Then Robert had come back here and abruptly desired nothing more to do with her. Why?
The blackness of the gate closed in on her, compressing and feeding the fear. By the time they emerged, she was about ready to turn and run.
‘What’s he doing here?’ Fiona murmured in the gloom.
Jenn started, flinched – then saw a familiar face coming towards them across the grassy bowl atop the mountain. It was Arlie Baldwyn carrying an oil lamp, and he welcomed them with a smile.
‘Good evening, ladies. So nice of you to stop by. Can I offer you some supper?’
*
Martha made up the spare bed in Arlie’s study. It was difficult moving around with this great bulge getting in the way, but she managed. Patric offered to help, but he was virtually useless at all things to do with organization. Finnlay was better, laying out a plate of bread and cheese, putting a brew on the fire. She could see both of them wanted to keep busy, wanted to avoid thinking of what would happen if Arlie didn’t manage to get to Jenn first, before Wilf realized she was here.
More important was the thing none of them wished to discuss. Why, when he had been looking for the Calyx, Seeking out something which had a similar aura to the Key, had Finnlay received a real vision of Jenn? Why was there a connection between the Key and Jenn where there should be none?
‘They’re coming,’ Patric murmured from the door.
Martha went back into the living room and smoothed down her apron over her growing belly. With a practised eye, she surveyed the room and the things Finnlay had laid out on the table. She had put a lot of effort into making these rooms a home since she and Arlie had arrived lastautumn. A home where they would have to live for ever since Arlie had lost his hand to the Guilde butchers. Now this living room was warm with rugs on the floor, two small tapestries on the wall either side of the fireplace and hanging baskets of herbs and dried flowers in every corner. Even the ancient oak chest beside the door was draped in a blue and white rug Martha had woven herself, last winter.
‘Welcome back!’ Patric moved first, ushering first Fiona and then Jenn into the small living room. Arlie followed behind and gained Martha’s side. He was looking very pleased with himself; she could tell. His blue eyes twinkled with that old light whenever anything interesting was going on. He gave her a quick kiss, then immediately began to take care of their guests, pouring out the steaming brew.
Martha turned to Jenn, a wide smile on her face. ‘My dear, how are you? You’ve grown!’
Jenn smiled in return and gave her a hug. ‘So have you!’
‘Arlie’s sure I’m having twins, but I keep trying to tell him that this is what all pregnant women look like.’
Fiona had stopped just inside the door, her glance picking up the others in the room. Without looking too hard, Martha could see she was uncomfortable, but Fiona had never been very easy around people. She had a brusque manner and a forthright mind and a tendency to voice her thoughts. As a result, she’d never really collected friends in the way most people did and Martha had often wondered if that was why she didn’t spend too much time at the Enclave. For most of her adult life, Fiona had worked as a Seeker while spending most winters as a teacher within a noble household in the area she was Searching. For the last few months, she’d been with Jenn at Elita, training the girl in her new-found powers.
Putting a genuine smile on her face, Martha approached Fiona with a welcome, determined to try once again to scale those prickly walls. ‘Come in and sit down, dear. You must be cold from that ride up the mountain. And hungry.’
Fiona relaxed a little and let Martha draw her into the room. It was really up to Finnlay to speak, but for a moment he seemed to struggle now that Fiona was here too. But then, there’d always been a problem between Finnlay and Fiona.
When the others sat, Martha
The blackness of the gate closed in on her, compressing and feeding the fear. By the time they emerged, she was about ready to turn and run.
‘What’s he doing here?’ Fiona murmured in the gloom.
Jenn started, flinched – then saw a familiar face coming towards them across the grassy bowl atop the mountain. It was Arlie Baldwyn carrying an oil lamp, and he welcomed them with a smile.
‘Good evening, ladies. So nice of you to stop by. Can I offer you some supper?’
*
Martha made up the spare bed in Arlie’s study. It was difficult moving around with this great bulge getting in the way, but she managed. Patric offered to help, but he was virtually useless at all things to do with organization. Finnlay was better, laying out a plate of bread and cheese, putting a brew on the fire. She could see both of them wanted to keep busy, wanted to avoid thinking of what would happen if Arlie didn’t manage to get to Jenn first, before Wilf realized she was here.
More important was the thing none of them wished to discuss. Why, when he had been looking for the Calyx, Seeking out something which had a similar aura to the Key, had Finnlay received a real vision of Jenn? Why was there a connection between the Key and Jenn where there should be none?
‘They’re coming,’ Patric murmured from the door.
Martha went back into the living room and smoothed down her apron over her growing belly. With a practised eye, she surveyed the room and the things Finnlay had laid out on the table. She had put a lot of effort into making these rooms a home since she and Arlie had arrived lastautumn. A home where they would have to live for ever since Arlie had lost his hand to the Guilde butchers. Now this living room was warm with rugs on the floor, two small tapestries on the wall either side of the fireplace and hanging baskets of herbs and dried flowers in every corner. Even the ancient oak chest beside the door was draped in a blue and white rug Martha had woven herself, last winter.
‘Welcome back!’ Patric moved first, ushering first Fiona and then Jenn into the small living room. Arlie followed behind and gained Martha’s side. He was looking very pleased with himself; she could tell. His blue eyes twinkled with that old light whenever anything interesting was going on. He gave her a quick kiss, then immediately began to take care of their guests, pouring out the steaming brew.
Martha turned to Jenn, a wide smile on her face. ‘My dear, how are you? You’ve grown!’
Jenn smiled in return and gave her a hug. ‘So have you!’
‘Arlie’s sure I’m having twins, but I keep trying to tell him that this is what all pregnant women look like.’
Fiona had stopped just inside the door, her glance picking up the others in the room. Without looking too hard, Martha could see she was uncomfortable, but Fiona had never been very easy around people. She had a brusque manner and a forthright mind and a tendency to voice her thoughts. As a result, she’d never really collected friends in the way most people did and Martha had often wondered if that was why she didn’t spend too much time at the Enclave. For most of her adult life, Fiona had worked as a Seeker while spending most winters as a teacher within a noble household in the area she was Searching. For the last few months, she’d been with Jenn at Elita, training the girl in her new-found powers.
Putting a genuine smile on her face, Martha approached Fiona with a welcome, determined to try once again to scale those prickly walls. ‘Come in and sit down, dear. You must be cold from that ride up the mountain. And hungry.’
Fiona relaxed a little and let Martha draw her into the room. It was really up to Finnlay to speak, but for a moment he seemed to struggle now that Fiona was here too. But then, there’d always been a problem between Finnlay and Fiona.
When the others sat, Martha
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