Ancient Curse by Barbara Edwards

Author:Barbara Edwards [Edwards, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary, Paranormal, Fantasy
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2014-10-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Rainie strode to her room with the intention of leaving. She hauled her cases from the closet and opened the largest on the bed. Pain and disappointment gnawed at her gut like a hungry rat. Thomas had gotten inside her heart without her suspecting. She’d felt so close to him. Her fingers clenched until her nails dug painfully into her palms.

She couldn’t believe she’d fallen for a man like her father. Business first, by any means. Not again. Her insides clenched. How could he have been so gentle with her?

The pain in her stomach spread to her chest. The suitcases gaped like open mouths. For five years these bags had carried her life from place to place. Her fingers pressed to her belly as she hesitated.

She had to know if she had made the biggest mistake of her life, and she couldn’t learn that by running away.

She slowly lowered the cases to the floor. Her father had fooled her for years, her ex-fiancé for months, but Thomas? She’d thought better of him.

Her heart still did. She pressed her open palm to her pounding chest. She needed to think. Getting outside these walls would help.

Rainie headed downstairs. She longed to take a long walk but knew she would wander aimlessly if she left sight of the house. Instead she followed the nearest garden path. The flower beds spread in all directions and she strolled from one to another. Here huge marigolds lifted golden heads above white and blue petunias while a bit farther, multicolored zinnias filled an entire square.

Not all the flowers were as easily recognizable. She bent to sniff a spiny, red blossom on a tall stem only to have a bee buzz her nose. She smiled at a metal tag stuck in the ground with “Bee Balm” etched on it.

Knowing markers were there made it easier to find the elegantly scripted names, and her shoulders relaxed. Blue foxglove paraded before rows of tall pink hollyhocks. She kept wandering. Although the plants remained colorful, the names changed to herbs. Chives sported fluffy pink flowers. Tall basil and dill plants waved above the shorter varieties. She broke a mint leaf free and sniffed the spicy scent.

“Don’t touch those blue flowers along the wall.” Sammy came up behind her. “Wolf’s bane is poisonous.”

“But those blue spikes are so beautiful.” Rainie shoved her hands in her pockets. “Looks can be deceiving,” she mumbled.

Sammy yanked a weed free and tossed it aside.

“Ain’t a new lesson fer you to learn,” he said. “How’s about we sit over in the shade fer a bit?”

Rainie let him steer her to a nearby stone bench. They pondered the flowers for several minutes before his patient face broke the dam. Words spilled from her in a flood of anger and hurt.

“... then he admitted he gave my location to my father. I’m so angry I almost left.” She waited for him to respond.

He settled back on the bench and patted her knee with a work-worn hand. “I’m not the best person to give advice on love matters,” he said.

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