But the expression was replaced by one of familiar affection as the empath reached out to lay one warm hand on my shoulder, offering me the other to shake and saying that he regretted having missed my investiture.

Confused, I shook his hand – it had always been our custom to embrace – but when I glanced down I was shocked to see that the hands clasped were those of two men. I looked up again and sought out my reflection in Dameon’s eyes. It was Rushton’s.

I opened my mouth but the words came out in Rushton’s voice with a trace of highland burr, and they were his words. ‘It is good to see you, my friend, but I have some news you will like no more than I do. Elspeth has vanished.’

‘When?’ Dameon asked.

‘Before darkmoon eve,’ Rushton said. ‘There was so much going on because of the moon fair and the shire-making, and all the preparations for the Red Land expedition. I knew she had ridden out but I assumed she would return. On darkmoon eve I rode down with Brydda to Sawlney to help Dardelan trap some rats, and then I came straight back to Obernewtyn for the opening of the moon fair and the chieftain investiture. Only when she did not return for the ceremony did I truly begin to worry.’

‘I heard about the business in Sawlney from Bruna,’ Dameon said. ‘It is just as well that Jude and his treacherous band were taken, and no doubt Brocade is relieved, for all his bluster. But no one spoke of Elspeth going missing. Bruna said you told her she had gone to see Swallow in the White Valley.’

‘That is what I thought, but Swallow said that neither he nor any of his people had seen her since she rode down one morning at dawn to meet his sister at the watch hut. Elspeth initiated the meeting and it seems she was trying to find out if the Twentyfamilies had any information about the Red Land, because their ancestors had travelled there. But Swallow said Elspeth went back to Obernewtyn after they parted, and it is true, for I saw her myself after that.’ He scowled. ‘I would have searched harder, sooner, but I had … asked her something that I thought might have angered or frightened her, and I did not want her to feel pressed for an answer.’

I saw pity in Dameon’s expression. ‘I see,’ he said.

Rushton sighed. ‘You see too much for your own good, my friend. Indeed, you are the last person I ought to burden with this, but I had to tell you. And that is not the end of the bad news either. Did Dardelan tell you Angina had died?’

Dameon nodded and now his face was sad. ‘He did. What of Miky?’