“And where are you headed now, my love?” she asked Leelo.

“To see the lambs. One of the ewes had twins last night.”

“I hope you’ll take Tate with you. He’s been moping all day long.”

“We will,” Leelo said, kissing her mother’s forehead, which was blessedly cool and dry.

“You should stop at Isola’s house and see if she’d like to come. Rosalie said she hasn’t left the house in days. Some sunshine would do her good.”

Sage looked appalled. “We’re not supposed to talk to her. Mother said the council forbid it.”

“The council doesn’t need to know,” Fiona replied curtly. “Go on now. I’ll tell Tate to meet you at the pasture.”

Sage complained the entire way to Isola’s cottage, trying to convince Leelo to change her mind. “We’re going to get in trouble. And why should we risk our reputations for her? She did a terrible thing, Leelo.”

“She made one mistake, Sage. How long should she suffer for it?”

“I’m not saying she has to be punished forever. I’m just saying I don’t think we should be the ones to stick our necks out for her.”

“Then who should?”

Sage rolled her eyes. “You sound like Aunt Fiona.”

“We’re at least going to ask her.” Leelo knocked on the cottage door while Sage tapped her foot impatiently as they waited for Rosalie. When she finally answered the door, she looked exhausted, but she let Leelo in.

“It’s good of you to come. Perhaps you’ll have better luck than I have,” she said, closing the door behind them.

Isola was sitting by the window, staring into the woods with a faraway look in her eyes. Leelo knew without asking that she was thinking about Pieter.

“We’re going to see the lambs, Isola,” she said gently. “We thought you might like to join us. Some fresh air might help.”

Isola dragged her glassy eyes from the window up to Leelo’s. “I doubt it.”

“Well, at least the lambs will. It’s impossible not to smile when a lamb is frolicking for the first time.”

For a long moment, Leelo was sure Isola would refuse. But then she rose to her feet and nodded. “All right.”

As they made their way to the pasture where the sheep were kept, Leelo breathed in the scents of spring: worm-turned soil, new grass, sun-warmed stone, and damp moss. In the shadows, the ground was spongy from spring rains, but the trail was dry, and there were patches of flowers growing in every clearing: lily of the valley, daffodils, and hyacinth. Leelo had exchanged her Watcher leggings and tunic for one of her mother’s spring dresses. To ward off any lingering chill, she’d added her favorite sweater today, a soft cardigan with bright knit stripes.