"I hope France turns out to be worth it." "Lord William is ill and needs a potion for indigestion." " Has he been poisoned?" "Is it witchcraft?" " What did you give him?" " Nux vomica!" "It's mild!" " Caris Wooler, you're under arrest for suspicion of murder and witchcraft." "I will strip her and examine her for the Devil's mark." " Don't you touch her!" " Stop this insanity!" "Confess and claim sanctuary within the convent." "The wimple and veil will protect you from everything." "Seven hellish years of war for this." "The French have us surrounded, Majesty." "They are attacking us constantly." "From three sides, not four!" "Get us across the forsaken river and we can get our army home!" "But we cannot cross the Somme, Sire." "So we sit here, fighting off their forays, and starving through the winter?" "Majesty, the French have burned all the bridges." " There's no way to cross the damn river." " There must be a ford." "The French are still well supplied, but the farms" " are across the river." " It stands to reason" " Enough!" "Enough!" "The question remains." "How do we cross the Somme and get the army back to England?" "Anyone?" "!" " The river is narrower at Abbeville." " The French know that too." " They will expect us there." " Not if we get there before them." " How long a march?" " Three days." " At least." "Force it." "Get us there in two." "Look!" "Look!" "Ma, there's a man making fire over there." "Can we go and see?" "Yes, but watch out for your brother." "Keep an eye on them." " I'm off to find Caris." " They're old enough" " to be on their own." " Keep an eye on them." "Ladies and gentlemen, come to the best in Kingsbridge!" "He uses this to make fire." "I saw." " Sam, be careful." " Don't be a baby, David." "Damn it!" "Maybe it is magic." "What do you know?" "Come on," " I'm hungry." " Ladies and gentlemen!" "What are you doing in my oven, boy?" "Stealing my pies?" "Hold it still, boy." "Hold it still." "And Wulfric?" "How is he?" "Angrier than ever." "We work the land that is rightfully Wulfric's, but Perkin pays us nothing but food." "That's despicable." "It makes Wulfric a misery to live with." "If this is Love, it's... it's a lot different than I ever dreamed it would be." "Gwenda!" "Sister Caris!" "Gwenda!" "Come now!" "Hold him." "Hold him still." "I know." "I know, I know." " Why didn't you watch him?" "!" " He snuck away." " You said you'd keep an eye on them!" " Gwenda, not now." "All right, all right." "I know." "Oh, God." "We're going to need a poultice of Spanish aloe." "Well, in the worst case he'll have a nasty scar he can show his own children to warn them not to steal meat pies." "Thank you." "Sorry to keep you waiting, Gregory." "How may I help you?" " And who is this?" " Sister Elizabeth." "I was told you wished to see our treasurer also." "Ah yes, thank you, Mother." "I have some very sad news." "I've come from the deathbed of your cousin" " Marilyn Smith in Hereford." " Oh, dear." "God rest her soul." "Was she in much pain?" "It was a gentle death." "A priest was with her when I arrived." "She sent you... this." "150 gold coins that she bequeathed to the convent." "There was no time to draw up any paperwork, she was fading fast." " God bless Marilyn." "If you think this hurt, just imagine what hell is like." "Come on." "Nothing more to see." "Go and get some fresh air." "Come on, David." "Try not to leave him this time." "Thank you again." "Thank you for herbs." " What are you writing?" " An account of what we did." "I always keep a record of the visitors." "That way, if they come back, I know how I treated them and what works and what doesn't." "Come, have a look." "This is some of our most valuable treasures" " that we have." " Books?" "Foreign books." "Filled with the most incredible knowledge." " I got them from a Spanish trader." " That's Spanish?" "It's Latin, translated from the Arabic." "These writers are physicians." "They know more about the healing arts than we do." "And it's all in these books." "It's amazing." "Are you sure they're not written by the Devil, hmm?" "Quite sure." "I keep telling her she should write her own book." "Compared to these people, I don't know anything." " But yours would be in English." " Sister Caris, may I have a word?" "I'm proud of you, Caris." "I know this was not your first calling," " but you've made a very fine nun." " Thank you." "So I'd like to reward you by giving you even more work." "As you wish." "God has blessed us with the funds to build your hospice." " Holger!" "Holger!" " Luke Webber!" " Are we gonna be in England soon?" " Nearly there." "Your papa and mama in Kingsbridge will be glad to see you, huh?" "Thank you." "Give the men a rest." "Feed them." "When the train arrives, we'll cross the river." "Very well, Sire." "Break ranks!" "They said it couldn't be done." "I can practically