“That’s right, and it’s a pleasure to build it for them. Should be finished well before that baby arrives; our extra worker has made all the difference.” Spider jerked his head in the direction of the men heaving slabs of stone into place, and I saw that one of them was Knut, stripped to the waist and dripping with sweat. He straightened as he saw me, and gave me a nod.

“That fellow does the work of two.” Spider grinned at the Norseman. “Don’t know how we managed without him.”

“You walking,” Knut called, addressing me in Irish. “All alone. Not safe.”

I was taken aback, and could not think what to say to him.

“Man go with you. Better.”

Spider’s grin widened. He made no attempt to speak for me.

“I’m used to walking on my own,” I said. What did Knut think I was, a pampered princess with no common sense at all? If this was his attitude, no wonder his wife’s tendency to wander barefoot on the shore troubled him. “I am a druid; I go under the protection of the gods.”

It was not possible to tell if Knut had understood me. He stood there studying me, arms folded. I had no idea what he was thinking.

“I’ll bid you good morning, Spider,” I said. “Muirrin sent me out for fresh air and exercise, so I’d better make sure I get them.”

As I was turning away, Knut spoke again. “The man. Very sick. Die soon, yes?” Before I could reply he added, “Sad.”

Knut did not sound especially sad, but then, his Irish was limited—perhaps he did not realize how blunt his speech sounded.

“Ardal is still alive.” My tone was sharper than was quite courteous. Out here, with the sunshine on my face and the wind in my hair, I had begun to feel that perhaps everything would be all right; that Ardal would win his fight, and achieve his mission, and . . . I had not thought beyond that point. Knut’s words had conjured images of Ardal racked with coughing, Ardal shaking as he vomited into a basin, Ardal lying insensible on the bed while I tried to see if his chest was still rising and falling. “He won’t die if I have anything to do with it.”

I turned my back and walked away, striding fast. I did not slow until I was sure I had gone beyond sight of the men. My heart was pounding. I breathed deeply and tried to calm myself. This was ridiculous. A druid was serene and composed, striving for wisdom every moment of every day. A single ill-considered remark should not have the power to upset me so much.