She sighed. ‘Then one night, I woke from a nightmare to the memory of myself pouring my heart out to Darius. I remembered a look of pain that had crossed his face when I told him I could never love anyone but Domick and I realised he had not looked like that because of the pain in his limbs, as I had supposed at the time, but because of what I had said. And I knew he would not feel pain at my words unless he cared for me.’

She got up in an echo of remembered agitation. ‘All at once it was clear to me that I loved him and had loved him for some time without being aware of it. I leapt up at once with a cry that woke Dragon. She must have thought I was mad for it was the middle of the night, but I was determined to go to the gypsy camp at once, and declare myself to Darius then and there. Dragon would not be left behind so I took her with me. It was madness to go without telling anyone but it was night and the whole city was upside-down with the plan to lure the soldierguards over the Suggredoon. I should have waited, of course, but Darius had been so ill when I last saw him that I felt as if everything was endangered and uncertain and I had to act at once.’

‘So you told him?’

‘I couldn’t. I found out when I got to the gypsy green that he had been taken when most of the other gypsies had set off for a camp in the lower highlands. But Swallow was there. I suppose he was waiting for Iriny, for she had yet to return. At first he would not tell me where Darius was but I simply blurted out what I wanted to say to him, and suddenly he gave me a wicked smile and said he would send me with his mother who was about to go up and join the others. But I would have to go at once. It was madness and utterly inconsiderate but I said I would go and that Dragon would go with me. But she refused. She thought I wanted to bring her to Obernewtyn and she … well she did not want that. Finally Swallow said he would take her back to the Healing Centre. I asked if she would go with him and she agreed.’

‘That is the last time you saw her?’ I broke in.