I first became fascinated by the period surrounding the Norman Conquest while I was an undergraduate at Cambridge, and my particular thanks go to Dr Elisabeth van Houts of Emmanuel College for helping to nurture that interest, which continues to this day.
For assistance with the various passages of Old English that occur in the novel, I am grateful to Dr Richard Dance of St Catherine’s College, Cambridge, to Olivia Mills and Cherry Muckle.
Thanks also go to Tricia Wastvedt and Dr Colin Edwards, my tutors on the MA programme at Bath Spa University. Early readers Beverly Stark, Gordon Egginton, Liz Pile, Jules Stanbridge, Michelle Burton and Manda Rigby all gave feedback on the novel at various stages in its development. Their observations and detailed advice proved invaluable as I worked to hone the manuscript, and I am indebted to them.
I would also like to take the opportunity to thank my editor, Rosie de Courcy, together with Nicola Taplin and everyone else at Preface, and my copy-editor, Richenda Todd, all of whom have been instrumental in bringing this novel to publication.
Finally, and most especially, heartfelt thanks to my family and to Laura, without whose support and belief this novel would not have been possible.