Throughout the rest of the night, Edon laboured and so did Ethel, alternately soothing and scolding, whilst keeping an eye on the progress of the birth and explaining details to Catrin.

'This un's coming out feet-first, she said. 'Contrary as its mother.

'Does it make a difference?

Ethel glanced at the patient and lowered her voice. 'Makes me work for my living, she said. 'I gets most of them out alive, but there's some as can't be saved. Head comes last, you see, and sometimes the babe suffocates. But if you bring the head out too fast, you damage the skull.

Catrin winced, and Ethel gave her a tired smile. 'Do you still want to be my apprentice?

'Not at the moment, Catrin said with a small shake of her head. She looked at the elderly woman sitting on a stool by Edon's pallet side. It was not just the darkness of the room that was staining Etheldreda's eye sockets and dragging the flesh in dark shadows from her bones. While Edon's young body strove to bring forth new life, Ethel's was striving to hold life's end at bay.

Reaching out, Ethel patted one of Catrin's hands with her trembling left one. 'You have the gift, you have the hands and, despite what you say, you also have the calling.

On the pallet, Edon whimpered and drew up her knees. Visibly gathering her strength, Ethel turned to her with words of encouragement and palpated her abdomen with a gentle, sure touch.

As the dawn brightened over the land and the shutters were thrown back to admit a flood of light into the women's chamber, Catrin witnessed an expert midwife at work. Any doubts she had harboured about entering the trade were banished by the birth of Edon's son.

Squinting, the better to focus, Ethel peered intently between Edon's quivering thighs. Taking a sharp knife from her belt, she made a single, swift cut in the young woman's flesh. 'Have to be stitched later, she said without looking up, 'but this way the child has a better chance o' life. See both cheeks of its arse now.

Edon had screamed at the sharp incision. Now she screamed again as another contraction forced her to push. Catrin held her hand and murmured soothingly, but her gaze was upon the tiny, bloody buttocks and legs that were emerging from Edon's birth passage.

'A fine little lad, Ethel encouraged Edon. 'Five more minutes and we'll have him bawling in your arms. Just look at the ballocks on him!

Edon half laughed, half sobbed and clenched her fists in the pillow.

Ethel waited until the body had been born as far as the mid-section. Then she freed the legs and gently pulled down a loop of the pulsating birth cord. 'Next the shoulders, she said to the fascinated Catrin, and when Edon had pushed these out, Ethel watched closely again, not touching the baby, but waiting until the nape and hairline appeared. Then she grasped the infant's ankles and very carefully tugged him in a wide arc towards Edon's belly. His nose and mouth came free of the birth passage.

'Here, hold him like this, Ethel commanded. 'Don't pull at all; we don't want him popping out all of a sudden.

Catrin found herself grasping the baby's slippery little feet, their size so tiny that she could scarcely believe they belonged to a human creature. Ethel took a strip of linen and deftly cleaned the infant's nose and mouth of birth fluids. A huge wail filled the space around the bed and the new-born's colour improved from dark red to pink.

'My, my, muttered Ethel. 'Ballocks and a bellow. He's going to be a regular little bull.

Taking charge from Catrin again, she slowly delivered the rest of the head and lowered Edon's new-born son on to his mother's abdomen. 'Backside first, she said, shaking her head as she cut the cord and wrapped the baby in a length of warmed linen. 'He's as awkward as his mother. There was a note of deep satisfaction in her voice. Breech births were notoriously difficult and not all had a happy outcome.

'I'm not ready to be a mother, Edon croaked, her voice filled with tears and joy.

'Too late now, Ethel said, and placed the child in her arms. 'Never fret, you'll grow accustomed.

The afterbirth was delivered and the other women crowded around mother and baby, offering their services now that the main one had been performed. Edon's son was bathed and oiled. His gums were rubbed with honey to soothe him, and the wet nurse was sent for. Rohese kept her distance, her nose in the air.

In the broad light of day, Ethel's features were positively grey. Once more Catrin broke protocol to bring the older woman a cup of Countess Mabile's best wine.

Ethel took it gratefully, together with another swig from the small flask in her satchel. 'Hope you learn quick, girl, she said ruefully. 'By the feel o' my bones, my time's almost run into the bottom of the hourglass.

Catrin shook her head, not sure what to say. She was indeed a fast learner, but knew that Ethel had so much to teach, it would probably take years to absorb it all.

