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wall a great gout of flame rushed out, with a roar like a lion’s. The Dominican rolled over, away from the door, and scrambled to his feet, half crouching.
    ‘Run!’ he bellowed, and stumbled back the way they had come. Gil rose, coughing, and followed him, and suddenly a dark shape loomed before them, one of the other lay brothers, grasping an arm of each with strong hard hands, pulling them towards the door.
    They lurched choking from the building just as the far end collapsed with a great crash, flames shooting up into the night sky. Someone threw a bucket of water over Gil, which was when he realised that his hair and his hose were smouldering, and someone else held another bucket so that he could drink palmfuls of the water to soothe his throat.
    ‘Did you find him? Did you find him?’ It was the elderly Infirmarer, his hands shaking in the firelight.
    ‘No, Faither,’ said Brother Dickon hoarsely by his side. ‘We went as far’s we dared, and no sign o him. I doubt he’s never got out o his cell.’
    ‘But was he locked in?’ Alys smeared more green ointment on Tam’s brow. ‘Or had he perhaps had a sleeping draught?’
    ‘No to both.’ Gil tipped his head back against the upright back of the settle. The two women had lit the fire again and it was warm here in the guest hall; he was already beginning to think of the place as a refuge. At his feet Jennet knelt over a pannikin of wine, swirling it in the firelight to infuse the spices she had added. ‘Father James seems to have panicked, and simply run out of the building shouting “Fire!” It’s fortunate that someone in the dorter heard him, or it could have spread to the main range.’
    ‘It was burning fiercest at that end the building,’ observed Nory. ‘Where they said he was lodged, I mean. I doubt maybe it started there. Likely the laddie was owercome by the smoke and never knew what was happening, poor chiel. God send it was quick.’ He crossed himself, and Dandy did likewise.
    ‘We’ll hope that,’ said Tam, and flinched as Alys anointed another burn.
    ‘Or maybe it was the Devil carried him away,’ said Euan in portentous tones, ‘like the other one.’
    ‘Mercy on us!’ Jennet exclaimed. ‘There must be something badly amiss wi this place, maister, that the Devil can come and go as he likes! Should we maybe no leave here and lodge wi the Greyfriars?’
    ‘This fire was very different,’ said Gil. ‘The one which consumed Pollock was confined to one place, almost as if it was in a brazier, and the rest of the house is near undamaged. This one has destroyed the entire infirmary, like an ordinary house fire, and a fierce one at that. If you lads hadny been here I think it could have been worse. Father Prior may be a great scholar and a famous preacher, but he’s no man for quick action.’
    ‘Aye, the Infirmarer was fair lamenting his ointments and simples,’ said Nory. ‘He hardly kent which to grieve for the more, all his way of life gone up in flames or the young man that was trapped.’ His tone was disapproving.
    Gil said, ‘It’s the shock. It takes folk strangely.’
    ‘If the fire was so different from the other,’ said Alys, pinning a bandage on Tam’s arm, ‘so ordinary, could it have been set a purpose?’ She looked about her to see if any burns remained unsalved, then considered Gil, moving the candles close to the hearth.
    ‘Surely never!’ said Euan, shocked, and Dandy muttered agreement. ‘Who would do sic a thing in a house of holy men?’
    ‘The town’s no so happy wi the Blackfriars, by what we saw,’ observed Tam, rolling down his singed sleeve.
    ‘It could ha been,’ said Gil grimly, ignoring them. ‘Brother Dickon will come for me as soon as there’s light to see, though Christ Himself kens that’s none so early at this time of year. We’ll search the wreckage, see if we can find the missing laddie, see if we can learn aught else.’
    Alys made no comment, but tucked her hand into his