He was pleased about the twins. Wilwulf’s heir would probably be one of Ragna’s offspring now, rather than Inge’s son, Garulf, who was both stupid and brutal. “Good for Ragna,” he said.

Dreng, who had heard the announcement, said: “I’m sure everyone would like to drink a toast to the new young princelings!” He made it sound as if the ale would be on the house, but Edgar knew that was one of his tricks.

The Normans did not fall for it. “We want to get to Mudeford Crossing before nightfall,” Odo said, and they took their leave.

Edgar and Eadbald rolled their new, full barrel to the farmhouse, then Edgar resumed unloading his raft, roping the stones and dragging them from the waterside up the slope to the site of the smokehouse.

The winter sun was high and he was about to unload the last stone when he heard a shout from the other side of the river: “Help me, please!”

He looked across the water and saw a man with a woman in his arms. Both were naked and the woman appeared to be unconscious. Shading his eyes, he saw that they were Odo and Adelaide.

He jumped onto the raft and poled across the river. They had been robbed of everything, including their clothes, he guessed.

He reached the far bank and Odo stepped onto the raft, still cradling Adelaide, and sat down heavily on the one remaining rough-hewn quarry stone. He had blood on his face and one eye half closed, and some kind of injury to one leg. Adelaide’s eyes were shut and blood was congealing in her fair hair, but she was breathing.

Edgar felt a surge of compassion for the slight young figure, and a spasm of hatred for the men who had done this to her. He said: “There’s a nunnery on the island. Mother Agatha has some skill with injuries. Shall I take you straight there?”

“Yes, please, quickly.”

Edgar poled vigorously upstream. “What happened?” he said.

“It was a man in a helmet.”

“Ironface,” Edgar said, and he muttered ferociously: “The spawn of Satan.”

“And he had at least one companion. I was knocked unconscious. I suppose they left us for dead. When I came around we were naked.”

“They need weapons. It might have been your sword that attracted them. And Adelaide’s pendant.”

“If you know these men are in the forest, why don’t you capture them?” Odo’s tone was challenging, almost as if he thought Edgar condoned the thieves.

Edgar pretended not to notice the veiled accusation. “We’ve tried, believe me. We’ve searched every yard of the south bank. But they disappear into the undergrowth like weasels.”

“They had a boat. I saw it just before they attacked us.”

Edgar was startled. “What kind?”

“Just a small rowboat.”

“I didn’t know that.” Everyone had always assumed that Ironface hid out on the south bank, as he always robbed there; but if he had a boat then his hidey-hole could just as easily be on the north bank.