‘My gratitude does not entirely outweigh my concern about your behaviour yesterday, Grim.’ Tóla’s got cold eyes. Hard eyes. Those eyes could bore a hole right through your heart. ‘You were very ready to take Bardán’s part. You suggested we had ill-treated the fellow in some way. You indicated that you might withdraw your labour if we did not make changes. I remind you of several facts. One, you are working for me. Two, you are extremely well paid. Three, you agreed to do the job. I don’t recall anything in our arrangement about your making your own terms and conditions and doing the same for your fellow worker.’

‘What I said. Last night. Yes, it was a good payment. I’ve earned some of it up to now. I’ll repay the rest if we can’t work things out.’

Tóla’s mouth goes tight. Me, I’m wondering why Gormán hasn’t spoken up, told his master about me getting Bardán out of that cellar, cutting his bonds, changing the sleeping arrangements and all. Not a word. ‘It’s not a matter of working anything out,’ the master says. ‘You do the job my way or not at all. I would be sorry to see you go. But I can’t have Bardán going off where and when he pleases, telling his mad tales to half the folk of the district. We’d never get the place built. And yesterday’s episode tells me we need it done soon.’

Morrigan’s curse. Gormán was right about him. He really believes the old tale about the heartwood house, whatever it is. He believes it was fate or a curse or suchlike that put his daughter in danger. Anything bad that happens to Cara before we get the thing finished, he’ll blame us for. Same as he blamed Bardán for his wife dying.

‘Master Tóla,’ I say, working as hard as I can to sound polite, though I detest the man and everything he stands for, ‘you know I said before, once or twice, about getting a few more men in to help. Do the job well, do it quickly. I know you’re not keen. But there are some fellows down at Longwater could handle the work if I was there to help them do it right. And Bardán to tell us all how it fits together.’

‘Fellows.’ He’s icy now. Doesn’t like me breaking his rules. Not one bit. ‘What fellows?’

‘I got talking to some of the lads earlier, while the women down there were birthing the babe. Asked around, didn’t tell them what the job was, exactly, just that it’d be a good stretch of solid work for them, with a fair payment. Sounds like there’d be a crew of six if you wanted them.’