“Oh, good,” said Lily, feeling herself blush. “I’m so relieved.”

“Just as well you are home safely, since your father has had to ride out into the storm in search of this boy,” her mother said, unwittingly helpful.

“I’m sorry to have caused any worry, Mother. How long has this boy been missing? Not a child, but a young man, Muiríol said?”

“Eighteen. Old enough to know better,” said Lily’s mother. “His friends’ behavior also leaves a great deal to be desired. The lad might have encountered a wild boar and been terribly injured. He might have fallen and broken his neck. Yet they waited days before telling the truth about where they had been and how they lost sight of him. His father is almost out of his wits with worry, so I hear.”

“Oh, but—” Lily stopped herself. Not yet; best if her mother made the connection herself. Provided she did not take too long. “Who is the young man? You know the family?”

“From Ulaid. A good family. I believe we met them once at court.” Her mother’s tone dismissed any place beyond Dalriada as unworthy of interest. “A pigeon came in, carrying an urgent message. One might think a personal visit would be more appropriate, especially since the offense seems to have occurred on our land. Apparently these lads took it upon themselves to venture farther north than they had authority to do. Your father decided to be magnanimous about the hunting—he doubts they had much success—and to offer his assistance with the search. If the boy has survived he’ll be wet and cold. Your father hopes to find him before nightfall.”

“My lady?” Muiríol spoke up from the corner where she was folding garments into a chest. “Might not that light in the tower have been the young man signaling for help? I mean, nobody else goes there. Nobody would dare. But, being a southerner, he might not know the tales folk tell about that place.”

Lily resolved to give her maid a very special gift of some kind in the near future.

“You’re sure you did see a light, Lily?” her mother asked, frowning. “The old tower is nothing but a ruin. Who would be there? And if it was the young man, why would he be on the island in the first place? Why not take the obvious path up to the house?”

“I can’t answer all those questions,” Lily said. “I don’t know about any of it. Only that I saw a light, and I can’t think what else it would be. Someone should go and look. Think how we would feel if we sent nobody tonight, and tomorrow we found the young man in the tower, dead of cold.”

“Very well,” her mother said. “I will arrange for someone to search, though I doubt there will be much enthusiasm for the task. If you are wrong about this, Lily, your father will be somewhat displeased; as it is, we have half the menfolk of the household gone.”