“He may have saved your life, but he wasn’t looking happy when we first came up the hill. Off somewhere on his own having a think, that’s my guess. Same as Anluan.”
“I thought you said Anluan was resting.”
“I said that’s what I told him to do.You know and I know how likely it is that he followed my advice.”
After a visit to the privy and a wash, I felt strong enough to walk on my own, though it was still an effort to catch my breath. Magnus was all for taking me straight back to my chamber, but I persuaded him that one of his herbal drafts would be good for me. I sat at the kitchen table to drink it while he chopped vegetables for a soup. He worked with one eye on me, as if he expected me to collapse the moment he looked away. I wondered whether I would have died if Gearróg had not broken the library door down, and who would have taken the news to my sister.There was a sudden powerful need in me to see Maraid again, to tell her I forgave her for deserting me. I was coming to understand that people make extreme choices, for good or ill, and that there are sometimes good reasons for them. I wanted to know that she and Shea were happy. I was by no means sure the life of a traveling musician would suit Maraid, a woman whose home hearth was precious to her.
“Do you have sisters or brothers, Magnus?”
The big man paused, knife in hand. “A couple of brothers. I haven’t seen them in long years; don’t even know if they’re still alive. Both fishermen, back home in the isles.The sea’s a hard mistress; she doesn’t discriminate.”
“Haven’t you thought of going home, at least for a while?”
His smile was resigned rather than bitter.“I can’t, Caitrin. I left that life behind when I joined the
“You must have been proud of him this morning.”
“I was.” He resumed cutting up the onions.
“And he’s going to need you even more now he’s committed Whistling Tor to standing up against a Norman attack. He’ll need all of us.”
“As to that,” Magnus said, “there might be a few hard choices ahead.”
“What do you mean?”
“Talk to Anluan, lass. He’s going to go through with this, but he’s not happy with what it means. I expect he’ll come to find you again later, explain it all to you.”
“I’ll talk to him now.” I got to my feet, steadying myself with one hand on the table. “Where do you think he is?”
“You’re not going anywhere on your own,” Magnus said.
A slight form appeared in the outer doorway: Muirne, with purple marks like bruises under her eyes. She hadn’t been lying when she spoke of a debilitating headache.
“You are recovered, Caitrin.”
“I’m feeling somewhat better, thank you. Is your headache gone?”
A wintry smile. “It will pass.”
“You left the garden rather quickly, earlier.”
“You could not understand. The pain is such that one does not act sensibly. I was unable to help you.”
Magnus was concentrating on his cookery, leaving the awkward conversation up to the two of us.
“Muirne, do you know where Anluan is?”
She took a step into the kitchen, then turned to adjust some cups on a shelf so they were perfectly in line. “Yes,” she said.
“I need to talk to him. Will you walk there with me?” I glanced at Magnus, expecting him to order me straight back to bed.
“Where is he, Muirne?” the big man asked.
“Through there.” Muirne waved a hand vaguely towards the inner doorway. “Close by.”
“I suppose it’s all right, provided Caitrin doesn’t go on her own,” Magnus said. “He’ll likely have words with me for letting you get out of bed so soon, Caitrin. Muirne, make sure you look after her.” He was lifting the ham down from the hook where I had hung it.
“Of course.” Muirne’s brows went up, as if it were ridiculous to suggest she would be anything other than the most caring of companions. She took my arm—her touch chilled me—and we went through the inner doorway into the maze of chambers and hallways beyond.
I was foolish, perhaps. Once before, up in the tower, I had imagined her pushing me over the edge and down to oblivion. I had suspected her of shutting me in. I had even wondered if she was responsible for the damage to my belongings, though it was hard to imagine such a self-possessed creature shredding a gown or ripping out a doll’s hair. As for her sudden disappearance earlier, just before I noticed the fire, she had a perfectly plausible explanation for that. I had seen how the frenzy affected the host, causing those men on the walkway to turn on one another, sending the steady Gearróg suddenly mad. I should be grateful to Muirne. If she had not removed herself from Irial’s garden, she might have been driven to attack me.
“Something amuses you, Caitrin?”
“Not really. This has been a difficult day. I thought the whole library would be lost.”
