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and it appears you helped him recover his strength. The important thing now is to make Ella see that her fears were unfounded; that this mystery man was no more than a stranger whom you took in and saw on his way. If we here at Hawkenlye can achieve that, we can call the matter closed.’ He did not answer. ‘Yes?’
    He looked up and met her eyes. There was, he detected, the beginnings of amusement in her expression. ‘Suppose so,’ he muttered.
    â€˜Excellent!’ she cried. ‘Now, you have had a long ride in the cold – let me order some refreshments.’
    Ella remained closeted with the infirmarer for most of the afternoon and by the time she emerged – smiling shyly up at Will, who was waiting for her – it was too late to set out for New Winnowlands. Josse and Will were offered accommodation with the monks down in the Vale and one of the nursing nuns said she would prepare a shakedown bed for Ella in the infirmary.
    In the morning Will was up early to ready the mounts. Josse, who had been enjoying a chat with Brother Augustus while he finished his breakfast, followed him a little later up to the Abbey to seek out Ella, who was making herself useful in the infirmary by helping Sister Caliste take food and drinks to the bed-bound patients.
    Will brought out the horses and Josse went to say farewell to the Abbess. He, Will and Ella had already mounted up and were setting out through the gates when Josse heard the sound of hurrying hooves. He drew rein, waiting.
    A horse and rider came into sight from the direction of the forest. The horse was pushed to its limits and, despite the chill morning air, sweating. The rider was white in the face and looked shocked and sick.
    Josse slid off Horace’s back, handing the reins to Will. Stepping forward, he went to meet the rider as he pulled his horse to a skidding halt at the gates.
    â€˜Is this Hawkenlye Abbey?’ the man shouted. He was young – little more than a boy – and the poor quality of his garments compared with the splendour of his horse suggested that the animal was not his usual mount.
    Laying aside the instant suspicion that this lad might be a horse thief, Josse put a hand on the horse’s bridle and said, ‘Aye, this is Hawkenlye.’
    â€˜Oh, thank God!’ The lad all but fell from the saddle, stumbled and would have collapsed but for Josse’s supporting arm. ‘It’s terrible! I’ve never seen anything so ghastly in all my born days, and that’s a fact!’ His eyes were wide with horror and Josse smelt vomit on his breath. ‘It fair turned my stomach and I don’t normally quake at the sight of blood.’ His pallor increased and Josse stepped back just in time as the lad threw up on the frosty grass.
    A small crowd had gathered. Sister Martha, frowning and with her pitchfork in her hand, stood beside Ella, who was mounted on the mule; Brother Saul and Brother Augustus, who had come to see Josse’s party on their way, stepped forward. In the background the Abbess was walking slowly towards the source of the commotion, eyebrows raised.
    Josse nodded at Augustus who, understanding, took charge of the lad’s horse. Then Josse put an arm around the shaking boy and said, ‘Let’s have it, then. You’ve seen something bad and you’ve come here for help?’
    â€˜Yes. Yes ,’ the lad stammered. ‘Me and the master, we’re riding along the track that skirts the forest on our way down to Tonbridge – Master, he’s a merchant and he had some goods he were taking to sell – and all of a sudden his horse starts and almost throws him. We could smell it ourselves then, both of us – the stench was like a butcher’s block, I’m telling you.’ He shuddered. ‘Anyway –’ he rallied – ‘Master dismounts, goes to have a look and I follows. It – he – is lying there under the trees and