“Ye could hae bought this from someone,” he said.
Elvira gave an anguished sigh. “Ye are impossible. Dae ye really think I would gae tae these lengths?” she gasped andpaused for breath, putting her hands on her hips and shaking her head. As she parted her cloak, Rory’s gaze flashed away from the dagger, noticing her trim waist. “Why dinnae ye direct me tae his father, or his sister? They will remember.”
“They are no longer with us,” Rory said almost nonchalantly, as to him, it was something that happened before he had even known Ian.
To Elvira, it was evidently a huge shock. She placed her hand on her chest and staggered back. Her mouth formed an ‘o’.
“Dead, oh… oh nae…”
“Sae ye see, there is really nae way for me tae trust what ye say,” Rory said, handing her dagger back. Elvira collected herself. Her nostrils flared as she snatched the dagger away from him and sheathed it against her side. Her expression made something twitch inside him, but then it faded. Elvira pulled her cloak around her and glared at him.
“I see. Well, I’m sure Ian would be sorry tae know he gave his forge tae someone who hae nae instinct for kindness,” she turned and marched out of the door.
“There is a nearby tavern. Ye can stay there,” Rory said, pointing in the direction of Torrin’s place. His words faltered and faded as they rolled out of the doorway.
Elvira didn’t bother looking back. Instead, she placed her hands against her siblings and led them away. Rory stared at them for a while, guilt swimming through his heart. It was difficult for him to watch those two young children being led away, for they reminded him of himself and Anne.
How many times had he and Anne cursed the cruelty of strangers who turned them away? How many times had they wished to find kinder people? It seemed as though he had turned into the kind of person he had always hated, but he had his reasons. It might have been a scheme… although when hethought about it longer, it did seem more plausible that they were telling the truth.
Ginger paced around the door after Rory closed it, moving back and forth. Then, Ginger paused, licking her lips, her tail flicking behind her. She stared intently at Rory.
“Oh, what was I supposed tae dae?” he asked, spreading his arms out wide. “I cannae just give shelter tae anyone with a hard story. I dinnae know her, and I hae already invited enough trouble intae my life taenight. It’s better tae nae involve them in the meeting anyway. If anything, I am daeing them a kindness by turning them away. At least in the tavern they can get a good meal,” Rory said, but every excuse he gave just seemed to add to the weak foundation.
He had turned away a family in need, putting his own safety above others. It wasn’t the kind of thing Anne would have done, neither Lucy, nor Ian. He thought back to how Ian had reacted when Lucy had been discovered in the forge. He hadn’t turned her away, even though every instinct had warned Ian against sheltering her. In fact, it had been Rory, back then, who had argued on Lucy’s behalf.
Had he truly changed so much? Had he really become so callous that he could turn people in need away? He ran his hand through his hair and shook his head, knowing that this was not his proudest moment. He hoped that Elvira and her family would find some comfort at least, although it would not be in the forge.
4
Elvira was dejected and aggrieved by Rory’s rejection. She had come here expecting to find kindness from an old friend, and instead had been met with the callous attitude of a stranger. She thought that Rory was too young to be so bitter. Although he had the body of a man, his facial features still possessed some of that dusting of innocence that was so rare in such a dark world. She had given him so many reasons to help her, but none of them had been enough. He wanted to sit in that big forge by himself, enjoying the warmth and the comfort, while condemning her and her family to hardship. Her feet were aching, and her throat was dry and scratchy. Tereza and Ollie were whining about hunger. Elvira bit her tongue, lest she snap at them. It was not their fault that their home had burned, or that Rory had turned them away.
“We can find shelter in the tavern. At least he gave us that piece of advice,” Mirella said, trying to look at things in a positive light.
“I even showed him the dagger and it was nae enough,” Elvira said bitterly.
“Some men cannae see the truth even when it is plain in front of their face. All we could dae was ask, and ask we did,” Mirella said.
Elvira was still despondent, not only at that, but also at the news of Ian. She had thought it a slim chance that he would still be unmarried after all this time. It seemed that her mother’s words had not been as prescient as some of the villagers would have liked to believe. It was harder to cope with the news that his entire family had died. If she hadn’t been so angry with Rory, then she would have asked him for more information. The shock had startled her. It was difficult to comprehend how a man could lose everything. She hoped that this was not a fate she was going to have to endure.
They staggered their way to the tavern and opened the door. She guided Mirella and her siblings to a table, before moving to the bar. She pulled out a handful of coins, which was all she had managed to gather from her palm readings at the tavern the previous night. Behind the bar stood a stout woman with tawny hair, pulled back in a tight bun.
“How can I help ye, lass?” she looked up and did a double take when she saw Elvira’s uncommon features. It wasn’t the first time Elvira had been looked at in this way, and it would not be the last.
“I would like a room for myself and my family, a meal tae,” Elvira said. She opened her palm and showed the coins. The woman did a quick count and looked back at the table.
“I’m afraid ye are a wee bit short,” she said reluctantly.
Elvira’s heart sank. Her knees felt as though they were at the point of buckling, and there was a gnawing sensation in her stomach. The hunger throbbed, but she would have to endure it for a while longer. “Then perhaps just a meal for the others,” she whispered.
The woman slipped the coin into her apron. “Let me see what I can dae. Ye gae sit down. I’ll bring over yer food soon,” she said. Elvira’s legs were leaden. Now that she was at the end of her journey, it was as though all of her strength had been sapped. She collapsed into the chair, leaning her head back. Ollie and Tereza were busying themselves with a game they played with their hands. Mirella leaned towards Elvira, speaking in a low voice.
“At least we hae arrived,” Mirella patted her thigh. “But we must be cautious here.”
“Why?” Elvira asked. Over the years, she had learned to trust Mirella’s wisdom. There was much she knew that Elvira did not. Mirella had lived a nomadic life under the shadow of clan feuds, and she had developed an instinct for the political turmoil of a region.
“Although this clan is an enemy, we may be seen as members of the McKovac clan,” Mirella whispered.
“If they saw how we were treated, they would nae hae such a foolish notion,” Elvira said bitterly.
