‘Where is the young woman now?’ I asked, finding it somewhat confronting to hold the wise woman’s gaze. I was the prince of Dalriada and leader of this district; that made this appalling incident my responsibility.

‘Being tended to in Silverlake,’ Blackthorn said. ‘She can’t be moved yet. There’s a kindly couple there who are happy to house her for now.’ Her lip curled, and again I heard the unspoken message: Now they know she’s a good girl, not a runaway. ‘Ness has some injuries. I’ll deal with those. And she needs rest, quiet.’ She glanced at Emer. ‘She won’t be her old self again anytime soon. Perhaps never.’

‘Ness will come to us when she’s well enough to be moved,’ said the girl. ‘My mam says it’s all right for her to stay. When we’re done here I’m going over to Silverlake to help look after her.’

‘Good,’ I said. ‘You’ve done well, all of you. What I cannot understand is why you tackled this yourselves, just the two of you.’ It seemed Blackthorn and Grim had ridden up there to confront Branoc without any backup at all, knowing the girl might be a prisoner in his barn, and suspecting the baker might have killed her father. According to Emer, Branoc had had an eye for Ness long before this happened, but Ernan had refused to consider him as a suitor for his daughter. Ness had never thought of Branoc as a possible husband; her affections were all for her traveller lad, Abhan. Who was now very likely on the road with the rest of his folk and heading our way, knowing nothing at all of this. ‘Why didn’t you bring it to me, ask for my help? We could have sent men-at-arms. We could have apprehended Branoc instead of letting him escape. Why didn’t you raise it at the council, or when I came to the village?’