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'You're an honest man, Master Vowell'

Richard slipped the papers inside his jerkin

'What do you think they do to a ue?'

'Dunno,' the tinker held up his left hand 'Perhaps they cut off his writing fingers, like what the Frogs did to ers wereincourt and other battles against the French

'Why did you say you were left-handed?'

'I didn't When you're captured, they , they take 'em off both hands so there's no o If you'd been a lord you could be rotting in a dungeon while your relatives raised a ransom'

'Yeah,' the tinker nodded 'They're not all badthe Frogs They just made it so I couldn't draw a bow no ht,' Richard agreed 'It's the nobles I can't standjust like those arseholes we've got here'

He tapped the tinker's arm

'Watch out The bailiffs are here Walter Gallor and soreen before they see meOwen's here for the fair'

Owen Ap-Richard leant on his longbow and addressed the crowd in his strong Welsh voice He wore a stylish costume from Bordeaux, where he had served with a coe and had decided to leave fighting to younger '

He pointed to four wooden heads

'One hit wins you a fine ribbon for your lady's hair Hit all four and she'll be taking home a kerchief fit for a queen'

The heads were on a stand beside the chapel of Saint Thoestured towards them

'There you are, ues in all of Christendom'

An arrow hit one head but failed to knock it over

Owen turned to the crowd

'Our good friend is out to avenge the treachery of the vile Duke of Burgundy who has allied hi's enemies'

The next shot hit the duke's helround A boy of about sixteen put it back and another handed a ribbon to the triuave the archers' salute

'You're looking fit, Owen'