I said quickly: “Not Cadal, my lord; Ulfin. Cadal had other duties, and Belasius sent Ulfin with me.”

“Two of a kind?” The words were contemptuous.

“My lord?”

His voice cracked suddenly with temper. “Don’t bandy words with me, you little catamite. You’re lying about something, and I want to know what. I can smell a lie a mile off.” Then he looked past me, and his voice changed. “What’s that in your saddlebag?” A jerk of his head at one of the soldiers flanking me. A corner of Belasius’ robe was showing. The man thrust his hand into the bag and pulled it out. On the soiled and crumpled white the stains showed dark and unmistakable. I could smell the stale blood even through the bubbling resin of the torches.

Behind Uther the horses snorted and tossed their heads, scenting it, and the men looked at one another. I saw the torchbearers eyeing me askance, and the guard beside me muttered something under his breath.

Uther said, violently: “By all the gods below, so that was it! One of them, by Mithras! I should have known, I can smell the holy smoke on you from here! All right, bastard, you that’s so mighty free with my brother’s name, and so high in his favour, we’ll see what he has to say to this. What have you to say for yourself now? There’s not much point in denying it, is there?”

I lifted my head. Sitting the big mare, I could meet him almost eye to eye. “Deny? I’m denying that I’ve broken a law, or done anything the Count wouldn’t like—and those are the only two things that matter, my lord Uther. I’ll explain to him.”

“By God you will! So Ulfin took you there?”

I said sharply: “Ulfin had nothing to do with it. I had already left him. In any case, he is a slave, and does as I bid him.”

He spurred his horse suddenly, right up to the mare. He leaned forward, gripping the folds of my cloak at the neck, and tightening the grip till he half-lifted me from the saddle. His face was thrust close to mine, his armed knee hurting my leg as the horses stamped and sidled together. He spoke through his teeth. “And you do as I bid you, hear that. Whatever you may be to my brother, you obey me, too.” He tightened the grip still further, shaking me. “Understand, Merlin Emrys?”