Davina ascended the stairs wearily. At the top, she decided that as it was so cold she would slip into bed with Una, so she fetched her nightgown and went into her mother’s room. The fire had almost burnt down so she banked it up with fresh logs before she put it on. Then she noticed that Una had not even stirred since she came into the room. She was lying on her side with both arms under the blankets, but she was very still. Fear stabbed Davina’s heart.

---

No! It cannot be happening again! she thought, confused and desperate. She went to Una and pulled the covers back, then shook her roughly. “Mother! Wake up! Wake up! Please!”

Una woke up with a start, then thrashed about in Davina’s grasp, instinctively trying to push her away. Her screams were so loud and shrill that her maid, Rosa, came in to see what was happening. “Mistress! Milady!” she cried, “is anything amiss?”

Davina sat down heavily on the bed beside her mother. Una had almost recovered her composure, and she put her arms tenderly around her daughter. “It’s fine, Rosa,” she told her, “Davina just got a fright.”

Rosa nodded. “Call me if you need me, milady.” She closed the door softly.

“I’m sorry, Mother,” Davina sobbed, “I thought it was all happening again. You were so still I thought you were dead.”

“I know you did.” Una kissed her. “Be at ease, my lovely girl. I am fine, and we can keep each other company.” Una drew back the covers from the side of the bed where Ruaridh had lain. She had been by herself for the last few nights and the bed had felt big and empty. It always seemed to be cold, no matter how many hot stones were put in it. She simply missed the cozy heat of another human being beside her.

Now, she tucked Davina in as she had done when she was a child, kissing her forehead. The sheets were cold, but it would be only a matter of moments before they heated up and in the meantime, mother and daughter embraced each other, for both comfort and warmth. They said nothing, and neither thought very much either. For the first time in days, both were happy to be just where they were.

Presently, Davina felt herself drifting off to sleep. “This is nice,” she whispered, cuddling even further into Una’s arms. “It feels like I’m a little girl again.”

“Turn around,” Una said, “and we can sleep like we used to.” Davina laughed, then turned over and lay on her side, drawing up her knees. Una put her arms around her daughter then fitted herself behind her so that they were lying like spoons.

“Is it night time yet?” Una asked. She received no answer. Davina was already asleep.

When she woke up next morning, Davina found that Una was still sleeping. She ordered her a cup of milk and shook her awake. Una sat up, yawning. She felt sluggish as if she could slumber all day. She was feeling very nauseous too but mentioned nothing to Davina in case she worried her again.

"How are you today?" Davina asked affectionately. "Are you still tired?"

"Yes, but I think it's just the strain of the last few days," Una replied. "Apart from Ruaridh leaving us, the whole wake and funeral was terribly stressful."

"Indeed," Davina sighed, "Mother, are you sure you are well?"

"Of course, I am, darling," Una replied, "but I think I need a bath. Call Rosa for me please."

Davina still felt uneasy as she called Rosa to draw Una's bath. "What do you think, Rosa?" Davina asked anxiously, "she can hardly keep her eyes open. Do you think she is well?"

Rosa sighed. Her face looked concerned. "Best send for Mistress Elisaid in the village," Rosa said replied, a slight frown on her face, "I am sure she will be able to help. She is likely just overtired. Don't worry yourself, mistress. Would you like me to send for something to eat?"

"Thank you, Rosa," Davina said, smiling slightly. "But food is the last thing I can think about right now."

Rosa excused herself as the bath water came and Davina went to send one of the grooms into the village of Greanoch to send for Elisaid, the local wise woman. Meanwhile, she strode up and down the hallway outside her mother's room, fretting. What if she had eaten something? What if it was the same thing as her father? What if she had been poisoned? Eventually, she went in. To hell with her mother's modesty. Una was sitting on the bed wrapped in a towel, and Rosa was drying her feet. Rosa looked up as Davina came in.

"She was sick, mistress," she said anxiously.

"Oh no!" The same thing was happening again! Una was very pale and her eyelids were drooping. As they watched she fell sideways on to the bed. Davina knelt down beside her and pulled her upright, then shook her furiously.

"You will not die, Mother!" she cried, "you will not leave me! Wake up! Wake up!"

