Katherine’s eyes were convincingly hurt and accusatory as she passed him on the stairs, her rushing up to see Jessica and him rushing down to get as far from Jessica as he could.

Leif signaled his brother and Luag, speaking to Senga with a warning look toward his parents’ room.

"Keep Amena in the kitchen with ye."

Amena tried to run out.

“Why, Leif? What’s happening?”

But the old family cook caught the wee lassie in her arms and closed the kitchen door, barring it with a satisfying thump. There were no windows. They would be safe in there. Senga could take care of herself and Amena. He would never have agreed to captain the militia were it not so.

In seconds, Taran and Luag were following him down the hill into the village.

"What has ye spooked, Leif?”

“What is amiss?"

He was not quite running, but he wasn't walking, either.

“I went intae Father and Mother’s room tae see Jessica, and she and Lauren were talking aboot where they would go next. Jessica asked why they didna just go back tae the druid castle. Back tae those people who visited just afore Father and Mother took ill. Back tae them, na tae them the fairmaist time, but back tae them.”

Alvin, Jared, and Jacob were out working in the fields, and they waved.

Leif, Taran, and Luag waved back. They were nearing the village now, and Donnan was coming out to greet Leif, a big smile on his face and his arms open wide. His best friend was still in the distance, unable to hear, but Leif couldn't very well slow down to go greet his best friend who obviously had good news. He needed to warn the town.

Taran spoke fast.

"Leif, ye must be mistaken. The lasses hae done sae much good, and the druids tried tae take them by force. Clearly they are na friends."

Leif wanted to argue, but they were coming up on where they could be heard, so he gave Donnan his attention. For now.

"Donnan —"

Donnan rushed up to Leif and grabbed him in a bear hug.

"Wee Jana is hale again! She got through the fever and lived! I was coming up tae thank the lasses! Here and now I thank ye and Taran for taking them in and giving the lasses yer protection. If ye hadna, I dinna care tae think what would hae become o' Jana."

Still hugging Donnan, Leif fished for a way to break the news.

"Aboot that—"

Luag met Leif’s eye and shook his head no while speaking over him.

"We were going doon tae see who else has recovered.”

Leif stared hard at his friend from the Isles, but he could see no betrayal there. No deception. Only a sincere desire to prevent Leif from being rash. So be it. He could take the time to walk around the village before he went up and kicked the lasses out of his house.

"Aye, Donnan please, dae join us."

He gestured for his best friend to go in front of them into the village. When they got into town, Donnan ran a running commentary of all the changes, with wonder in his voice. Wonder and admiration.

"The lasses were right, ye ken, about the sewage running through the streets. Gammer tells me in her old village they always took the waste out tae the fields—"

Taran interrupted.

"Who knows what other barbarous things they do down in England?"

This was an old joke with them, and they all laughed. Even Leif, a little.

Donnan continued his running commentary as they circled slowly around the town, waving back at those who waved.

Luag and Taran stopped to chat with a few, but it was as much as Leif could do to stay with Donnan and listen to his commentary. No one felt slighted, however. He and Donnan had been best friends forever.

Donnan had quite a bit to say, and it slowly sank into Leif’s thoughts.

"And the cleanliness plan worked! Dae ye ken that only two people hae come doon sick syne the lasses arrived? 'Tis slowing doon, the illness. Why, the week afore they arrived, ten fell ill. Gammer tries tae claim the folk in her village practice the lasses’ cleanliness as wull, but on that I think she's fooling. Where dae the lasses hail from? I feel such gratitude for the sake o' my Agnes and my wee Jana, I dinna care if 'tis England — though the lasses’ Gaelic is far too good for that, aye?"

Before Leif could answer that loaded question, Luag came up behind them and pulled Donnan away for a hug of his own.

"Sae glad I am tae hear wee Jana is healed! This calls for a celebration! Everyone tae Gus’s. I'm buying!"

Luag said this last bit so loud that everyone around heard and cheered, following them into the town’s one tavern.

Luag sat right next to Leif on one side, Donnan on the other, and the three of them received many cheers and congratulations on Jana's recovery. Gilly came forward and said how his nieces were well. Devany came forward and said her mother had come through the fever – an amazing thing, her mother being past forty and all.

Leif lost sight of Taran for a time, but his brother came back bringing several others who testified that their relatives had been ill and lived through it.

All thanked Leif for taking the lasses in. Soon, they were asking for the lasses to come down the hill.

"Bring them doon, Leif."

"Aye, bring them doon sae we can drink tae them."

"'Tis not fitting they should miss their own party!"

Leif’s anger had cooled. Did the lasses deserve to be thanked?

Aye. He would not kick them out. They could stay.

But he would get some answers.