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She chills my blood. I had the passing thought as to how she would react if she saw Jankyn at his most feral, and got the feeling that would stir her lusts."
    "Because of his strength?"
    "Oh, that is astonishing and it can be, weel, exciting to see him so. What woman wouldnae be stirred to see a mon so valiantly and impressively deal with her enemies? But nay, I was thinking she wouldnae have stopped him from killing those two pigs, even though it could have put Jankyn in serious danger. Nay, I think she would have encouraged it, reveled in it, had her lusts roused by the bloodiness of it."
    "Oh dear."
    "Exactly. I think that, within Lady Eleanor, is a beast more feral, more bloodthirsty, than any MacNachton e'er was. They at least can be excused because of their nature, their need, their breeding. One they have worked hard to control. Lady Eleanor has no such inclination. As we cannae completely shed the nature of the cat bred into us from that ancient Celtic priestess, thus the MacNachtons cannae completely shed that nature of the predator, the wolf, from their bloodlines. Ah, but Lady Eleanor holds a true darkness of the soul, I think."
    Barbara slowly nodded. "It would explain a lot. And ye are right. As with us, what is within the MacNachtons is the spirit of the beast. It has naught to do with morals or inclinations. It is what it is. But if what ye sense in Lady Eleanor is truly there, that is a sickness of the soul, a dark, hellish thing, and nay natural."
    "I could be wrong," Efrica felt compelled to say.
    "Ye rarely are and I saw it, too. I just couldnae name it as ye have. So, where have ye been?"
    "The gardens." She told Barbara about her meeting with David.
    "Ah, so the threat of the sun doesnae completely fade in all the children of mixed blood. A shame. Howbeit, David's bairns may nay suffer that weakness. And Fiona would be a good choice of bride. I think that beneath that sweet, shy exterior lies a strong heart, too. If the lad wins it, I think all will be weel."
    "I hope ye are right. I think he has already lost his heart. He said he feels the urge to mark her as his mate."
    Barbara smiled faintly. "Fair caught then. I must say, I was appalled when Bridget told me of it, but she said it was naught. A wee sip, she said, and only the once. Somehow I think Fiona willnae balk. Now, about this search Jankyn is on. Ye must direct him to our cousin Malcolm."
    Efrica's eyes widened with surprise. She had completely forgotten about Malcolm. He was an odd little man with a voracious appetite for gossip, rumor, tales of the past, and any written record of any clan he could get his ink-stained hands on. If any clan had a secret, Malcolm probably knew it and had recorded it. He also lived close at hand. She realized she was eager to tell Jankyn and frowned. Honesty compelled her to admit to herself that one reason she was eager was because it would allow her to see him again!
    "Mayhap ye should tell him, Barbara."
    "I fear I cannae," Barbara said as she stood up and brushed down her skirts. "I am to meet with the ladies Beatrice and Margaret in but a few minutes. Come, Effie, ye cannae hide from the mon forever. If naught else, he abides in the same keep as your sister. There is a great difference between telling him something useful, mayhap escorting him somewhere once, and keeping company , so to speak. And mayhap 'tis best to see if ye can keep something this simple from becoming complicated. If ye cannae e'en take the mon a message, mayhap ye ought to think hard on why he afrights ye so."
    Before Efrica could respond to that, Barbara was gone. While all Barbara said was true, Efrica had the feeling there was far more to the woman's insistence that she be the one to tell Jankyn about Malcolm. Efrica hoped her cousin was not matchmaking, had not decided that her infatuation with Jankyn ought to be fed instead of starved.
    Once out of her chambers, Efrica had to find someone to tell her where the records were kept. It