I liked and respected this woman. She was wise, practical, a plain speaker. Even so, I must tread carefully. Reveal too much of what I knew about Bardán and the past, and I might get Grim in trouble. I’d just been warned off, after all. Don’t meddle. ‘I don’t think I mentioned that I’m staying on Prince Oran’s holding while he and Lady Flidais are away,’ I said. ‘And so is Master Tóla’s daughter, Cara. She and I have become quite close.’

‘I don’t see the connection, Mistress Blackthorn.’

‘No?’

‘No. Maybe if you ask the question, I may understand you better.’

‘That day when I first came here, when Fann was in labour, someone mentioned a kinswoman having been a wet-nurse. In Tóla’s household. At around the time when Bardán was first employed there. I think it was Osgar who spoke of that. His aunt, was it? That would make her your sister.’

‘That’s no secret. My brother’s wife, Luíseach, was feeding her infant son then; she had enough milk for the girl as well. Luíseach wasn’t in that household long. Three turnings of the moon at most.’

‘Does she still live here in the settlement? Could I speak to her about that time?’

‘You could, I suppose. She’s still here, though her house is a bit of a ride away. If I were you, I wouldn’t. It might be seen as unusual curiosity. If that got to the wrong ears you might find yourself in trouble. And so might Luíseach.’

My good deed in seeing Fann’s baby boy born safe and well had evidently won me a high degree of trust. If, as I suspected, Tóla had been paying the folk of Longwater to keep quiet about the past, they risked a great deal in speaking to me about that time. ‘I don’t want to get anyone in trouble,’ I said. ‘That includes Cara, who is intent on finding out the truth about her father and that place he’s hired Bardán and Grim to construct for him. If there is an unsavoury secret behind all that, I’d sooner Cara didn’t get hurt stumbling across it.’

‘You didn’t ask for my opinion, Mistress Blackthorn, but I’ll give it. The truth will hurt that girl no matter how she discovers it. She’s safe, she’s healthy, she has a father who’ll give her the world if he can. Why not leave things be?’

‘Because it wouldn’t be right,’ I said.