Free Daughters of Fire by Barbara Erskine Page A

hurried straightaway over to the horse lines and whispering to the pony, fed it handfuls of titbits. Then carefully she ducked under the rope and began to search the ground.
     
    From the top of the wall she could see far into the distance, beyond the forest, the scarlet gleam as the sun began to set into the sea. Pushing her hair out of her eyes she stood for a long time, listening for the voice. It wasn’t there. All she could hear was the gentle moaning of the wind. Silently she watched as the colours changed to deeper richer red, then to orange, then slowly they dulled intonight. Behind her the coming darkness was already thick on the fells. There was no trace of Triganos and his friends.
    There was a rattle of stones behind her and she turned. Mellia had scrambled up beside her. For a moment she too stared at the sunset, then she shrugged. ‘It’ll be dark soon. Is there any sign of them?’
    Carta shook her head.
    ‘You think they’ll spend the night in the forest?’
    ‘I’m sure of it.’
    ‘And you wanted to go with them.’
    ‘You know I did.’ Carta pursed her lips. ‘Someone had put some holly under my saddle cloth.’
    Mellia’s eyes rounded. ‘Are you sure?’
    ‘I found it. And then the scratches on poor Olwen’s back.’
    ‘But who would do such a thing?’
    ‘Venutios. He didn’t want me to go with them. If I’m there Triganos looks after me and does what I say. If I’m not, then the boys can do what they like.’ She gave an elaborate shrug.
    Mellia studied the other girl’s profile with misgiving. She recognised the set of the jaw. ‘What are you going to do?’
    ‘I haven’t decided yet. I’ll think of something.’
     
    When the boys finally returned they brought with them a fine haul of game and had clearly enjoyed themselves enormously. Carta was not there to greet them. She had decided unaccountably to sit in the sunshine and watch Mellia’s attempts at mending some of the tears in her friends’ gowns; a thankless task, but one she seemed happy enough to try. Triganos brought his sister the gift of a pair of soft leather slippers which he had wheedled from the shoemaker near the entrance gates in an attempt to console her for leaving her behind. She smiled and accepted the gift with a gracious smile which filled him with foreboding.
    Two days later Venutios was taken violently ill after the evening meal. Crouching behind the feasting hall as he vomited again and again into a latrine pit he glanced up at last, wiping his sweating face, to see Carta watching him. She was wearing her best gown and new slippers. And she was smiling. ‘Poor Venutios … Aren’t you well?’
    ‘Obviously not.’ He groaned and leaned down towards the stinking mess again.
    ‘No one else has been ill.’ She did not come any closer, wrinkling her nose fastidiously. ‘The gods must be punishing you for something. I wonder why.’
    ‘I can’t imagine.’ He looked up at her. ‘I hope you haven’t poisoned me, you little bitch!’
    Carta frowned. ‘Why would I want to do that?’
    He was incapable of answering. With another groan he bent double again. By the time he had recovered enough to straighten and look round she had gone.
III
     

     
    ‘Pete didn’t tell you I’d rung him, did he!’
    Pat took one look at Cathy’s astonished face and read the situation correctly. ‘Admittedly, I didn’t give him much notice before I jumped on the Shuttle, but I didn’t think he could forget that easily. Shit, I’m sorry. He said I could scrounge a bed after I’d been down to see Maddie. No worry.’ She had dropped a large scarlet canvas bag and her computer case on the floor at her feet. ‘I can stay with some mates of mine down in Leith. I’m sure they won’t mind, if there is no room here.’
    Cathy shrugged helplessly. Bugger Pete. ‘It’s not that I’m not glad to see you, Pat.’ She kissed her visitor. ‘It’s just that we’ve got Tasha for a couple of nights.’
    ‘Say no