And he told Harry of his ancestor Saladin, born and raised in the Holy Land, who had come to England, and fought in Spain, and then joined a crusade. Surviving, he returned to England to start a family of his own. ‘Saladin was always determined that his family should remember the Testament of Eadgyth; he thought it contained important lessons for the future. Your own father taught it to you, didn’t he? But other prophecies accreted around you too . . .’

The news about Saladin was disturbing for Harry. ‘Then I might have Saracen blood in my veins.’

‘A dash of it, probably,’ Geoffrey said. ‘Don’t worry, I’m keeping this to myself. I wouldn’t wish to harm your business reputation. Be grateful there’s no sign of Jewry in your blood line. But then, Edward Longshanks expelled all the Jews from England nearly two hundred years ago, by God. We were the first in Europe to do it, and we set a fashion, didn’t we?’

Harry, impatient, asked, ‘Just tell me simply - why are you so interested in my family’s past?’

‘Because you will need to understand your own complicated history if you’re to understand what has become of your sister. Poor Agnes! I got involved, you know, because my house is not far from the parish church where she lives.’

‘She lives in a church?’

‘You’ll see. I was brought to her. But she was calling for you, the brother she hasn’t seen for ten years. You always protected her, she said.’

‘So I did, I suppose,’ Harry said uneasily. ‘My father was always short with her. And when he was in his cups - I deflected his blows a few times. He repented before he died; I forgave him.’ Harry didn’t enjoy talking of his family’s past; it hadn’t been a happy time. ‘But my sister disappeared - she ran away, she was no older than ten. We heard nothing more of her.’

‘You didn’t try to look for her?’

‘At first. But after my father died I took over the business, and found he’d run it down - squandered the legacy of my grandfather. It was hard work restoring it. I had no time.’

‘I understand. And in all probability your sister didn’t want to be found. But she did not die, Harry; somehow she survived. And she found a place in the world. But eventually her troubles overwhelmed her, and she asked for you. So I came to find you.’

‘It’s good of you to do this,’ Harry said, though he felt resentful rather than grateful. ‘To come all this way, to give up your own business for her.’