'Where's that cord I gave you?

'I have it here. Catrin fished the knotwork necklace from the throat of her dress. 'Did you fear I would take it off?

'No, but I wondered. Ethel looked pleased. A spark of colour had returned to her cheeks and her breathing had improved.

'I wondered too, but I don't any more. Catrin glanced over her shoulder to the far end of the room where mother and child were being feted by the other women.

'Aye, it's a miracle and a mystery, Ethel said. 'One I never grow tired of seeing. Recovered, she rose to her feet and turned towards the door, but before she had taken more than a step Richard appeared at Catrin's side.

He was wearing a clean, if slightly large, tunic that had been found for him yesterday, and from somewhere he had obtained a comb and smoothed the night-tangles from his hair. 'Can I go and find Thomas? he demanded.

Catrin nodded. 'If you want, she said, but caught his sleeve to hold him back. 'You slept well?

Richard wrinkled his nose. 'I didn't dream if that's what you mean, but all the noise woke me up. He shrugged. 'I'm glad the baby's alive.

Catrin felt the tug of resistance against her hand and let him go. He bolted from the room like a young hare, and the midwife shook her head with envy. 'Wish my old legs were as springy as that, she said, adding thoughtfully, 'He does well to shoulder the burdens he has.

'I suppose Oliver told you about him.

Etheldreda limped towards the door. 'He told me enough but I still have eyes to see. God's Mother, if I had to rely on information from Master Oliver, I'd still be sitting at my fire now! Sometimes it's like drawing a tooth!

Stifling a smile, Catrin escorted Ethel down the draughty, winding stair. As they reached the foot, the new father greeted them on his eager way to see his infant son. 'A boy! he cried. 'It's a boy!

'Aye, so it is, my lord, said Etheldreda drily. Geoffrey grabbed her, plonked two smacking kisses on her cheeks, pressed a silver penny in her hand, and shot on up the stairs.

Ethel rubbed her cheek and chuckled. 'I warrant he'll not still be sober the other side of prime.

Catrin glanced up the stairs to the sound of his receding footfalls and warmed to Edon's husband a little more.

She escorted Ethel as far as the bailey, whereupon the midwife insisted that she could see herself the rest of the way to her shelter. 'I'm for a cup of ale and a wink of shut-eye, but I'll return to look in on mother and babe before noon.

'What about all those stairs?

The whiskery mouth pursed stubbornly. 'I'll manage, young woman, she said and then looked sidelong at Catrin. 'Leastways for today, while I show you what to do. After that you can check on mistress Edon and report to me.

'But I don't… I'm not… Catrin began.

'You will and you are, Ethel interrupted firmly, her tone brooking no argument. 'Leave me now, I can manage from here.

Chewing her underlip, Catrin watched the indomitable old woman make her way towards the main camp. Only four days ago, Catrin had known what to expect from daily life. Now she felt as if she were a stone, rolling down a hill and gathering speed with terrifying momentum. But it was exhilarating too.

Turning back to the keep, she was surprised to see Rohese de Bayvel hurrying across the bailey in the direction of the camp. The seamstress was wearing a hooded cloak, but Catrin recognised the skilful embroidery on the hem of Rohese's gown, and the shoes with their distinctive silk braid side-lacings. The image of the haughty embroideress entering the human stew of Earl Robert's camp of her own volition, and at a run, was enough to make Catrin stare with widening eyes. She remembered the furtive exchange of money for a pouch of herbs and wondered if Rohese had taken a lover among the Earl's common troops. She was curious and interested, but not shocked. After serving Amice for three years, there was very little that could surprise her about men and women. 'Have you lost him again?

Stifling a scream, Catrin spun round and discovered Oliver grinning behind her. His hair was wet and bore the sleek sheen of silver gilt, and there was a barber's nick on the point of his chin, showing a pin-prick bead of red. It was the first time that she had seen him unencumbered by his mail. He seemed taller and thinner without the bulk of hauberk and gambeson, the dark blue tunic emphasising both traits. The colour was expensive, affordable only to the nobility, but the garment bore evidence of hard wear. There was a patch in one elbow of a slightly different shade of blue, and the cuffs bore much evidence of darning.

'Lost who? Catrin asked, momentarily taken aback by his sudden and changed appearance.