Leesha sighed. ‘Good afternoon to you too, Darsy.’

When Darsy just stood there, kneading her hands like tough dough, Leesha rolled her fingers. ‘Out with it, then, if it’s got you in such a twist.’

Darsy nodded. ‘Count’s coachman came back to the Corelings’ Graveyard after dropping you off last night and had a mug or six of ale. Told a few folk there was no point in heading off to bed, as you told him to come back and pick up the count at dawn.’

‘Creator,’ Leesha said. ‘How many is a few?’

Darsy shrugged. ‘Folk talk, Leesh. You know that better’n anyone. And even the new ones in town know your name. You’d have to go ten miles to find someone who hasn’t heard by now.’

‘What business is it of anyone’s who Mistress Leesha spends the night with?’ Wonda demanded.

‘No one’s,’ Darsy agreed, ‘but try convincing anyone of that.’

Leesha slipped a hand to her belly, stroking. Do it quick, Elona had said. Do it public.

She gave Darsy a dramatic sigh. ‘Just ignore the talk, so long as it’s kept out of the hospit. It wouldn’t be the Hollow without folk gossiping over my love life.’

Darsy snorted. ‘Least you have one.’

‘Ay,’ Wonda agreed.

Darsy looked at the girl as if noticing her for the first time. ‘Love the outfit. You get that down south?’

Wonda shook her head. ‘Duchess Araine sent it. Had tea with her last spring. Guess she liked me.’

Arlen looked down at Renna, peaceful as she drifted into her customary afternoon nap. He kissed her temple. ‘Back before you wake, love.’ She gave a contented whimper and gripped at his arm, a smile on her face. He snuggled in close a moment, then pulled free. Exhausted, he would have loved to collapse beside her, but there was no time for resting. He Drew on the magic in his blood, strengthening himself, and moved out the door and down the steps, quickly leaving the inn behind. Folk pointed as he passed, but he was moving too fast for any to intercept.

Arlen liked to think there was nothing under the sun that could frighten him any more, but he felt his serenity fading with every step he drew closer to Leesha’s cottage. Of everyone in the Hollow, Leesha’s aura was the hardest for him to read. On the surface, she was as serene as a dama’ting, but just below, she was a rage of conflicting emotions. It was one of the reasons he had been so drawn to her in the first place. He often felt the same.

Never had it been worse than last night, when she presented the flowered wreath to Renna. It had been an incredibly kind gesture – one that had mollified Ren considerably – but Arlen knew the struggle beneath the surface. With anyone else, he would have thought nothing of Drawing a touch of magic through her and Knowing her feelings fully, but with Leesha it seemed a violation. It was one thing to Know people in order to heal them or help them, to lead or to inspire. It was another to root around in the soul of a woman he wasn’t married to that he might glean her feelings about him.

Arlen wanted to explain himself to her, but how could he? Objectively, Leesha Paper was everything a man could want in a woman. Beautiful, brilliant, kind, rich, selfless. But when the time came, it wasn’t enough. He was too far gone down a dark path, and felt he didn’t deserve her. He’d needed a woman to pull him from that path, but it hadn’t been her. That was something no old lover wanted to hear. No more than he wanted to hear about how Jardir had bedded her.

An image flashed in his mind of the two of them entwined, and he grimaced.

Get past it, he told himself. Leesha made her choices, and I made mine. Don’t change what’s coming, or how little time we have left.

The door to her cottage was ajar, and he heard the women’s voices long before he made the porch. It wasn’t his intention to spy, but his ears did not ask permission, catching every word.

Leesha slept with Thamos? The notion seemed ludicrous, but Leesha was making no effort to deny it, so it must be true.

He shook his head. Don’t matter. Nothing matters other than new moon.

He was barefoot, but clomped all the same as he went up the porch steps, announcing his presence before he reached the doorway. He knocked loudly, waiting for permission to enter.

Darsy, Wonda, and Leesha all stared at him, frozen. Darsy and Wonda had a whiff of fear, but Leesha’s scent was as hard to decipher as her aura. There was something different about it since her return, something he could not make out. The urge to Know her took him again, and he was thankful for the sunlight streaming into the cottage, banishing magic.

The air in Leesha’s cottage was filled as always with myriad scents – spices, herbs, growing plants and dried ones, damp soil and fresh food. Bacon, most of all, hung deliciously over the room. But none of that could mask the scent of sex coming from her bedroom, or the sour tang of vomit in the air.

Guess it’s true, he thought, trying not to clench a fist. Leesha was free to do as she pleased, but Thamos had a reputation with women that wasn’t terribly positive. If he were to hurt her, or her reputation, Arlen would break that handsome nose of his.

He took a deep breath. That’s just the magic talking. He tried hard to believe it.

‘Morning, ladies,’ he said, putting a cheerful smile on his face. ‘Visit was cut short last night.’ He looked to Leesha. ‘Mind if we talk a spell?’

Leesha blinked, then shook her head. ‘Of course not. Walk with me in the gardens? They’ve gone untended too long.’

Arlen nodded, and Leesha took a basket of gardening tools and led the way out into the yard. As they walked into the garden maze, he caught a last exchange between Darsy and Wonda, still back in the cottage.

‘What I wouldn’t give to be a bee buzzing in the garden right now,’ Darsy said.

‘They got enough people buzzing about them right now, Darsy Cutter,’ Wonda said. ‘Best not be hearing talk about them walking in the garden alone, next time I’m in town.’

‘You threatening me, girl?’ Darsy demanded, her voice rising with her short temper.

‘Ay,’ Wonda replied quietly. ‘And you’d best take heed.’

Arlen smiled to himself. If anyone else had said those words, Darsy would have made them eat them. But even Darsy wasn’t fool enough to swing a fist at Wonda Cutter.

Leesha stopped by the hogroot patch, pulling out a weeding tool. ‘I swear, Darsy should have been a woodcutter. She’s far better at killing plants than growing them.’

Arlen nodded. ‘She’s also as much a gossip as any in town. Wonda just cowed her into keeping quiet about our stroll.’

Leesha smelled of amusement. ‘Love that girl.’ She began to dig. ‘Guess it wouldn’t do for your new bride to know you were here.’

‘I told her where I was going,’ Arlen said. ‘Not interested in starting my marriage with lies.’

‘Came on sudden,’ Leesha said.

Arlen shrugged. ‘Strange night.’

‘Ay,’ Leesha agreed.

‘Sorry about how I acted with you,’ Arlen said. ‘Didn’t have a right to get mad like I did.’

‘You did,’ Leesha said. Arlen looked at her in surprise, and she held up her spade, coated with rich, fresh soil that smelled of life. ‘I’m not apologizing for anything I’ve done, or saying I’d act differently if I had it to do over. But if what you say about Ahmann is true, then you had right to be as mad as the Core. I’m sorry for that. I never meant to hurt you.’