When he had first landed at the small port called Palos, seeking somewhere safe for his child to stay, Colon had settled on a Franciscan priory called La Rabida, outside the town. It was a lucky stop, for he quickly found allies in the priory’s father superior, Juan Perez, and in a visiting brother called Antonio de Marchena. These two had become stout supporters. And it was a letter from de Marchena of Palos that had served as an introduction to the Queen’s confessor.

So Colon got his chance to present his petition to the monarchs’ council. But this was quickly rejected.

‘He was turned down for his sheer implausibility,’ said Abdul. ‘This Colon is not a scholar, and when he gets into debates about the shape of the world with sea captains and geographers, it shows.’

But Colon showed the qualities of iron determination of which the Testament hinted, ‘heart stout, mind clear’. He found a way to make a direct appeal to the monarchs.

‘And he immediately snagged the attention of Queen Isabel,’ Abdul said. ‘After all she has Portuguese ancestry. Colon’s father-in-law went exploring in the Ocean Sea with Prince Henry, the Queen’s own great-uncle. I think her blood was stirred at the thought of doing some exploring of her own.’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘He is a handsome man too, striking. And a lusty one. I’ll say no more than that!

‘The monarchs were interested, despite the implausibility of his case. I think it was Colon’s wild promises of gold from Cathay that most attracted them. The monarchs need funds to fight their war against Islam.’

Geoffrey asked, ‘Then they might support his case?’

‘They have appointed a junta, a commission of geographers and navigators and sea captains, under the leadership of the Queen’s confessor, to investigate his proposition.’

To Harry, all this was the stuff of a personal nightmare. He felt this figure, Colon, was emerging from a mist of chaos, from the Testament’s obscure old language, from the ramblings of his dying ale-soaked father, into the cold light of actuality.

Geoffrey sensed his unease. ‘Have courage, Harry.’

Harry tried to focus on the practical. ‘Is there any sense in this talk of crossing the Ocean Sea in the first place, and of vast unknown empires? If not, we can dismiss it all as fancy.’

Geoffrey asked, ‘What do you think?’

Harry shrugged. ‘I’m no navigator. The journey I made from London to Malaga was my longest sea voyage. I only know what I’ve heard.’

‘Which is?’