Just then, a small thin woman with faded red hair came in. She greeted neither of them but went straight to Una. She pulled back her eyelids and opened her mouth, then sniffed her breath.

"What's wrong?" Davina asked in a tremulous voice.

"She has been poisoned, mistress," the little woman looked up at her with piercing dark brown eyes, "but I think we hae got here in time. I see that she has been sick an' that is a good thing. Now, she must drink water - as much as she can stomach, to flush it oot. I will give her a purgative tae help her vomit again."

"Which poison is it?" Davina asked.

"I'm no' sure, mistress," Elisaid replied, frowning, "but I think it might hae been arsenic. Thank the good Lord we got it in time," she crossed herself and stood up, then took two small bottles from her bag. "Ye must gie her that ane the night," she instructed, "an’ I will gie her this ane noo. I will come back an' see her later."

She took he stopper off the bottle then poured its contents onto a spoon and trickled it into Una's mouth. "Let her sleep for a wee while longer, then wake her an' try tae make her eat. Somethin' simple like porridge." She put the bottle back in her bag.

Davina nodded and dropped some coins into Elisaid's hands. "My father had similar symptoms," she said worriedly, "could it have been the same thing?"

"Perhaps, mistress" the old woman replied, "but I cannae be certain withoot seein' him."

"We buried him yesterday," Davina replied heavily.

Elisaid stared at her for a moment. "There are wicked people aboot, mistress," she sighed. "I will come back later."

Davina stood looking out of the window when Elisaid had left. Who could have done such a thing, and what was she going to do now? She had no idea who it was, but it meant that none of their food and drink was safe from now on. Worse than that, she now knew that her father had died a horrible, pointless death. But he had eaten in Lyle's house, not his own, so what was going on? She could think of only one answer. Someone was trying to murder her family. The thought bathed her in an icy chill as if she had suddenly had a bucket of cold water thrown over her.

She went in and sat beside Rosa at her mother's side for the next few hours, saying very little and praying silently. Una vomited twice more, but after the second time her eyelids fluttered open and she smiled at Davina. She gave her mother a glass of water and Una drank it thirstily. Rosa went to get a clean nightgown for her while Davina wiped her lips and hugged her, closing her eyes in thankfulness.

"I thought I was going to lose you too," she whispered tearfully, "I really thought—" Then she shook her head as if to clear away bad thoughts. "How do you feel?" she asked.

"Much, much better," Una said as Rosa came back with her nightdress. and helped her into it. Una gave her a smile of thanks and Rosa left quietly. "I heard what the old lady said though."

"I thought you might have," Davina said heavily, "you know what this means, Mother? It means that Father's death was murder and you might have been next if it weren't for Elisaid."

"If it weren't for you, my lovely daughter." Una gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "You were so vigilant and noticed the signs first. But to think my poor Ruaridh died so maliciously at the hands of a monster! Who could it be?"

"Mother, I do not know yet." She was frowning and her tone was heavy with determination. "I intend to find out. In the meantime, I intend to have all the kitchen staff questioned just in case one of them is responsible, but I think it is more likely to have been one of Lyle's guests or the mourners. There were quite a few of the same people at both events. I am going to send for Lyle and Athol today to enlist their help."

Una nodded, then plucked at her nightgown. "I cannot lie here any longer!" she cried. "I am not going to be heartbroken. I am not going to lie down under this pain. I am angry and I am going to fight! Whoever is doing this does now know what he has awakened!"

"You are wonderful, Mother." Davina smiled sadly. "I wish…" She stood up and paced to the widow and back again in a restless, agitated fashion. "A week ago, we were all together, and happy. Now, look at us. I have such a feeling of foreboding too—I dread tomorrow."

Una took her by the shoulders. "You are strong, Davina," she said firmly, "you have never been anything else. We will fight this and we will win. Do you believe me?"

Davina nodded.

"Shoulders back," Una ordered, "we are going into battle, and I am not jesting. Someone evil is trying to destroy us with deceit and with murder. They are using both brute force and weapons of the mind. When Athol and Lyle arrive, I must tell you some truths that you will find painful, but they have to be told. Are you ready?"

"I am," Davina replied.

"Good." Una's face was set. This was war.