‘That is why he is a good chieftain,’ Iriny said. ‘That and the fact that he understands that a leader’s purpose is not to be served by the people he rules, but to serve them.’

‘You sound as if you have been keeping an eye on him,’ I said, remembering how impressed he had been with her and wondering if the feeling was mutual. So far as I knew she had never looked at another man since the murder of her bondmate Caldeko by a Herder priest. But maybe she had found a man to match him in Rolf. I wondered if she knew that he was coming up to Obernewtyn for the moon fair.

Unaware of the turn my thoughts had taken, Iriny said, ‘My brother led us to Stonehill after the Faction fell in the west and we have dwelt there these last months repairing buildings and tending to the stone garden as we had been unable to do for some time. Rolf came riding up on that monstrous greathorse that is all but bonded to him while we were there. The boy Erit rode with him. He is a good deal taller, and cleaner, than when last you saw him, but I think he chafes at his new status as squire to a chieftain. He has the spirit of a rogue, that one. Chieftain Rolf asked my brother formally if we would like to come to live in Halfmoon Bay. He said that we would be welcome, but Swallow told him that the gypsies would claim Stonehill and make a settlement of it, because it was the first place our people dwelt when we came to the Land and it was sacred to us. Rolf said that he was glad of it for our sakes and he hoped we would travel often into Halfmoon Bay. He said that we would always be welcome at his table.’ She was silent awhile, a pensive look on her face.

‘Your brother sounds as if he is preparing to end the wandering of the gypsies,’ I murmured.

Iriny shrugged. ‘Swallow says all that was given the Twentyfamilies to do by the D’rekta who bought us to this Land has been done now, save one last thing, and then we gypsies might cease travelling or not as we choose.’

My heart leapt, but I managed to ask calmly enough, ‘What is that last thing?’

‘This,’ she answered, gesturing to herself and to me. ‘My brother said you would summon me for you would need something I had. That is why he sent me on ahead to the White Valley.’

I licked my lips. ‘Did he tell you what I wanted?’

She shook her head and I sighed.

‘In truth, I hardly know why I asked you to come up and meet me, save to have the chance to thank you for your help and to make my apologies for abandoning you when we were trying to escape from Halfmoon Bay last year. But now that you have spoken, it seems to me that there is something you can do for me.’