A couple of days from Burgos, her little mare must have come into heat. I’m a town girl, myself, but I know enough about horses to tell you they can be unpredictable. Of course, Heinrich was riding a stallion; his male pride wouldn’t let him do the sensible thing and take a gelding. Ector had a stallion, too, but he was a much more confident horseman, and he kept it well away from the mares.

One thing led to another, of course. It was quite evident that something was up—so to speak. I think Heinrich did realise he had a problem and tried to guide it away from the mare, but the stallion was too strong for him.

It was Tom who acted. Usually such an equable man, suddenly he exploded into action.

“Get off that horse!” he bellowed at Madam, leaping off his own horse and running up to her.

She clearly didn’t understand, looking down at him with disdain. He wasn’t going to let that stop him and grabbed her by the arms and pulled her down. Her legs scrabbling, she had difficulty getting her foot out of the right-hand stirrup. As soon as he had her safely, he swung her away towards the side of the road.

He didn’t have time to get his breath back before she started screaming at him. What did he think he was doing, she demanded to know. She’d have him arrested, everyone had seen what had happened, he was a madman, he’d tried to drag her into the bushes to have his wicked way with her, she’d have him locked up, she’d tell Ector he’d hurt her shoulder...

Tom didn’t even try to say anything. He just stood there looking shamefaced. Then he slowly nodded his head towards her horse.

The stallion had leapt onto the little mare and was energetically giving her a good seeing to. Heinrich, I suppose, had left it a bit late to jump off, as he was sitting on his ass in the dust, scowling. He must have hit it quite hard.

It was a sight worth seeing. I must admit I found it quite stimulating, in a way, watching the horse’s huge cock ploughing in and out of the little mare. I could feel my cheeks flushing. It seemed quite appropriate that Heinrich would have such a well-endowed horse, and I couldn’t help thinking of the previous night when he’d taken me in much the same way.

Madam had meanwhile turned her attention from Tom to the German and was screeching at him without, apparently, needing to inhale at any point. She had an inexhaustible supply of invective, including several words I hadn’t thought she knew.

I couldn’t help it, I burst out laughing. So did Tom, and within a few moments, all the other pilgrims were laughing while Madam kept screaming, and Heinrich just looked puzzled, which made the situation all the funnier.