Of Gold & Blood Series 2 Books 1 & 4 by Jenny Wheeler

Author:Jenny Wheeler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Happy Families Ltd
Published: 2020-08-13T16:00:00+00:00

Thirty Eight

The pure notes of some old hymn he didn’t recognize but everyone else seemed to know hung in the chapel air, the sweetness of the children’s voices giving the chant a freshness that made him feel grimy.

“All glory while the ages run, be to the Father and the Son, who rose from death; the same to thee, O Holy Ghost eternally…”

Seated in the back pew of the convent chapel, Willoughby Martens watched as choir leader Graysie Castellanos brought her conducting arm to a flowing conclusion. The singers, in simple white cassocks, visibly relaxed as the final notes died away.

Early evening light streamed through stone-arched windows as Father O’Brien, backlit by towers of altar candles, pronounced a final blessing on the townsfolk gathered for the diocese of St Mary’s annual Praise and Redemption Concert. An exotic smell of incense hung like a comforting cloak over the crowded congregation.

The final hymn had been stately, but the occasion was anything but. It was a Grass Valley tradition to hold a concert to thank the town for its support of both the school and the orphanage every year before summer recess.

Local fiddlers and harmonica players had added their merry tunes to the more serious choral music, and they now fiddled everyone out with a medley of folk tunes, a wave of gay sound filling the sacred space as everyone rose, chattering and laughing, and moved next door for refreshments.

It was one of Father O’Brien’s greatest achievements to have built a church which nestled at the town’s heart and was beloved by many who only came once a year for this celebration. Despite himself, Martens was touched by the occasion’s simple eloquence.

But that wasn’t why he was here, he reminded himself. Precious time was passing. He needed to fulfil his undertaking to de Vile to sort out the troublesome Castellanos woman or his patron would get restless. And ruthless.

Funny, he ruminated, how he’d been sick with rage to find Nathan Russell was here messing with his game in California, just like he had spoiled things back in Sydney. Gradually, however, his anger was being channeled into something much more productive.

Having him here was providing the perfect opportunity to exercise the revenge he’d long craved. He could kill two birds with one stone—get rich, get rid of Nathan Russell, and maybe even get his hands on the girl. He felt a warmth at the base of his stomach that spread up through his chest at that delightful thought.

Luring Graysie Castellanos down the mine might be the quickest way to do that. The dumb songbird wouldn’t know what she was looking at. He was confident he could spin a convincing yarn to kick her interest. If not, he could frighten her so badly she’d sell for nothing just to be rid of it and him.

His left foot twitched with a nervy charge he often experienced at high-risk moments like this. The excitement gripped him deep in his belly, and he let out a low, slow breath. There was nothing like the exultant feeling he got chasing down quarry.

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.