Thorburn rode up to Màiri's family cottage around noon. Her parents, Rupert and Bess, and brother, Rob, were preparing to eat and invited Thorburn to eat with them, though they didn't have enough to feed all the men riding with him.

"I have some bad news about Màiri," he said. "You may not want to eat after you hear."

"You found her," Bess asked. "Is she dead then?"

"Aye, though she was barely alive when she was found, late last night. Ailene did all she could to save the poor lass, but to no avail. She passed before dawn this morning. Perhaps it was for the best," Thorburn said. "She'd...