Page 190 of Circle of Days
“All right. Thank you.”
Katch lowered her voice, though there was no one else around, and she spoke nervously. “Something I want to mention to you.”
Pia thought this was probably the main reason for the visit.
Katch went on: “I heard that Duff and some of the young men are planning to go to the herders’ Midsummer Rite, despite Troon’s ban.” She held up a hand to silence any denial. “Don’t tell me whether it’s true—I’m not asking.”
“Then I won’t.”
“And I’m not telling Troon anything.”
Pia believed her. Katch, who had no daughters, was fond of her niece Pia.
Katch said: “Don’t let Duff go on the mission.”
“What?”
“Please, I beg you.”
“But why?”
“Because you’ve already had one man killed.”
She was talking about Han. And Pia was chilled by the dreadful thought that Duff might be killed as Han had been. “Are you saying Duff could die on the mission?”
“Not just Duff.”
“A massacre?”
“I’m not saying any more than I’ve already said. I’m just begging you to prevent him going.”
“But I don’t understand.”
“If Troon finds out I’ve spoken to you this way, he will beat me half to death.”
That made Pia reluctant to ask more questions. She said: “Well… thank you for the warning… I suppose.”
“But never say who told you.”
“All right.”
Katch nodded, acknowledging a promise made; then she turned and walked away, still carrying the piglet.
She might look like a mouse, Pia thought, but she’s a brave woman.
Katch could not confront Troon directly, and she had not been able to help when Troon forced Yana to marry Stam, but she could act covertly, as she just had. All the same she was risking a beating.
Pia mulled over this warning while she carried on weeding. At midday Duff and Yana returned from different fields—Yana walking with one hand on her back, just above the hip, where it ached—and they sat down with Olin in the shade of a tree to eat porridge with soft goat cheese. Olin could feed himself now, though Pia kept an eye on him and stopped him making too much mess.
Pia said: “I had a visitor this morning. I’ve promised not to say who.”
“Intriguing,” said Duff lightheartedly.
Yana, more sensitive to the seriousness in Pia’s tone, looked worried.
Pia said to Duff: “I have been warned that you could be killed if you go on Joia’s mission after this year’s Midsummer Rite.”
Duff said incredulously: “Who would want to kill me?”
