“I’m surprised my nephew let you out alone,” he observed as we came down the gully by the stream. “I thought he would know how to protect his investment a little better than that. And what an investment you’ve proved to be, my dear. Amazing what a bit of good food can do for a girl’s figure.” I glanced at him sharply, and intercepted a look that went up and down my body, up and down, as if imagining what lay beneath the demure, homespun gown. My insides went cold. “You’ve filled out nicely, young woman. Very nicely indeed.” I tried not to listen, but there was no way to shut him out. We reached the place where the stream ran into the river.

“Hugh’s a foolish man, to let you wander off on your own. Very foolish. Doesn’t he realize you could be taken advantage of? Too trusting, our Hugh. That’s his problem.” His arm snaked around my shoulders and I jerked away.

“Ah!” he murmured. “She has a temper! So much the better. The lad must have got a lot more than he bargained for when he brought you back. Two-and-twenty, and still as full of ridiculous ideals as he was ten years ago. I fear for the boy. I really do. When will he grow up? Even young Simon had a better hold on reality. And yet—our Hugh is not really so very high-minded, is he? I saw that glint in his eye, when he showed you off to me. Probably thought all his wildest fancies had come true, when he found you. What man doesn’t dream sometimes of having an untamed Irish woman, slippery as an eel and hot as hellfire under that milk-white skin, with wicked green eyes and hair that tangles around her body like coils of black silk? An education for him, was it? I did hear he came home with some teeth marks on him. How did my nephew suit you, young Jenny? Perform up to your expectations, did he?”

I could not stop the rush of blood to my face, the shame and outrage his words caused me. Why, oh why had I come out alone? Why must I listen? And please, let none of it be true, what he said. Let it not be so.

“Oh, I see,” he said slowly, eyeing my blushing face closely. “Still playing the innocent, are we? Or near enough. He’s saving you up. But for what? I can’t imagine. Our boy may be pure as snow on the surface, but there’s a red-blooded man below that cool exterior, my dear. He may not have had you yet, but he will, don’t doubt it. Ask some of the village girls, they’ll have plenty of tales for you. He’ll have you, all right. Especially now you have more flesh on your bones. Delicious flesh, if I may take the liberty. And I may. Oh, yes.” He laughed, and the trees seemed to shiver at the sound. Alys hid her face against my breast. My arms ached with her weight.