“Leave?” Donnan stared at her.
“I’m not saying it need be any time soon but, when the time is right, I will have to go.”
“Go where?” he asked.
“Home.”
He shook his head. “This is your home.”
“And I love it here, or I would if we had a little more to eat.” She smiled, hoping that she could get him to as well. He didn’t. “Of course it’s not about that. I should have told you sooner. There are answers I need to find there.”
“Are there?” He threw a root into the basket. “You’re sure you need to? What about your life here? You don’t need that?”
“Donnan, try to understand—”
“Try to explain then,” he said, his eyebrows raised.
“I told you my mother died of a fever. That was a lie. Don’t look at me like that. Pa and I had to keep the truth from coming out. She died protecting Princess Rhona from assassination. She was murdered.”
“I . . . That’s awful. I’m so sorry.” The colour had drained from Donnan’s face. “Does Aedan know you’re planning to go back?”
The door opened.
“No,” whispered Kaetha.
“He should,” he said in a low murmur.
A slice of bright winter sunlight came in along with Aedan, his breath a plume of mist. He lowered a bundle of firewood to the hearthside and sat beside Kaetha with a sigh.
“I picked these. Winter buttercups.” Aedan grinned as he placed a posy of flowers into Kaetha’s hand. “They’re the first flowers I’ve seen since the snow. I thought you’d like them.”
Kaetha touched the tiny, bright yellow petals, then wrapped her arms around her father in a hug. In that moment, she wished she could forget her plans to leave. She wanted simply to live happily with her father, Donnan and Kintail.
“Well, I wasn’t quite expecting that response,” said Aedan. When Kaetha drew away from him, Kintail jumped onto his lap and curled up.
“That was thoughtful, Pa,” said Kaetha. “My mother’s favourite flower. Edonians call them flowers of the little sun, did you know that?”
Donnan squinted. “The little sun?”
“The season of the little sun is what they call winter.” Kaetha smiled. “Did you . . . did you ever pick them for her?”
Aedan scratched his beard as he sometimes did when he felt uncomfortable. “I didn’t know they were her favourite. But I’m glad you like them.”
The memory returned to her of the time she had inadvertently glimpsed her father’s thoughts, only days after they had first met. Morwena had been upset and angry with him once, she’d given him back a token of love and had told him to go.
“You did give her a bracelet, though.”
The colour rose to Aedan’s cheeks. He coughed. “Aye.”
Why did she return it? Why didn’t you fight for her, stay with her? Were you unfaithful to her? She couldn’t bring herself to voice any of these thoughts. He was the only family who had accepted her. What if she pushed him away?
“Kaetha, why don’t you tell Aedan what you were just telling me?” said Donnan.
Kaetha stared at him, giving him the barest shake of her head.
“What was that?” said Aedan.
“It’s just that . . .” she began, “It’s just, I’ve been thinking of an idea to help us save more for next winter. I don’t know how much wood sorrel soup I can bear.”
Aedan laughed. “Well, your ideas are welcome. I’m just ashamed I didn’t provide well enough for us this year.”
“Don’t be ashamed. We’re all responsible for each other,” she said. “We’re family.”
Donnan held her gaze. “Aye,” he said. “Family.”
TWELVE
The Festival of the Sea
After turning the last rack of fish, Aedan climbed down the ladder and hopped out of the smokehouse. Kaetha tossed another shovelful of wood chips onto the embers, watching them release a sigh of smoke. She sat against the outside wall, scratching her knife into a piece of driftwood, carving shapes – a bird, a stag, a fish.
“You’ll like the festival,” he said, sitting beside her. “It brings people together.”
From here, she could see the first fires on the beach blossoming into life, revellers filing down the paths, like moths drawn to the flames.
“I almost forgot. I have something for you.”
“For me?”
“I got them in Calamor. Do you like them?”
He placed a pair of silver earrings into her palm, each shaped like a leaf. They reminded her of a necklace her mother had worn. She wondered if Aedan had thought of that too or if it had just been by chance that he’d picked them out.
She put the delicate hooks through her pierced ears. “I love them. Thank you.” She rested her head against his shoulder. “I hope you didn’t spend too much.”
“Don’t worry about that. We’re doing well and it’s all because of your idea, helping the Morays as well as us. Did I tell you how the merchants in Calamor were fighting over our smoked fish yesterday?”
“You did.” She laughed.
Aedan cleared his throat. “Kaetha?”
She stiffened then, uneasy at his uncertain tone.
“There’s something I wanted to tell you before we join the others.” He paused.
She raised her head from his shoulder. “You’re going to marry Mairi.” What else could it have been?
He nodded, a smile lighting up his face.
“You’re ready to settle down then?”
“It’s about time, I suppose,” he said with a laugh.
“And what of your dream to have a ship again and sail to far off lands? The business is going well, like you said. You could buy a ship soon. Do you really want to be tied to Braddon?”
He gazed out at the sea. “Coming back here, building my life again,” he ruffled her hair, “being a father – so much has changed. I’ve changed. I hadn’t thought
