Fifteen was not too old for climbing trees. If she was quick she could get up to her favourite perch, sit there awhile, and still be back at the barn before Alba grew tired of the kittens. She tucked her hem into her girdle, eyed the distance, then jumped to hang by her hands. Once she had a good grip, she swung her legs up and braced her feet against the trunk. From there it was a simple matter of stretching one arm a bit further to grab a particular side limb, then hauling herself up to a firm purchase. She climbed higher, up to her lookout, where she could sit comfortably at the junction of trunk and branch and see without being seen. The barn, the stables and the yard, a certain way off, and Gormán working on his big axe. Still no sign of Alba. Further away, twin rows of lovely beeches leading to Wolf Glen’s main dwelling. And nearer at hand . . . She froze. There was a strange man down there, almost directly below her, standing so perfectly still he might have been made of stone. He was wild-looking, filthy, with matted hair halfway down his back, a bristling beard and crazy eyes, and he was staring at the scattered remnants of the heartwood house.

Now perhaps you understand why it is not advisable for a young lady to go wandering about on her own, said Aunt Della in her mind. Though probably this was just some fellow down on his luck, a hapless wanderer who would pass by and never be seen again. As daughter of the house she should climb down, introduce herself, and point the way toward the kitchen, where they’d give him a good meal. And a wash; he was the dirtiest person Cara had seen in her whole life. But she did not climb down, not even when she saw Alba come out of the barn, look around for her, then head directly toward her hiding place. Alba didn’t call Cara’s name; she could guess where she was, and she understood that drawing attention might get Cara in trouble. Gormán looked up from his work as Alba passed, then went back to it.

The wild man did not move. The heartwood house seemed to hold him spellbound. Should she shout to Alba, warn her? While Alba and Gormán would be able to see the top of the guardian oak, the heartwood house would be invisible from over there; the trick of the land made sure of that. They could not see the man. But if she made a noise the man would know she was here, and although Alba could run back to Gormán, Cara could not. Not without climbing down and going right past the stranger.