The villains of the piece - 3

England 1134: These are the years of the long, bloody civil war over the succession of Henry I - a conflict between the supporters of Henry's daughter and rightful heir, the beautiful and tyrannical Matilda, and her cousin, the usurper Stephen of Blois, a just and decent man but with no lawful claim to the throne.

This is a war in which even partisans can change sides according to who holds the advantage - a war in which there is little courage, much deceit, and barely any honour.

The sole exception is Brien Fitz Count, Lord of Wallingford, friend of Stephen's but true to his vow of support for Matilda.

He, his wife Alyse, and their retainers make of their small, strategic castle a fortress and rallying point, holding it against siege and worse at immense personal cost.