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out of the hall followed by his two companions. Brother Aiden paused a moment to pack away his tablets and flash them a rather awe-filled smile. Galeran and Jehanne strolled after to watch the monks remount their mules and ride through the gate, trailed after by their armed guard.

"Galeran," Jehanne whispered, "how did you do that?" And she looked at him with perhaps the most undiluted admiration he'd received from her in his life.

He smiled, feeling as if he'd slain a mighty dragon. "Oh, just charm. I'm tempted to try my charm to get a bath and some unbloodied clothes, but I really think we should be safe back in Heywood before the next thunderbolt strikes."

Chapter 10

Galeran was pleased to have a large body of armed men to accompany them back to Heywood, for he remembered the bowman. If the first bolt had struck a finger-length lower, he could be beyond these earthly cares.

In a spiritual sense he should welcome death, but he shuddered to think what might happen to Jehanne if she were left unprotected. He wore coif, helmet, and shield, therefore, and took care to ride well away from Jehanne and the child in case of more projectiles.

So, who was responsible for the bowman? If he'd been following Galeran's party for days, he could have found any number of chances to kill. More likely, he had come with Forthred, part of the same plan.

Flambard's plan.

Without Jehanne's swift action, Forthred might well have succeeded in taking charge of the child at Heywood. Without Galeran's presence, he would almost certainly have succeeded at Burstock. In that case, Jehanne would have felt impelled to accompany Donata.

At one stroke, Flambard would have the two pawns he wanted. If at the same time Galeran had been killed in the ambush, the whole affair would have been over before anyone could object. With the authority of the Church behind him, Lowick would have been married to Jehanne and in- stalled in Heywood within days, and there would be little his father, or even the king, could do about it short of war.

In fact, the king would be more likely to support Flambard So if Galeran's father objected to Lowick's possession of Heywood, Rufus would have a reason to come north and break the powerful family of William of Brome.

Raoul rode up beside him. "Why the frown? You don't really think there'll be another attempt on your life, do you?"

"It's unlikely, but I don't discount it. For all I know, a healthy price has been put on my death, and it's easy enough to kill a man. That crossbowman was simply unlucky. But I'm not exactly quaking in the saddle."

"Then why the frown? You routed that cleric cleverly."

"It won't stop there." Galeran glanced at his friend. "I gather you've never heard of Bishop Flambard."

"Aline explained something of the case. An unpleasant creature, but under protection of the king."

"He's more than that. He's the king's right-hand man. For years, he's been virtually running the country, and now that the king's raised him to the bishopric of Durham, he and my father are contestants for power here in the north."

"I'm still not sure why the bishop would think it worth supporting Lowick, though. Such a powerful person can't need such a weak ally."

Galeran shook his head. "Look at the situation here. The bishopric of Durham controls a sweep of the north from Carlisle to Durham itself. On the other hand, my father holds many estates, including Brome, the major barony in the area and with a castle that commands a crucial ford. Close by are the baronies of Heywood and Burstock, both closely allied to Brome, since I am married to Hubert of Burstock's niece, and another niece is my brother Will's wife. Did I mention that my mother's brother holds the coastal lands, including two important ports?"

Raoul whistled. "So your family has this part of the country in its fist and a real ability to interfere with the bishop."

"Exactly. And my father is not the type of man to take abuses in silence."

"But if the bishop can control Heywood, he will have significantly weakened the power of Lord William of Brome."

"And if my father objects, the king has an excuse to break him."

Raoul scanned the countryside with his sharp eyes. "The bishop and his pawn will be back, then, one way or another."

If there were other murderers lurking in the woods, however, they were too cautious to attack such a large and alert troop. The