Sarah M. Eden British Isles Collection (A Timeless Romance Anthology Book 15) by Sarah M. Eden

Author:Sarah M. Eden [Eden, Sarah M.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: love, romance, clean romance, sweet romance, regency romance, Ireland,
Publisher: Mirror Press
Published: 2015-11-06T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Alice hoped Miss Kilchrest’s behavior had been enough to warn off Isaac. She’d been too upset, herself, to stay and talk sense into the man. That he’d come immediately to Billy’s defense despite not understanding his circumstances only further endeared Isaac to her. He was a good man, no matter how misguided his matrimonial ambitions.

She packed her small satchel and pulled on her heavy woolen coat. ’Twas a cold Christmas morning, perfect for staying tucked in bed, curled up under the blankets. But ’twas also a Sunday, and Alice had no choice but to step out into the weather and make her trek back to the farm where she worked.

The hour was early, an approach she’d adopted weeks earlier after her falling-out with Isaac. Avoiding him was easier, kinder, on her too-tender heart. That morning there’d be no Billy to see her off. He’d been nearly in tears by the time she’d delivered him home. His da had thought it best to not wake him that morning, and not to find him work at the Kilchrests’ again.

Alice slipped her satchel over her shoulder. She wound a thick scarf about her neck and tied her battered bonnet tight on her head. She couldn’t hide in the warmth of her grandparents’ house forever.

The air hung heavy and cold as she stepped out on to the streets of Cavan. A cold and lonely Christmas Day, indeed. If only men weren’t so infernally blind and stubborn, she might have been spending her Christmas morning with Isaac at her side rather than missing him as she was.

Perhaps men weren’t the only ones who clung to foolish notions.

’Twas something of a shame to mar the fresh, untouched layer of snow with her trudging footsteps. So few things in life worked out neat and tidy.

She passed the church where Isaac would be attending services.

And if I must be passed over for something, I suppose church on a Christmas morning isn’t so bad a thing.

Alice turned her face into the light wind and continued on her way. The miles back toward Killeshandra would not be pleasant; that was quite sure and certain. Some other poor traveler was but a few streets ahead of her, braving the same elements.

She held her coat closer to her with her gloved hands. Perhaps if she thought hard on the blankets and the warm fire in the kitchen hearth in the farmhouse that waited at the end of that long road, she’d not feel the chill quite so deep and acute. If nothing else, the anticipation quickened her steps.

She quickly came even with her fellow traveler. He, apparently, hadn’t sufficient imagination to push him onward.

Alice set her mind to offering him an encouraging smile and a Christmas greeting as she passed. A person ought to receive at least that when alone on a morning such as this one. No sooner had she reached the stranger’s side than he spoke.

“Have ya a friend to walk around Lough Oughter with ya?”

Her gaze immediately jumped to his face.

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.