŷ Cerrig was based on another place rooted in the 15thC – Cors y Gedol, a house and estate a few miles north of Barmouth (Abermaw), which is privately owned but used for weddings etc. Thanks are due to the owners for not complaining when I lurked around the policies taking notes and photographs. Other fruitful research locations were the castles of Caernarfon, Harlech and Pembroke and Lamphey Palace, all open to the public through Cadw, the Welsh government department responsible for preserving its history. I visited Lamphey on a wildlife evening and was privileged to hold a tame tawny owl throughout the expert’s talk, an experience I thoroughly enjoyed. Apart from that it is a beautiful place, full of atmosphere and interest with reference to First of the Tudors.

And now to the people who are truly crucial to this book. There would be no meticulously-edited, beautifully-presented, dauntlessly-marketed and purposefully-publicised Joanna Hickson novels without the skilful and friendly team I am so lucky to have behind me at Harper Fiction: my champion and publisher Kimberley Young, fearless and fabulous editor Kate Bradley, charming and capable editorial assistant Charlotte Brabbin and faithful copy editor Joy Chamberlain. All deserve my heartfelt thanks and a special mention should go to Holly Macdonald, who designed the new look for the jacket, which I absolutely love and I am sure readers will too. Katie Moss is still with me on the digital side of publicity – thanks, Katie – and the lovely Jaime Frost continues to handle publicity and public relations without which words do not reach readers.

Penultimate and huge thanks to Jenny Brown, my Scottish friend and literary agent – a doyenne of her ilk and the enthusiastic, well-connected, knowledgeable and stylish lady by whom it is my privilege to be represented.