The cat scratched at the door with growing impatience. “Yes, I’m coming.”
Crossing the few steps, I pushed the door open. The cat dashed out, nearly tripping me in its haste. By the dimness of the light, the sun had yet to fully crest the horizon. Mist hung in the air, and a light dusting of hoarfrost covered the ground. Smoke rose from the cottage’s sole chimney, though from the looks of it no one had yet to stray out of doors.
I shivered, my breath showing in a puff of white. The cat stopped at the barn’s edge and meowed at me. I trudged after it toward the well.
The wooden bucket sat on the stone rim, the outside wet from recent use. But still no sign of Ailish. I turned a full circle, my eyes coming to a rest on the woods at the field’s edge. The cat ran ahead, only to stop a few feet short of the tree line to glance back at me. Meowing, it waited expectantly.
As the bucket was still half full, I ignored the cat and ladled a drink. My teeth and throat ached from the sudden coldness. I swished more water in my mouth, rinsing away the remaining sleep.
The cat meowed again, louder this time.
“Very well.” Nature called, and I wasn’t opposed to the companionship, even of the four-legged variety.
Grabbing a fistful of skirts, I followed after the cat, sure Ailish had gone into the woods to answer a similar call. The cat trotted ahead, bringing me to what appeared to be the start of a path. I bent down to pat its head. “Aren’t you smart.” And James doubted I had a way with animals. If only he could see this.
The cat tensed under my hand, its ears twitching from side-to-side. “What is it?” I whispered, squinting into the shadows.
Most likely Ailish was somewhere nearby. To be polite, I needed to give warning of my presence so as not to come upon her unaware. Her name formed on my tongue when the cat’s ears suddenly flattened against its head. A low growl came from deep in its throat, raising the small hairs at my nape.
The cat wiggled free from my hand and moved cautiously forward.
“What are you doing?” I whispered. The creature was obviously agitated about something in the woods, so why go farther?
It looked back at me, waiting.
My eyes widened with understanding. I am not going in there now. The prudent choice was to fetch Seamus from the cottage. To be sure, any delay would be negligible compared to the obvious benefit of his company.
The cat took a few more steps, looked back and hissed.
Gooseflesh prickled over my back and arms. What did all this mean? All I could think was that Ailish had to be in serious trouble.
The cat hissed once more. “Fine!” I hissed back. Keeping to a low crouch, I moved to join the creature. The cat stayed at my side this time, belly pressed to the ground, tail twitching over a layer of wet leaves.
Now what?
I looked to the cat for further instruction. It looked at me, blinked its yellow eyes as though suddenly devoid of answers. And then I heard a scream.
Ailish!
I bolted forward, each step muffled to a dull thud by wet leaves and dirt. The path curved sharply to the right. Partway around, a flash of amber brought me to an abrupt stop.
My teeth came together hard at the sight of Calhoun. Ailish faced him, breathing hard, skin pale as death. Their voices rose and fell in what seemed to be a heated argument. I inched closer, at a loss what to do.
Blast! I had to help, but what if he was Cailleach’s descendant? I couldn’t very well attack him without a sense of the possible consequences.
“Where is she?” Calhoun said, his voice growing louder with anger.
“Told you I don’t know,” Ailish answered, surly as ever.
Calhoun slapped her, and she stumbled to the side before regaining her balance. “You lying whore! The ferry master saw you two cross together. Told me just where to find you at the weaver’s place.”
Ailish jutted out her chin, a large red mark showing on her cheek. “We did cross together like you heard, but we got tired o’ each other’s company and parted ways last night. She hitched a ride with some farmer headed to Dublin.”
There was a long pause. Ailish kept her gaze steady though she had just lied through her teeth for me. Lifting my skirts, I silently crept forward, stopping behind a large tree less than a stone’s throw from Calhoun.
“You best be telling me the truth, lass, or I’ll skin you alive, I will.”
Ailish snorted. “Do you see her hiding in the woods with me? I tell you, the girl’s gone.”
“All right then, Miss Kilbrid might be for Dublin like you said, but it’s Wexford she wants, and I promised Deri to keep her away if’n I had to kill her to do it.” He grabbed a handful of Ailish’s cape, tugging her like a rag doll. “Get moving. We’ve heavy riding to do.”
I froze, my stomach clenched tight. Damn that little wretch, Deri!
Ailish pulled back, and the cape fell free. “You don’t own me, Calhoun. I’m done with doing your bidding.” Her voice trembled over the words.