At the back of his mind, Childermass is trying to recall any records of the Raven King appearing in the war against the French ... but, no, he's rather certain that Lord Portishead's history of the Raven King does not mention it, and that the King had already left to travel upon his roads. He supposes, in a moment's clarity, that that is precisely why the British suffered such losses. Yet here he stands, from a time when English Magic had been rekindled to repel the French, to great success. Childermass cannot help but wonder if that was why the Raven King fled in the first place: to remind them all of the importance of English Magic, and not to take it for granted. But the lady has asked him a question, so all of this percolates at the back of his mind even as he answers.

"Both do, m'lady. France does rather well. Your village is dominished, from what I know of history, but still stands. I sailed once with a man from near Domremy. He played the concertina - used t' sing us songs about you when he was feelin' particu'ly high in spirits."

Thankfully, he's worked in the service of gentlemen long enough that his Yorkshire accent has softened. Had Jeanne met him twenty years ago, she wouldn't have been able to decipher a word he said - perhaps even with the Peninsula's magic to help her.