The Hawks of Delamere, by Edward Marston

The seventh volume of the Doomsday series takes the intrepid agents back to Western England. This time they are in Chester, on the northern edge of Wales, where they are hosted by the Earl, a crude, rude and socially unacceptable man with a surprisingly spiritual side. In the course of their visit, the Earl's favorite hunting hawk is killed, and then his favorite huntsman is shot as well, bringing Earl Hugh to the point of rage.

The upshot of all of this is that Welsh appear to be on the verge of invading England in spite of the Earl having as hostage their prince. It's all a bit confusing, but also familiar--especially Golde's friendship with the Earl's wife, a good and kind woman who 'married badly.'

In the end, the plotters are foiled and war is averted. Everyone--those who aren't sacrificed as plot devices--ends up happy, except perhaps the Welsh prince who is still imprisoned. He is raised to more princely treatment however, and the commissioners are able to sort out all the monkey business with land deeds to their (and the Church's) satisfaction.

Another comforting story.