Blackthorn waved a hand at the shelves of books and manuscripts that lined the library walls. ‘The prince and Lady Flidais are very fond of old tales. I have wondered if, somewhere in this collection, there might be a version of the heartwood house story. I would be interested to see it and I imagine you would too. So there’s a challenge for you. Search through any likely volume or manuscript and see if you can find it.’ Blackthorn smiled. She was almost back to herself. It was amazing how much better that made Cara feel. ‘Rather a daunting task, in view of how large the collection is,’ Blackthorn went on. ‘But more to your taste, I imagine, than spending your mornings embroidering with Mhairi. And as I have some writing work of my own to do, I could keep you company.’

‘I suppose I could do it.’ It sounded pretty tedious, just leafing through all those books. But she did want to know the heartwood house story. What if it was the key to everything? Hadn’t those voices said, I know what he’s building, as if that were somehow important? And spending her mornings in the library would mean she didn’t need to talk to anyone except Mistress Blackthorn. That was worth a little boredom. ‘All right, I’ll try.’

‘Of course,’ Blackthorn said, ‘it’s possible you could go through every book and manuscript in the place and still not find the story. A pity we don’t have a druid handy. When they are training they learn just about every tale there is, and they never forget them.’ She rose to her feet. ‘Now, if I’m to move over here I’d best go and have a word with a few folk. Find out about a cottage. Let Emer know what I’m doing. Bring some things across and lock up at home. Send word to Grim, if I can work out how. I’ll have to go back to Longwater in a day or two. Maybe one of the men there could take a message.’

‘I’ll start looking for books of old tales,’ Cara said. ‘I suppose some of them might be in Latin. I don’t know very much Latin.’

‘We may be able to work it out between us. If not we’ll have to wait for Oran and Flidais. And I imagine their minds will be on other matters.’

‘What – Oh, you mean Lady Flidais’s family and that man who’s overrun their land.’

‘I mean that, yes. Cara, be mindful of one thing. You may find the story. It may unlock the puzzle. But knowing the truth doesn’t always put everything right. Truth can hurt like a knife in the belly. So be very sure you want to do this.’

‘I’m sure,’ Cara said. ‘I know my father’s not a liar and I’m going to prove it.’