‘Wouldn’t it be lovely,’ she said, ‘to see ourselves as we really are?’ ‘God does that,’ I said, ‘and only God.’ She wrinkled her face at me. ‘I do hate it when you preach at me, Derfel. It doesn’t suit you. If Guinevere wasn’t beautiful, then why did Arthur fall in love with her?’ ‘Love is not only for the beautiful,’ I said reprovingly. ‘Did I say it was?’ Igraine asked indignantly, ‘but you said Guinevere attracted Arthur from the very first moment, so if it wasn’t beauty, what was it?’ ‘The very sight of her,’ I answered, ‘turned his blood to smoke.’
