‘Quick,’ he says, and he hauls the reins of his horse around and down the cobbles into the river. The water is numbingly cold, deep and fast-flowing. He feels his horse lose purchase on the stones of the riverbed before it starts to swim.

‘Come!’ he calls to Katherine. Katherine kicks her pony down the bank into the icy current.

Thomas is across quickly, his boots full and his hose wet. The horse exhales loudly, shuddering. He looks back for Katherine. Her pony is struggling to swim, but makes it to the other side, only to stumble as it climbs the riverbank.

‘Katherine!’

She falls and is under the water and he thinks she has been hit by an arrow. But no, she clings with both hands to the reins and the pony ploughs on and she is dragged out. Water pours from her and she loses her hat. Her pony scrabbles up the bank on slipping hooves. Thomas leaps down to help her. Over the other side of the river the Welshmen are still coming.

‘Quick,’ Thomas breathes. He bundles her upright and they turn and run, ducking through the trees towards the town, leading the horses behind them. An arrow skips in the mud behind them, but it is a parting shot, and soon they are weaving their way among the hurdles and pens where geese hiss at them in the gloom. If they can only now find an inn in the town, they’ll be safe.

They find one below the castle motte, with a stable lad the innkeeper has to wake with a kick, and the promise of ale to go with a stew of pork and beans and more roasted cheese. The innkeeper speaks English and they tell him how they’ve been attacked on the road.

‘Like that everywhere these days, isn’t it,’ he says without much concern. ‘Everyone’s taking advantage of it.’

‘Taking advantage of what?’ Katherine asks. Her voice is oddly slurred.

‘Tudor’s coming, did you know? Coming this way with an army of French and Irishmen, and the men of Pembroke of course. Strong arms they’ve got on them. They’re on their way to meet the Queen’s army somewhere up north, aren’t they? Ha! I fancy they’ll knock old Warwick and March and whatever’s left of the rest of them back into the sea for good this time.’

He is about to say more, but notices Katherine shivering.

‘Like a greyhound, aren’t you, hey? You want to get out of those clothes, you do, lad.’