‘Perhaps he wanted to recruit him to steal some sheep,’ Lauga said sharply.
‘Perhaps,’ Agnes returned, from her dark corner. She turned back to Tóti. ‘That day I took Natan to Worm, and then joined María in the home field. When I told her that Natan had surprised me in the storeroom she asked me what he had wanted. I told her that he had come to Geitaskard to visit Worm. María took me by the hand then, and told me to be careful.’
‘Why?’ Kristín asked. Gudmundur guffawed from the shadows.
Agnes ignored them. ‘I told her that I was a grown woman, with a head of my own. María said that that was what worried her.’
‘Reverend,’ Jón said suddenly. ‘Perhaps it is best you speak together away from the family.’
‘What’s wrong with it, Pabbi? I want to hear what happened,’ Steina said.
‘Get into bed, Steina.’
‘Excuse me, Jón,’ Tóti interrupted. ‘With respect, I am here to listen to Agnes tell me whatever she finds in her heart to tell me. As your wife and daughter have made abundantly clear, our close proximity means that our discussion cannot help but be heard by your family and servants.’
‘Your discussion?’ Gudmundur frowned. ‘You let her talk to you as though she’s telling a bedtime story.’
Before Tóti could think of what to say, Margrét interrupted.
‘Shut your mouth, Gudmundur. Let Agnes talk to the Reverend. What difference does it make anyway, my Jón? Both of them know what happened, and what they didn’t know before, Róslín has evidently poured into their ears since.’
‘You have nothing to fear,’ Tóti said.
‘I hope that is the case,’ Jón replied. He pinched his lips together and resumed fulling his sock.
Tóti turned to Agnes. ‘Your friend. Why did she say this to you?’
‘I thought she was jealous. She had so wanted to meet Natan in the first place. The thing was, we knew that he was in need of a housekeeper.’
‘And what of that?’ Tóti asked.
‘A new position with a man never short of money? A better position, where you could be more than just a servant? Run a home and a farm and do as you please with no farm mistress to answer to?’ Agnes glanced at Margrét.
‘Go on, Agnes,’ Margrét muttered.
‘News of an opportunity like that doesn’t stay hidden, Reverend. All the girls at Geitaskard knew that Natan Ketilsson was unmarried, in need of a housekeeper, and maybe more besides, and María was as keen to better herself as I was, Reverend.’ She looked over to the others. ‘I wanted Karitas’s position more than anything. I didn’t do myself any dishonour.’
Gudmundur snorted, and Agnes’s eyes flashed.