Blackstone felt his friend’s genuine anger. Perhaps the encounter with the woman had been foolhardy, but it had been satisfying. He glanced at Beyard, who was sitting with the boy. ‘Has Lázaro recognized anyone?’

‘He’s been as attentive to those coming and going as he has sewing this,’ said Beyard, handing Blackstone the shirt as the High Steward came down the steps on the far side of the yard and approached Álvaraz. Moments later Velasquita followed him, her cloak’s hood on her shoulders revealing her face. Neither looked across to where Blackstone’s men sprawled along the stable wall.

Blackstone saw Lázaro look intently at her. His heart thudded. Had the boy seen the assassin? ‘Lázaro?’ he said. ‘Do you recognize anyone?’

Lázaro nodded. ‘The woman and the man.’

‘The soldier?’ said Blackstone.

‘No, the older man.’

‘He’s the High Steward. Where have you seen them before?’ Blackstone said, suppressing hope of anyone who had been with the assassin being identified. And if it was Velasquita? He did not answer his own question. What was it he hoped for? Her guilt or her innocence in the murder?

Lázaro slunk down onto the floor to hide behind the draped clothing drying in the winter sun. ‘When I went with the Queen to serve her at Medina, the man and the woman came into my lady’s room. She was there with her servants. The man told my Queen that she was never to leave the palace grounds.’

‘And the woman?’

Lázaro shook his head. ‘She stood back. It was the man who instructed her. It was the King’s order, he said.’

‘And later, when the Queen was killed, did you see them again? Were they in the room?’

‘No, lord. The killer had his back to me and his hood pulled high. The ballestero who held her – I never saw him again. And I have not seen him here among the men.’

Blackstone looked across the yard to where the High Steward and Velasquita stood with Álvaraz. If they were not involved in the murder then the unidentified assassin was still on the loose and might still, if he recognized the boy, strike without warning. Blackstone took pity on the boy’s fear and nodded to Beyard.

The Gascon placed a protective arm around the boy’s shoulder ‘Lázaro, come, let’s attend to my horse. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow.’

Blackstone watched as Álvaraz appeared to argue with Velasquita and the High Steward; then, as the other two turned away, Álvaraz looked across to where Blackstone stood. He waited while Velasquita and the steward walked towards the palace entrance and then strode across the yard to Blackstone.

‘We are to seize goods from the merchants,’ said Álvaraz. ‘A distasteful task, given their support for the King.’