He did not see the look – without surprise and certainly without amusement – that passed between the two guards, as one of them left his post to follow him.

The staircase up into the east tower was a spiral of stone, scantily lit by a single torch thrust into a bracket near the foot of the steps. Through the slit windows the night wind blew, soft with summer. An owl called. Alexander went silently up the steps. Somewhere ahead of him, muffled by door or wall, he could hear voices; a single voice, and then, from time to time, a chorus as men spoke together, or vied with one another to be heard. The sounds came from not far above him. He paused on a small triangular landing in a curve of the stairway, and listened. It was not possible to make out any words, and it seemed as if the speakers were being careful not to raise their voices. There was a pause of quiet, and through it could be heard a single voice that was, unmistakably, the queen’s. Then a man speaking angrily, and others joining in, a chorus that sounded impatient, even quarrelsome. He trod swiftly up the last curve of the stairway.

There was another landing, wide this time, with a rug laid over the stone floor, and a stool against the wall to one side of a door. It was a strong door, studded with iron, and fast shut, and beside it was another guard.

Not a King’s guard this time. A boy only, seated on the stool with his back against the wall. He looked half asleep, but as Alexander appeared round the curve of the stairs he jerked to wakefulness and jumped to his feet. The prince recognised him. It was the page Gregory, who had first told him about the “councils”, and that the queen’s servants “kept the door”, and refused entry to any but the privileged.

Well, that had been a long time ago, and now everyone in the castle, not least Morgan’s own page, must know him to be among the privileged. He gave the boy a smiling nod, and spoke in an undertone.

“Your mistress holds council here tonight, I think, Gregory? Will you open the door, or, if you prefer it, go in and announce me?”

The boy did not move, standing with his back to the door. “I’m sorry, sir. I can’t.”

“What do you mean, you can’t?” Alexander let his irritation show. “Can’t even go in and ask, you mean? Surely, after all this time –”

“Forgive me, sir, but we have our orders. No one to go in, no one except the council. I did tell you before, sir. I dare not.”

“Well, but that was ‘before’. You must surely know that I am in the queen’s confidence now!”

“But not of the council, sir. Not of her own people.”

“Her own people? What people?”