Nuala shook her head. ‘If she did, she never mentioned them. You will keep this to yourself, won’t you?’ She sounded genuinely frightened.

‘You have my word.’ A lie. But I would, at least, not tell Flidais, and Flidais was the one this woman was afraid of. Had she threatened her handmaids with punishment if they spoke out?

‘It has been difficult,’ Nuala said. ‘For Deirdre and me in particular. Mhairi seems happy enough. Pleased to have the position of senior handmaid, though both Deirdre and I have been in Lord Cadhan’s household longer. But I don’t resent that. It means – it meant – it would be easier for us to leave. Domnall and me. But now . . .’

‘What was the news from Cloud Hill?’

‘A challenge. From Mathuin of Laois.’

I rose abruptly, turning away before she could see my face.

‘Lord Cadhan’s enemy,’ Nuala went on. ‘A very dangerous man. They share a border, and when we left there was a threat of war. Now Mathuin has told Lord Cadhan that if he does not give up a certain parcel of land, he will attack. Domnall says that won’t happen before the spring, but in any case, it means it is too dangerous for us to go home.’

‘I wondered where I had heard of Cloud Hill before,’ I said, working on keeping my voice level. ‘Grim and I must have passed quite close to it on our way to Dalriada. Yes, that is bad news. Lady Flidais must be terribly worried about her family.’

Nuala said nothing.

‘Difficult for all of you.’ I took the kettle from the brazier and poured hot water over my mixture.

‘We talked about leaving now, straight away.’ Nuala’s voice was a whisper. ‘Domnall and I. If we had an opportunity to work in another household we would take it. It may be possible to stay at Cahercorcan; Lady Sochla said it’s a huge establishment. I think most of the men-at-arms will choose to stay there, and Domnall has a good chance of securing a position. This house . . . it’s not a happy place.’

‘Mm-hm.’ I stirred the mixture. ‘We’ll have to wait until this cools a little. Let me refill your cup.’

‘Thank you. It won’t take too long, will it?’

‘Not long. May I ask you a question, Nuala?’

‘Of course.’

‘When you set out from Cloud Hill with Lady Flidais, you did mean to stay with her, didn’t you? You and your husband, here at Winterfalls?’

‘That’s right, yes. It was harder for Domnall than for me, with Lord Cadhan in such strife. But Lady Flidais is so young, and not the most worldly-wise of girls, and we knew – we thought – it would be good for her to have folk from home around her in her new household. We did not expect . . . we did not imagine it would be so difficult for her to settle. That she would . . .’