Servants ran forward with their master’s weapons and now Blackstone stood facing men whose sworn lord had been threatened and insulted. Blackstone’s obvious contempt was enough to make one of them stride forward. An arrow thumped into the ground barely a yard in front of him. De Montfort’s knights saw Will Longdon and twenty archers with arrows nocked.

‘You overstep the mark,’ said Blackstone to the chastened knight. ‘I have come for Renfred and I will leave with him and then you, my Lord de Montfort, can return to your bragging of how you won the battle.’

The gathered men’s mood was turning more belligerent and as word spread of the confrontation soldiers raised themselves from their cooking fires and began to move towards de Montfort’s pavilion. The sight of those approaching boosted de Montfort’s confidence but before he could preen his feathers Chandos’s gruff voice separated the crowd.

‘Can’t a man have a shit in peace? What is this?’

‘Sir Thomas insults and threatens me. I demand he is reprimanded, Sir John. You are the Prince’s Constable; you outrank him and his behaviour is intolerable. I will ensure the King and the Prince hear of it.’

John Chandos was renowned for his diplomatic skills. He had negotiated with the French after the Treaty of Brétigny, had mollified the Dauphin, brought French towns under the English flag and in the past few hours had achieved his King’s desire and helped deliver the Duchy of Brittany into the hands of de Montfort. Such skills were not enough to restrain him.

‘God’s blood, you should kiss Sir Thomas’s arse. It is he who delivered the day to you. Whatever he says or does is beyond reproach when you have been handed such a prize.’

De Montfort’s face flushed with colour. There was a collective gasp from those close enough to hear the rebuke.

‘Now what have you done to deserve Sir Thomas’s displeasure? That is the question, my Lord de Montfort, Duke of Brittany,’ Chandos continued.

For a moment de Montfort’s jaw did not respond to his swirling thoughts. It opened and closed and then finally he regained his composure.

‘I will be treated with respect,’ he said.

‘Aye, you’ve earned a modicum of that, I’ll grant you, but you should find humility before God and go on bended knee and give thanks for victory and for having Sir Thomas Blackstone at your side. Respect is due to him and his men. They have scant reward for their efforts – unlike you. I await your answer, de Montfort. What act have you committed that has caused this disagreement?’

‘My men caught a thief. It is one of Blackstone’s men.’

Chandos looked to where Renfred stood, dried blood on his face, flanked by Killbere and Jack Halfpenny.

‘You mean Sir Thomas? Respect, my lord. Remember?’