I wiped my face again. ‘Not so easy,’ I said, wishing I had the strength to get up and walk out before I waded in too deep. ‘Give your heart to someone and you spend your life in fear of losing them. In terror of seeing them hurt.’

Luíseach stared at me, her sweet features creased with worry. ‘You’re the kind that takes on other folk’s burdens,’ she said. ‘That’s what Ide said, and I see it in you. Don’t load yourself up too heavy. Even the strongest heart has a breaking point.’

If Grim were here right now, I thought, he would bear half the load for me. If he were here I could lean on him. And when he was in trouble I would take my turn as the strong one. I didn’t want him to be at Wolf Glen. I wanted him home. ‘I should go,’ I said, getting up. ‘Thank you for talking so frankly, Luíseach. Don’t worry, you didn’t tell me anything about Cara or any other baby. Wise women are good at keeping secrets.’

‘What worries me,’ Luíseach said, ‘is what happens when this particular secret does come out. That girl looks like she’d break easily. Looks like a puff of wind would carry her off. My boy’s fond of her, though he doesn’t want me to know it.’

‘You’d be surprised,’ I said. ‘Underneath, Cara’s as strong as an oak.’

As I rode back to Winterfalls, taking the shorter way, sudden rain came pelting down, whip-hard. The noise was deafening. I did not know I had company until the two riders loomed up, one on either side of me. My horse shied in fright and I nearly came off. One of them dismounted and reached for the mare’s reins. I whipped my knife from my belt and pointed it in his general direction. It was raining so hard I couldn’t see his face clearly.

‘Lay a hand on me and I’ll cut off your fingers!’ I snarled. My whole body was shaking; my heart was jumping about. ‘I mean it! I’ll do it! Don’t doubt me!’ Mathuin’s lackeys. They had to be. Who else would be out here waiting for me? They were here to make me talk. To force information out of me. Those bastards were expert at that. They would throw me back in that vile place and torture me until I broke all over again. They’d wring every scrap of dignity from me. Just like last time. Only it wouldn’t happen. I’d kill them first. Or I’d take the knife to my own wrists.

‘Mistress Blackthorn!’ The man was shouting to be heard over the downpour. ‘Let us escort you back to Winterfalls.’