Torvald spoke up. "Ye’re both right. If it's the water supply, we could have half the island sick within a fortnight."
Magnus studied Ada's face. She was serious. Certain. And despite his mistrust, despite everything between them, he found himself believing her.
"Fine," he said. "Dae it. But I'm comin' with ye."
They spent the next two hours moving from cottage to cottage. Ada spoke with each family, asking quiet questions while Magnus stood back and observed. She was gentle with them, patient, kind, never rushed.
She held fevered hands, wiped sweating brows and promised them that help was coming, though she was careful never to promise more than that. Between visits, she scrubbed her hands raw with harsh lye soap, insisting Magnus and the others do the same. At each hearth, she set water to boil, to make it safe to drink, then coaxed it down fevered throats one careful sip at a time.
And slowly, a pattern emerged.
Every family that had fallen ill drew their water from the same well, the one at the southern edge of the village, closest to the shore. The families who used the northern well remained healthy.
"We'll set up a healin' station in the largest cottage. Ada can show ye what supplies we need." He looked at her. "
Ada blinked, clearly surprised. "Ye... ye trust me tae dae that?"
"Ye've proven ye ken what ye're about." Magnus kept his voice neutral, though something uncomfortable twisted in his chest. "Me people need help. If ye can give it, then aye, I trust ye tae dae that."
For a moment, Ada just stared at him. Then she nodded. "Aye."
"Good." Magnus turned back toward the village. "Torvald, help Lady Ada set up the healin' station. I need tae speak with the village elder about quarantinin' the affected families."
"Me laird," Torvald said. Then, quieter: "That was a wise decision."
Magnus didn't answer. He wasn't sure it was wise at all.
But he'd also watched her work. Watched her move through the sick with confidence and compassion. Watched her ask the right questions and come to the right conclusions.
Perhaps Ada MacTavish wasn't the liar he'd believed her to be.
The thought should have brought relief. Instead, it only complicated everything.
Because trusting her meant letting his guard down. And the last time he'd done that, Freydis had nearly destroyed him.
CHAPTER SIX
"Show me the well."
Magnus's voice cut through the evening air as Ada finished washing her hands in a bucket of clean water. She'd spent the last hour helping Torvald set up the healing station in the village elder's cottage, organizing supplies, boiling water, preparing poultices.
Her back ached. Her feet hurt. But there was still work to be done.
"Now?" Ada asked, straightening. "It's getting’ dark."
"Aye, now. If we're right about the water being poisoned, I need to see it fer meself before we close it off completely." Magnus was already moving toward the southern edge of the village. "Are ye comin' or nae?"
Ada hurried after him, Torvald falling into step beside her. The well sat near a cluster of gorse bushes, maybe fifty paces from the nearest cottage. It was old, stone worn smooth by generations of hands drawing water from its depths.
Magnus reached it first, peering down into the darkness. "I ken we said it’s the water but this looks normal enough. How will we ken if it’s poisoned."
"The poison wouldnae be visible," Ada said, coming to stand beside him. "If it's there at all. I'll need to smell the water, maybe taste it if?—"
"Ye'll nae be tastin' anything until we ken it's safe." Magnus's tone left no room for argument. "Torvald, help me draw up a bucket."
They worked the crank, the rope creaking as it descended into darkness.
Ada moved closer to the well's edge, trying to get a better view. The ground here was uneven, covered in scrub grass and those cursed gorse bushes that seemed to grow everywhere on Barra.
