English, Elizabeth by The Border Bride

Author:The Border Bride [Bride, The Border]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2012-03-10T19:24:04+00:00

CHAPTER 22

No sooner had Alyson gained the safety of her own four walls when she began to regret her hasty departure. Emma McLaran had actually spoken to her, though whether as a peacemaking gesture or an attempt to embarrass her, Alyson couldn't quite decide. Either way Alyson had been a fool to let the opportunity slip away.

She went out the door and back to the fire, but Emma was nowhere to be seen. Though the other women pretended to ignore her, they did answer a direct question, admitting grudgingly that Emma had gone back to her own home to tend her ailing husband. When pressed, they pointed out the way.

Malcolm walked across the moor with her, through a stand of alder trees and to a lovely sheltered glade beside a waterfall where the Laird's dwelling stood. Like all the buildings here, it was stark and simple, a plain tower built of heavy stone. A neat, fenced pasture stretched behind it up the mountain, filled with shaggy cattle. A flock of chickens pecked contentedly outside the door, where four men lounged upon the stoop, resting from the games and drinking from a stone jug.

They barely moved to let her pass, but Alyson ignored their rudeness and knocked briskly upon the door. A young girl opened it peered out, her round eyes widening when she recognized their visitor.

"I'd like to see Lady Emma," Alyson said firmly.

"Oh! Aye, well—a moment, please."

The girl shut the door in Alyson's face. She waited, her heart beating quickly as she tried to imagine what she'd say to Emma. Should she tell her whole truth? Or simply mention Clare's name and see what happened next? She wiped sweating palms upon her skirt, praying that when the time came, she would find the words.

***

Emma tucked the shawl more firmly about her husband's frail shoulders, then pushed another pillow behind his back, propping him higher on the bed.

"Leave off fussing, woman," he said impatiently. "I'm well enough. Just a bit tired."

"I'm not surprised!" Emma answered tartly. "Ye said ye'd stay no more than half an hour—"

"So I did," Hamish agreed. "But ye know as well as I do that this afternoon wasna the reason—"

"Whisht, now," Emma said uncomfortably, smoothing the coverlet with nervous hands. "If it's rest you're wanting, then—"

"I heard it again last night—and you did, too!" he finished, pointing a gnarled finger at his wife. "Dinna trouble to deny it. Keening fit to break my heart."

"The wind in the trees, no more," Emma said, though she didn't raise her eyes to him. Hamish covered her hand with his.

"Now, Emma, we both know that's pure blether," he said gently. "Not the wind, nor one of the serving girls, either, as ye told me yestere'en."

Emma looked up at him at last with troubled eyes. "Then what, Hamish?"

"Ye ken, hinny. Ye ken as well as I."

Emma jumped up and began to pace the small chamber, then flung open the shutters and breathed deeply of the summer-scented air. Turning away from the

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.