He shook his head violently. ‘I do not believe that. Girls are made to have babies. However, you are right in one respect and one respect only, it is my responsibility and not yours. It is you who are acting like an interfering old woman. I told you before – stop meddling in my life and get on with your own!’

Just as he had done a hundred times during our youth, Edmund ended the argument by shoving me in the chest and striding off, determined to have the last word. And as I had always done on those occasions I let him go, but this time I vowed I would do exactly as he had demanded. When they left Caldicot the next day I would wave them goodbye and from then on I would leave Edmund to sort out his own life – and forget Margaret Beaufort.

12

Jane

Tŷ Cerrig & Pembroke Castle

I HAD NEVER RECEIVED a letter from anyone before and I held the folded square of paper in trembling fingers. I did not recognize the smudged imprint of a bird in the wax seal. ‘Who is it from, Maredudd?’

Maredudd had just arrived, alone, and was busy unhitching a pannier from his sumpter. ‘Who do you think? Lord Jasper of course. I do not play the courier for anyone else.’ He slung down the heavy basket. ‘There are gifts in here and I have gold for our father in a body purse. I do not know how much but I tell you, it has been uncomfortable riding and sleeping with it wrapped around my waist.’

‘He will be glad of it,’ I said. ‘It has not been a good year on the land.’

‘I suppose it is further “compensation” for me being away from here as Lord Jasper’s squire,’ said my brother. ‘I will give it to him at supper, when I have changed – is there a fresh chemise I can wear, Sian? I stink of crowded hospice dorters.’

‘I will leave one of father’s by the cistern. Make sure you wash before you put it on – and in case you have forgotten, let me remind you to use a pail, the cistern water must remain clean.’

Of course he knew the house rules and I smiled at the rude hand signal he made at me under his horse’s neck. His last visit had been at harvest time. Since then Gwyladus, Bethan’s widowed mother, had come to live with us, and my father had taken on two farm workers, which meant two more hearty appetites to feed. It was only early December and I was already worried that our stores of grain and salted meat would not last until next summer. Not forgetting the three infants (so far!) my stepmother had borne. Housekeeping did not get any easier at Tŷ Cerrig.