Quicker to ride up as close as I can to this hut and run the last bit. Hoping I can find the plant she needs. From the sound of it, if there was a garden once, there isn’t anymore. Osgar gets me a horse, asks if I want someone to come with me and I say no. I can see nobody wants to do it. An old man points out where the place is, a bit downhill from two massive beeches, no missing them.

‘There used to be a path,’ says the old man. ‘When the builder fellow lived there. Bardán, his name was. It’ll be a bit grown over; he’s been gone years and years. But you can see where to head off the main track. Post still standing, though the sign’s gone. You can tie up the horse there.’

Bardán. Morrigan’s britches! As if I didn’t already have too much to think about. No time to ask questions now. I tell Ripple to stay with the others; no need for her to get wet and tired all over again. Then I get on the horse and head off. Try to put my thoughts straight while I’m riding up to the forest. First thing, calamint. Remind myself what it looks like. Pick the wrong herb and this woman could die because of me. Baby too. Got to be quick, got to get it right. Second thing, Blackthorn. I rushed back to the cottage for her bag, saw the writing tablet on the shelf, thought, good, this is my chance to rub out those words I wrote. Only when I opened up the tablet my words were gone. Something else was written there. Written by her. Hurry or no hurry, nothing was going to stop me reading it.

Who is this man?

Strength in his hands

Truth in his eyes

Love in his heart

Honour in his spirit

His name is Grim.

Just as well she wasn’t there when I read that. Filled me up with feelings. Blushing all over my big ugly face. Tears in my eyes. Couldn’t believe she’d written that about me. Me, Bonehead that was. She must’ve liked what I wrote, or she’d never have done that. Didn’t have time to sit and look at it then, but I made sure I remembered it, every word. Struggled with honour for a bit, first time I read it, but I worked it out. Brother Galen would’ve been proud of me.