The Acadian Secret by Tammy Lowe

Author:Tammy Lowe [Lowe, Tammy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fantasy fiction;Witch-Hunt; Time-Travel; Action-Adventure; Children; Teens; Nova Scotia; Canada; Oak Island; Treasure Hunt; Scotland; Scottish Highlands; Dunnottar Ca
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2022-04-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Fiona pranced into the center of the garden maze, grinning when she found Elisabeth and Quinton sprawled out on blankets and cushions they’d dragged here from inside the castle. Her eyes sparkled as she waved her arms in the air. “Guess what?”

A genuine smile built on Elisabeth’s face and she looked up from her book. “What?”

“Shona said if I want to help Jonnet peel apples in the kitchen, I can take an entire apple pie home later today to share with my family. It shouldn’t take me too long to do that.”

“That’s awesome.” Elisabeth held up her book. “I only have a few more chapters left so I’m going to stay and finish it. If I’m not here, I’ll be at the stable visiting Dandy.”

“Wait…” Quinton jumped up, shoving a superhero comic book into Elisabeth’s backpack. She’d bought it for him with her allowance. “I have some lessons this morning and have to go too. I’ll walk out with you, Fee.”

When Elisabeth shot Quinton a knowing grin, a flush crept across his cheeks and he avoided eye contact with her.

“Hurry up, then.” Fiona giggled before racing through the evergreen hedges, disappearing into the maze ahead of him.

The courtyard in the middle of the labyrinth was the perfect place for privacy as none of the adults ever seemed to venture inside. Fiona and Quinton could use electronics, read books and magazines technically not yet written, and be safe from the prying eyes of grown-ups. To Elisabeth’s seventeenth-century friends, the gadgets were nothing short of magic. She even hosted the occasional movie night, complete with popcorn and fizzy pop. The only spot of concern from prying eyes was a small section of the upper castle with windows overlooking the maze, but the children confirmed the rooms there were all but empty. The courtyard of the labyrinth had become their perfect secret hideaway.

Elisabeth buried her nose in the book again, her pulse increasing while turning the final pages. When finished, she let out a satisfied sigh, slipped it into her backpack, and hid the bag in the evergreen boughs. After folding the blankets and placing them with the cushions atop one of the benches, she wandered out of the maze.

Outside, Elisabeth locked the door and hid the key beneath the rock. Here, the walled kitchen garden, now filled with discolored and tattered leaves, overflowed with fresh produce. An empty harvest basket sat next to a shovel left thrust in the dirt. While making her way to the arched entrance, she spotted a bushel of red apples and took one, polishing it on her sleeve until it shone.

In the distance, a dog howled.

It didn’t sound like Talbot.

Biting into the tart apple, Elisabeth strolled down to the stable, eager to see Dandy. She’d come to adore that sweet chestnut horse and spent a lot of time hanging around him when Quinton and Fiona were busy. It also helped that, despite his gruff exterior, Joseph no longer frightened her, either.

Elisabeth climbed up on the split rail fence, checking to see if the paddock was empty.

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.