I remembered them weeping and wailing over Ciar’s body. ‘I don’t think they’d be very helpful. Besides, there’s always the chance one of them would tell Flidais or Mhairi that I’d been asking questions again.’

‘The guards,’ I say. ‘Lady Flidais’s men-at-arms. Not the friendliest bunch, but I know them now. Think I could get one of them to tell me the tale. Young Eoin, he talks about it sometimes. Scared him. He’s the one went into the water to fish Ciar out that day. Probably lucky he came out a man and not a newt or a frog.’ Morrigan’s britches, the more I think about this, the odder it gets.

‘That’s your job for tomorrow, then,’ Blackthorn says. ‘The start of a plan. Ask him, but don’t be too eager, we don’t want word to get back to Flidais that we’re poking around again.’

‘And your job?’

‘Convincing the lady that I still believe her lies. Playing for time, until you bring me an answer.’

Next morning we take Storm back to Scannal’s. I tell the miller I found his horse wandering over Silverlake way, and it was too late to bring him home safely. Scannal’s a bit surprised, as you’d expect, but he seems all right with it.

Turns out I can’t talk to Eoin that day, or the one after, because Domnall’s organised some kind of training to keep the lads from Cloud Hill busy, and they don’t come in from that until supper time. Can’t talk about it after supper in the men’s quarters. Too many of them around, no privacy, can’t take him aside without drawing attention. And then I’m on duty.

Stroke of luck on the third day. I’m working at the cottage, slapping limewash on the inside walls of the lean-to, when Eoin and Seanan – that’s the fellow whose skull I nearly broke for him – turn up asking if I want help. Seems Domnall’s given them the day off. Every time something useful happens now, I ask myself if Conmael’s behind it. Stupid. Luck, that’s all this is.

Seanan takes over the limewash, and I go outside with Eoin to start on a new drain. Planning to do most of the digging myself, and get him talking while I work. We mark out the spot with sticks and twine, fetch a couple of spades from the outhouse. Ground’s sodden. It’ll be a muddy job.