This felt like being whipped. “Why would I protect someone who meant harm to my brother?” I choked. “How can you think that of me, Father?”

“It occurs to me,” he said, “that your wild story of changelings might have been concocted to allow your friend to make good his escape.”

“That’s crazy—” Aidan began, but Johnny silenced him with a sharp gesture.

“It was not a wild story, Father,” I managed. My heart was hammering and my skin felt clammy. “I did believe it. I still believe it was not worldly forces that snatched Finbar, but uncanny ones. I’m convinced that unless you search in a different way you will not find him. As for Cathal, there’s no reason why I would lie to protect him.”

“He gives you a very particular warning, with information included that could, if passed on, incriminate him. He enters an area of the house where he has no business in order to bid you farewell. He embraces you passionately. You prove to be the only member of the entire household whom he told of his impending departure. And you expect me to believe there is nothing between you.”

“I can’t tell you what to believe, Father.” It was becoming harder and harder to get the words out. He was looking at me as if he despised me. “I understand that you must find out who is responsible for the attack on Glencarnagh. Cathal’s actions do seem incriminating, though why he would be involved in that I can’t imagine. I have to tell you that I did speak to Deirdre not long before Finbar was taken. It was at Mother’s request, to tell her the good news of the baby’s safe arrival.” My throat was tight. “I mentioned that Gareth had been sent away on a mission, and Deirdre questioned me about it. I stopped answering after a bit, but I did let slip that it involved the northern chieftains. It is possible she might have thought that your sending a party north could leave Glencarnagh undermanned. But you know Deirdre. She’s never been interested in these things.”

Father sat frozen. Into the silence, Johnny said, “Anything you told her, Clodagh, would have come far too late to influence what happened at Glencarnagh.”

His kindness was almost my undoing. I met Aidan’s gaze for a moment, then looked hurriedly away before my tears spilled.

“That may be true,” said Father. “It doesn’t alter the fact that if you had come to me as soon as Cathal gave you that first description of a hypothetical raid, we’d have been in time to stop it and lives would have been saved. Illann. Can that possibly be true? Why in the name of the gods would he do such a thing? Glencarnagh’s right on his border.”