smell England, we're so close." "Praise God, we're almost home, Sire." "They've outflanked us." "They've outflanked us." "Your Majesty!" "Your Majesty!" "The French." "They've outflanked us." "They hold the northern part of the river." "So now we're totally surrounded." "Damn them to hell!" " Congratulations." " Oh!" "Prior, you startled me." "Gregory Longfellow just told me he brought a bequest." "Good news." "May I see?" "Mother Cecilia's cousin will certainly have a fine room in heaven" " with all the prayers she's bought." " Hmm." "Has she said how she intends to spend it?" "Yes, indeed." "I'm expanding" "Sister Caris' hospice." "You've had some time in which to build your palace," "Prior, but it seems you prefer hoarding silver to spending it." "Conserving it, Mother." "It would be an act of ungodly hubris to start a project that I'm unable to complete." "How saintly." "Now if you wouldn't mind?" "Thank you." "Lock it up tight, Sister." "Thieves are everywhere." "He'll be fine tomorrow." "Where's Wulfric?" "Wasting money we don't have." "He does love you, Gwenda." "As much as you love him." "Caris?" "Do you miss Merthin?" "I think of him." "But Mother Cecilia does her best to keep me thinking of someone else." "Who's that?" "God." "Thank you." "Are you all right?" "You seem distant." "I saw Brother Thomas and Brother Matthias together." "What do you mean?" "They were together." "In bed." "Godwyn must never find out." "Do you approve?" "It's considered a mortal sin." "But they're good men." "They don't deserve Godwyn's punishment." "I agree." "It's not as if they're betraying wives." "And I wonder if God really minds if it's for love?" "Someone to see you, Sister Caris." " Signor Caroli!" " Hello, Caris." "How good to see you." "Have you returned for some of our wool?" "The finest in the world." "And how does Florence fare?" "Are you safe?" "From The Great Mortality?" "Is it true what they say?" "That you go to bed well and wake up dying?" "An exaggeration perhaps, but yes, it can be quick." "Though it doesn't like the cold, so you are safe here in England." "I brought you a letter." "From Merthin." "Thank you." " "Dearest Caris." ""I am living in Florence, married, and blessed with a child." ""I'm a builder here, quite a successful one."" " Lolla lulina!" " Papa!" ""And though I love my wife and daughter," ""you continue to hold a special place in my heart." ""I have drunk far too much wine tonight," ""else I could never have written this." ""But Signor Caroli, I know, is travelling to Kingsbridge," ""which gives me a perfect excuse" ""to tell you" ""that I never stop thinking of you." ""How I wish things had been different." ""How I wish I had been able to bring you with me." ""But I was younger," ""and impulsive," ""and though I may never see you again, I want you to know" ""how much you remain a part of my life." ""Pray for me, dear Caris." "Yours forever."" "Go away." "We mustn't be seen together." "I don't think Sister Mair will tell." "She would have said something by now." "We can't risk it." "I love you, Matthias." "How can I love you, Thomas?" "I've told you everything about myself, but I know so little about you." "You keep it all hidden." "If I told you, your life would be endangered." "I've already lost my soul." "What's a life compared to that?" "What are you doing here?" "Get out!" "You're not permitted to be here." "May we have it back, then?" "Have what back?" "The money." "Your accomplice here has seen the error of her ways." "I assume you've kept it safe." " Why do you need it?" " The hospice, of course." "I've written to the bishop." "He's given permission for us to start immediately." " You went behind my back?" " I consulted a higher authority." "This is Priory money." "Marilyn left the money specifically to the Convent." "Do you have that in writing?" "Do you?" "Oh." "How unfortunate." "You may leave." "Godwyn will drive me to seek solace in the arms of the Devil!" "What will we have to do to be rid of him?" "!" "Wait." "You met the King." "Many years ago." "Why?" "Could you get an order from him?" "That the Priory must use the funds to build the hospice?" "Otherwise this will never end with Godwyn." "Our vital work can never be achieved." "I want you to go to him in France." "But I doubt he'd even see me," " and even if he did" " Make your preparations." "Dominus tecum." "Et cum spiritu tuo." "God have mercy." "Thank you, Mother." " Good morning, Brother." " Mother Cecilia." "Fine day for hunting." "Indeed." "Have you heard from Sister Caris?" "Not since her arrival in France." "Is there something you wish to say to me, Brother?" "You have no idea what you sent her into, do you?" "It's a dangerous mission, but it's for the glory of God." "Who will, I trust, protect her." "Have you ever been in a war," "Mother?" "It's easy for people at a distance