Prior Robert and Brother Richard sleep in Huw's house. Jerome and Columbanus set off to Cadwallon's holding. Cadfael is not ready to call it a day yet. He's enjoying the freedom of life outside the monastery and wants to squeeze out the most from each day. He finds himself in the Bened, the smith's house. The smith is a well-respected man in the town. He's muscular, bearded and of middle age. John and Huw are already there, and Cadfael finds out that the townspeople often hold small nightly gatherings at Bened's house. Cadfael learns much from this gathering. He finds out that Rhisiart is a big landowner and that Cal, a ploughman, works for him and so does the talented ox caller. He learns that Rhisiart is a widower with only one daughter.....
