Figures he’ll go on his own if no one pays him any mind.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“The Kai’ll deal with him. Outsiders have come before. They dinna stay long.”
I could not remember a single outsider entering our valley and reckoned Papa must be talking of times before I came to be. I wondered if Iwan would remember.
“If he ain’t dangerous,” Mama asked, “where’s the harm in letting him stay?”
“The land’s all taken up. We ain’t got room for more.”
“That’s not the reason, and you know it.”
“Reason enow. Ye want people coming and bringing their own ideas about how things oughta go? The Kais and Forbeses and Humes and all the rest came up here to these highlands to get away from all that. We have our ways, Fia. Ye ken that. And they be tried and true.”
“Our ways? Seems to me Brogan lays down the law harder than—”
“Dunna be speaking again’ him, Fia.”
“They did what he wanted, dinna they? And now we’re cursed for it!”
“We’re not cursed. Dunna talk such foolishness.”
“Three children dead, Angor. What do you call that? Three.” I could hear her weeping.
“Others have lost children to fevers and such, Fia. Ye oughta be counting your blessings instead of wallowing in your grief. We’ve had enow!We’ve got Iwan and Cadi.” His voice softened some. “Think on them for a change.”
“Iwan’s good as gone. Soon as he’s old enow he’ll be taking his leave. And Cadi? What comfort is she, mad as she is?”
“She isna mad!”
“What do ye call it when she talks to air all the time?”
“Maybe the healer’s right and she’s keeping company with a taint.”
“Don’t say that!”
“It oughta bring ye comfort, Fia,” he said in a cold, cruel voice. “It could mean Elen’s not gone from us after all.”
Mama wept harder, and my guilt grew intolerable. It was what I’d done that had them at each other’s throats. I sat down, back against the wall and my hands covering my head, hearing them go on at one another.
“Just stay away from the mon like I’m telling ye,” Papa said. “Ye believe in God, same as I do. Wedon’t need anybody saving us, and we sure don’t need no one laying more burdens on our backs. We got more than enow already.”
“How do ye know that’s what he’s about?”
“The Kai heard him out and says so. That’s good enow for me.”
“Brogan has his own ax to grind.”
Papa was silent for a moment. “If the stranger comes, I’ll warn him off.”
“And if you and Iwan are off hunting?”
“Bolt the door and dunna give him so much as a by-your-leave. Iwan will do the same if I’m gone.”
“Ye told Iwan? When? I thought he was off hunting.”
“He was at Byrneses’ when Brogan stopped by.”
“What was he doing there?”
“Cluny’s growing up. Or haven’t ye noticed?”
“Cluny?” Mama sounded sad.
“Take comfort in it, Fia. She may be the chain that binds him to this valley. He mightn’t leave at all.”
I heard Papa’s footsteps cross the room and go down the steps. Mama was weeping. Pushing myself up, I ran into the forest. I kept running, branches lashing my face, until I was too tired to go on. Sinking down, I leaned against the trunk of a great pine, my chest heaving for air, wishing I could die right there and never hear them tearing at one another again.
After a while, the birdsong and the wind in the trees com forted me. I wandered down the mountainside and sat in the sunshine among the yellow-faced daisies stretching their faces heavenward. Lying back, I stared up at the clouds moving slowly across the sky. Shapes changed, shifting billows of white. One looked like a hound sleeping. Another was like someone sitting on grass, one arm stretched out toward the horizon.
I started thinking on the man of God, wondering what he had come to say, wondering, too, why the Kai was so determined he not be heard. I reckoned it must be my contrary nature rising in me again, for what else
“And if he doesn’t?”
“The Kai’ll deal with him. Outsiders have come before. They dinna stay long.”
I could not remember a single outsider entering our valley and reckoned Papa must be talking of times before I came to be. I wondered if Iwan would remember.
“If he ain’t dangerous,” Mama asked, “where’s the harm in letting him stay?”
“The land’s all taken up. We ain’t got room for more.”
“That’s not the reason, and you know it.”
“Reason enow. Ye want people coming and bringing their own ideas about how things oughta go? The Kais and Forbeses and Humes and all the rest came up here to these highlands to get away from all that. We have our ways, Fia. Ye ken that. And they be tried and true.”
“Our ways? Seems to me Brogan lays down the law harder than—”
“Dunna be speaking again’ him, Fia.”
“They did what he wanted, dinna they? And now we’re cursed for it!”
“We’re not cursed. Dunna talk such foolishness.”
“Three children dead, Angor. What do you call that? Three.” I could hear her weeping.
“Others have lost children to fevers and such, Fia. Ye oughta be counting your blessings instead of wallowing in your grief. We’ve had enow!We’ve got Iwan and Cadi.” His voice softened some. “Think on them for a change.”
“Iwan’s good as gone. Soon as he’s old enow he’ll be taking his leave. And Cadi? What comfort is she, mad as she is?”
“She isna mad!”
“What do ye call it when she talks to air all the time?”
“Maybe the healer’s right and she’s keeping company with a taint.”
“Don’t say that!”
“It oughta bring ye comfort, Fia,” he said in a cold, cruel voice. “It could mean Elen’s not gone from us after all.”
Mama wept harder, and my guilt grew intolerable. It was what I’d done that had them at each other’s throats. I sat down, back against the wall and my hands covering my head, hearing them go on at one another.
“Just stay away from the mon like I’m telling ye,” Papa said. “Ye believe in God, same as I do. Wedon’t need anybody saving us, and we sure don’t need no one laying more burdens on our backs. We got more than enow already.”
“How do ye know that’s what he’s about?”
“The Kai heard him out and says so. That’s good enow for me.”
“Brogan has his own ax to grind.”
Papa was silent for a moment. “If the stranger comes, I’ll warn him off.”
“And if you and Iwan are off hunting?”
“Bolt the door and dunna give him so much as a by-your-leave. Iwan will do the same if I’m gone.”
“Ye told Iwan? When? I thought he was off hunting.”
“He was at Byrneses’ when Brogan stopped by.”
“What was he doing there?”
“Cluny’s growing up. Or haven’t ye noticed?”
“Cluny?” Mama sounded sad.
“Take comfort in it, Fia. She may be the chain that binds him to this valley. He mightn’t leave at all.”
I heard Papa’s footsteps cross the room and go down the steps. Mama was weeping. Pushing myself up, I ran into the forest. I kept running, branches lashing my face, until I was too tired to go on. Sinking down, I leaned against the trunk of a great pine, my chest heaving for air, wishing I could die right there and never hear them tearing at one another again.
After a while, the birdsong and the wind in the trees com forted me. I wandered down the mountainside and sat in the sunshine among the yellow-faced daisies stretching their faces heavenward. Lying back, I stared up at the clouds moving slowly across the sky. Shapes changed, shifting billows of white. One looked like a hound sleeping. Another was like someone sitting on grass, one arm stretched out toward the horizon.
I started thinking on the man of God, wondering what he had come to say, wondering, too, why the Kai was so determined he not be heard. I reckoned it must be my contrary nature rising in me again, for what else
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