to believe that God is on their side." "In the midst of battle I've never known Him to be benevolent." "You still trust Him." "Yes, I do." "In spite of war." "But I will never forget the horrors that I've seen." "Caris is used to blood." "She's used to mercy." "There is little of that on the battlefield." "It's horrific, what we've done to these people." "At least God's on our side." "Is He?" "Do you really think that God cares who lives or dies?" "He-He wasn't in that village." "He's everywhere." "What if we're wrong?" "What if God's just a story that we've made up, to give us comfort?" "Come now." "Shh..." "Shh." "No." "If it's done for love," "God doesn't mind." "Oh, my God!" "Oh, my God!" "You're English?" "Yes." "Where are you from?" "From..." "Kingsbridge." "Really?" "How many steeples does the Cathedral have?" "Two towers, one steeple." "You sisters are a long way from home." "You'd best come with us." "It's the only way you'll be safe." "Three Godforsaken weeks and still no way forward." "Still no plan." "You are Generals, are you not?" " Experts in the art of war!" " Sire, there are no simple solutions!" "Our backs are to the river and the French are closing in on three sides" " Our longbows have the power to bring them to their knees." " We should be using them" " To bring the longbows within range, we must first cross the river." "The French know that." "What is the strategy?" "!" "Save siege, starvation and the certain annihilation of my army?" "Majesty..." "An envoy from the French King arrived this morning." "He offers you terms." "You mean terms of surrender?" "Sire..." "Philip and his main army will be here by noon tomorrow." "We can neither advance nor retreat." "We will be totally surrounded." "So this is how it ends?" "Surrender my crown to Philip have my name cursed through the ages, and all to suffer an ignoble death, alone in a dungeon like my father." "What say you, Sir Henry?" "I see no choice but to accept." "I need a moment to consider your counsel." "Your Majesty?" "What joke is this?" "A nun come to cleanse my soul before it's sold?" "I treated your arm in Kingsbridge." "I removed a fragment of arrow." "So you did." "But as a woman, not a nun." "That I do remember." "How is your arm?" "Of little consequence today." " Your Majesty, I was sent here to petition you." " Petition me?" "What idiot would send you on such a mission?" "God has, Your Majesty." "The Prior steals convent money." " Without your help we" " Please!" "I care not for Church squabbles on a day such as this!" "Forgive me, Sire, but I have travelled a long way in search of you." "I have seen the horrors that men inflict upon each other, and I would bear it all again if you might hear my plea." "I understand that it is of little consequence to a King." "But as you have your duty," " I'm afraid I have mine." " And you think you know the duties that burden a King?" "No." "I can't begin to fathom what you must go through." "But duty is a burden that we all must bear," "I'm afraid." "And as you cannot walk away from yours," "I cannot walk away from mine." "Your name." "Caris Wooler." "Caris Wooler, your spirit and heart are all that I love of England." "If I am still King after tomorrow," "I will grant your petition." "So, it seems I have no choice but bow down in defeat to that preening French prick and hand him my crown..." "Well, that same crown says I have no choice but to refuse his terms." "We will attack the French across the river at dawn." " Attack, sire?" "But" " I will hear no buts!" "This is no day for cowards or politicians." "The last thing the French will expect is an attack from a defeated army." "You say our bowmen can win the day?" "Yes, Your Majesty." "Then all we need do is bring them into range." "A small party could cross under cover of darkness and dispatch their sentries, making safe a path for our longbows" " to ford the river..." " It's a bold plan, but if it fails, the King will withdraw" " his terms." " Then so be it." "Stealth, cunning and English resolve may yet win this day." "Who's bold enough to grasp this opportunity?" "I am, Your Majesty." " Sire, the French will hear them coming!" " Not if they're careful." "And silent." "Move your men slowly... like French snails." "Remember... slow and silent." "Sire." "Godspeed." "Let's go." "Shh!" "Ready?" "Follow me." "You go, men." "Go!" "With stealth!" "With stealth!" "Forward!" "Into position!" "Knock and draw!" "Loose!" "Draw!" "Loose!" "For England!" "For England!" "No quarter given!" "No quarter!" "Sister Caris!" "Was that your prayers or my arrows?" "Either way, you owe God His petition." "Oh, it's His petition now, is it?" "Boy!" "Here you are." "I shall visit Kingsbridge again and see how you have fared." "If it pleases you." "It does." "Thank you." "You're very welcome." "Onwards." "It's time to go home."