I found a way down the hill between the birches and headed across the fields. I’d call in and see Ness briefly, have a word or two with Emer, and be on my way again. There was only one person likely to come after me and I’d made sure I had a good start on him. Besides, he’d be expecting me to go on south. Grim would be all right, I told myself. He had work at Winterfalls. He had friends; folk liked him. He could live in the cottage. He’d be better off without me.

I hoped Ness would be a little better today. Her body had healed quickly, with the resilience of the young. But last time I’d been here, she’d still been waking in the night, screaming. She’d still, sometimes, been wetting her bed like an infant. And although she’d talked to me, and talked openly, about what had happened to her, it had seemed to me part of her was absent, as if she had left something forever in that dark place of her captivity.

I came in to Silverlake. At Mór’s house, where Ness was staying, there was nobody about. I knocked on the door, then entered, as was my custom. ‘Anyone home? It’s Blackthorn.’

‘Through here!’ Ness called from the inner chamber. The door to that room stood ajar, and light spilled from within. I walked through and stopped short. Ness was sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed, with a shawl around her shoulders all patterned with birds and flowers. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes bright, and over her dark hair she wore the red kerchief that was almost, but not quite, twin to mine. On a stool by the bedside, holding her hand, sat a long-legged young man, dark-haired, thin and rather solemn looking, clad in a working man’s clothing brightened by a vivid blue neckerchief. As I came in the youth rose to his feet, but kept Ness’s hand in his.

‘Mistress Blackthorn, how good to see you!’ Ness said. Her smile lit up her face; she seemed transformed. ‘This is Abhan. His folk are camped on the other side of the lake, not far away. They came in last night.’

‘Mistress Blackthorn,’ said Abhan, ‘it’s an honour to meet you. What you did for my girl – I can’t thank you enough.’

He was all courtesy. Just like Prince Oran. Men were full of lies. I managed a nod.

‘We’re going to be married,’ said Ness. ‘As soon as we can. We’ll be travelling south when Abhan’s folk move on. I’ll miss you, Mistress Blackthorn. And Emer. But we’ll be back next autumn with the horses.’

Too fast; this was happening much too fast. ‘Where is Emer?’ I asked, with cold disquiet running through me.