It isn’t often that Tallis Steelyard, the leading poet of his generation, is summoned to assist a maiden in distress. This, I would hasten to add, is not due any lack of chivalric feeling on my part, but frankly as a poet I am not the obvious choice when a lady wants a champion in armour bearing sword of obvious utility.

Poets pen

Warriors swagger

Equestrian

Sword wielding

Warriors sneer

Poets patter

Self-revere

Pettiness concealing

But still, it is a strange world, and Penaloe Shortwheel was a strange young lady. She was brought up to aspire. Her family were poor, but not so poor that they didn’t value soap. Their clothes might be threadbare but they were always clean. Also her mother always told her to aim high and marry the best man she could.

So at the age of fourteen Penaloe, petite, pretty and apparently self-possessed got…