His lip curled. He stopped by the table and filled a goblet, then stood with head bent, looking down at it. “This can’t be what it seems,” he said. “My son would not attach himself to a woman who was stupid. What is your true purpose here?”

Why wouldn’t he tell me if Cathal was all right? Had something terrible happened? The plan. I must stick to the plan. “Firstly,” I forced out the words, “I wish to thank you for allowing me to leave here in safety before and to take my baby brother with me. I know you didn’t have to do that. I owe you a debt of gratitude. My parents will be overwhelmed with joy to see Finbar back home.”

Mac Dara fixed his dark eyes on me. “And yet you did not take time to deliver him to them yourself, that’s if you’re telling the truth about turning straight around. Who took him home?”

“My sister, who happened to be in the forest where I came out.” I must move this on; I did not want Sibeal brought into it. “So, thank you on behalf of my parents for your generosity. It shows that the goodwill between the human folk of Sevenwaters and your people is not entirely gone, even with the departure of those my family knew somewhat better than yourself.”

A wintry smile appeared on his face. “You did not think me so generous last time we met.”

“I don’t deny that. I was horrified that you would discard the changeling with so little thought. I hated what you did to lure Cathal in here.”

“You refer to the attack on your father’s holding in the southwest?” Mac Dara asked idly, making my jaw drop. “You found that excessive? It did burn very nicely. Provided a stunning show, I thought. And achieved its purpose. Along with your brother’s well-timed disappearance, it sent Cathal running from Sevenwaters lest he bring down more havoc on the place. Which underlined his guilt in Lord Sean’s eyes, as I anticipated it would. My son shared his vision with you, didn’t he? The one in which a certain member of your family appeared in an unfavorable light? I was sure Cathal would feel obliged to warn his little friend. Don’t look at me like that, young woman.”

“You . . .” I breathed. “It was all your doing. You burned Glencarnagh. That lovely house . . .”

“Houses can be rebuilt. Even changelings can be rebuilt, so I’ve heard.”