“You ought to know that I don’t feel injured by any means. And don’t call her a ‘harlot’ again in my presence. You feel safe because my arms are bound. So don’t look to my honour, but rather look to your own, for you cheapen it. And I can manage without being consoled. But just out of interest: how did you intend to console me?”

The black knight said nothing for a long time, looking on with a strange expression. He finally spoke.

“Adèle Stercza is dead.”

Silence reigned again for a long time. And, again, it was the knight who broke it.

“Duke Jan, Lord of Ziębice,” he said, weighing his words, “decided to strengthen the alliance of his duchy with Kłodzko, with Sir Půta of Častolovice. They both judged that the best way to do so would be for Jan to wed Anka, Půta’s youngest daughter. But there was a problem, and the problem’s name was Adèle. Adèle of Stercza, who was already strutting around Ziębice like the lady of the manor and a duchess. Who, when she was informed about Duke Jan’s marriage plans, created such a stink that the walls shook. It became clear that she wasn’t just another mistress, not one of those innumerable lovers who could be urged, bribed or ceded as a vassal. It was clear that if ditched, Adèle would cause a great fuss and create an enormous scandal. So Půta of Častolovice pulled a sour face, anxious to avoid a scandal, and assured Jan he would not expose his Anka to any unpleasantness. There would be no betrothal, he vowed on all the saints, until the suitor became blameless, and order and piety had returned to the Ziębice court. He would not send his daughter to Ziębice until he was certain that she wasn’t threatened by any gossip, mockery or slights.

“Jan of Ziębice quite swiftly found a way of getting rid of the problem, allegedly at the instigation of his confessor. It may interest you to hear that you contributed to the plan in some small way, m’lord, for the herzog recalled that the Burgundian was once in collusion with Reinmar of Bielawa, the notorious sorcerer. You have a most strange expression. I thought you’d be delighted to hear of her taming, that the news that you are partly responsible for the Jezebel’s fall would gladden you… I thought—”

“You thought wrongly. Go on.”