Queen-mother Isabella tricks Edward III into finally declaring war on France by faking a 'miracle'. The enormous costs mean doubled taxes, even for bridge-collapse-hit Knightsbridge. The deaths open promotion prospectives. Friar Godwyn eliminates two rival candidates for the post of prior, in earl Roland's gift trough his son the bishop, whom Godwyn blackmails after finding out his affair with the earl's bride who will pay with her life, by blackmailing Thomas with exposure and setting up blind Carlus to fall out of the race, so he can start a grim rule of ascetic terror. Merith still wins the contract to rebuild the bridge at the guild's expense. Squire Ralph proves his blind loyalty to earl Roland at brother Merith's and his builders' expense, is rewarded by promotion to village lord, and wastes no time to prove himself unjust and abusive to his rural subjects, refusing to recognize Wulfric as his peasant father's heir and tricking his lover Gwenda into buying it with sex without honoring that pretended oath.
—KGF Vissers