World Without End Page 0,130

bridge on to dry ground, not a muddy beach."

"Yes - excellent."

Caris said: "But how do you build stone walls in the middle of a river?"

Edmund said: "I've no idea, but it must be possible. There are lots of stone bridges."

Merthin said: "I've heard men talk about this. You have to build a special structure called a coffer dam to keep the water out of the area where you're building. It's quite simple, but they say you have to be very careful to make sure it's watertight."

Godwyn came in, looking anxious. He was not supposed to make social calls in the town - in theory, he could leave the priory only on a specific errand. Merthin wondered what had happened.

"Carlus withdrew his name from the election," he said.

"Good news!" Edmund said. "Have a cup of this wine."

"Don't celebrate yet," Godwyn said.

"Why not? That leaves Thomas as the only candidate - and Thomas wants to build the new bridge. Our problem is solved."

"Thomas is no longer the only candidate. The earl is nominating Saul Whitehead."

"Oh." Edmund was thoughtful. "Is that necessarily bad?"

"Yes. Saul is well liked and has shown himself a competent prior of St-John-in-the-Forest. If he accepts the nomination, he's likely to get the votes of former supporters of Carlus - which means he could win. Then, as the earl's nominee, and his cousin too, Saul is likely to do his sponsor's bidding - and the earl may oppose the building of the new bridge, on the grounds that it might take business away from Shiring market."

Edmund looked worried. "Is there anything we can do?"

"I hope so. Someone has to go to St John to tell Saul the news and bring him to Kingsbridge. I've volunteered for that job, and I'm hoping there's some way I can persuade him to refuse."

Petranilla spoke. "That may not solve the problem," she said. Merthin listened carefully to her: he did not like her, but she was clever. She went on: "The earl might nominate another candidate. Any nominee of his could oppose the bridge."

Godwyn nodded agreement. "So, assuming I can keep Saul out of the contest, we must make sure the earl's second choice is someone who can't possibly get elected."

"Who do you have in mind?" his mother asked.

"Friar Murdo."

"Excellent."

Caris said: "But he's awful!"

"Exactly," Godwyn said. "Greedy, drunken, a sponger, a self-righteous rabble-rouser. The monks will never vote for him. That's why we want him to be the earl's candidate."

Godwyn was like his mother, Merthin realized, in having a talent for this kind of plotting.

Petranilla said: "How shall we proceed?"

"First, we need to persuade Murdo to put his name forward."

"That won't be hard. Just tell him he's in with a chance. He'd love to be prior."

"Agreed. But I can't do it. Murdo would immediately suspect my motives. Everyone knows I'm backing Thomas."

"I'll speak to him," said Petranilla. "I'll tell him you and I are at odds, and I don't want Thomas. I'll say the earl is looking for someone to nominate, and Murdo could be the right man. He's popular in the town, especially among the poor and ignorant, who labour under the delusion that he's one of them. All he needs to do, to get the nomination, is make it clear that he's willing to be the earl's pawn."

"Good." Godwyn stood up. "I'll try to be present when Murdo speaks to Earl Roland." He kissed his mother's cheek and went out.

The fish was all gone. Merthin ate his bread trencher, rich with juices. Edmund offered him more wine, but he declined: he was afraid he might fall off the roof of St Mark's this afternoon if he drank too much. Petranilla went into the kitchen and Edmund retired to the parlour to sleep. Merthin and Caris were left alone.

He moved to sit on the bench next to her, and kissed her.

She said: "I'm so proud of you."

He glowed. He was proud of himself. He kissed her again, this time with a long, moist kiss that gave him an erection. He touched her breast through the linen of her robe, squeezing her nipple gently with his fingertips.

She touched his erection and giggled. "Do you want me to bring you off?" she whispered.

She did that sometimes late in the evening, when her father and Petranilla were asleep, and Merthin and she were alone on the ground floor of the house. But this was broad daylight, and someone could walk in at any moment. "No!" he