Ayrshire Murders by E R Dillon

Author:E R Dillon [Dillon, E R]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical mystery
ISBN: 9781509228430
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Published: 2019-09-18T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Kyle woke with a start as the bells of St. John’s rang in the hour of vespers. Although he’d really meant to stay awake, he did need the rest. Now refreshed, he washed and dried his face before going out into the fading dusk. He mounted the gelding and headed for St. John’s to attend the evening service.

The interior of the church was gloomy, illuminated only by beeswax candles around the altar. From his position at the rear, he could see most of those standing ahead of him. He recognized the baker with his hat in hands that were large and strong from years of kneading bread dough. The tinsmith, a stout balding man in his forties, was there, too. He noted with interest the devout woman, veiled and kneeling, who still prayed with such ardor.

John Logan was also present and seemed mindful of the devout woman as well, in that he cast a furtive glance in her direction every so often. His attentions did not go unnoticed, for the instant the service ended, the gargoyle woman, who was apparently the devout woman’s constant companion, hustled her by the elbow through the doorway and out into the night.

Kyle stepped back to let those in attendance file past him as they headed for the double doors.

John paused on his way out to speak to Kyle in the vestibule. “Come back to the shop with me. I’d like yer opinion on my latest brew.”

“Still experimenting, are you?” Kyle said.

The corners of John’s green eyes crinkled in merriment. “But of course,” he said with a smile. “I spoil a batch now and again, but most turn out quite well, if I do say so myself.”

“Count me in, then.”

The two of them left St. John’s and walked over to the rail to mount up. They rode down darkened streets to Tradesmen’s Row, guided only by the faint illumination that seeped through the chinks in closed shutters along the way.

When they arrived at John’s shop, they found Macalister out front with Fergus on a lead rope and his gray horse tied to the rail. They exchanged a greeting with him as they dismounted.

“Go on in,” John said, unlocking the front door. “I’ll join the pair of ye after I put up the mule.” He led the docile beast down the wide alleyway alongside the shop and disappeared around back.

Kyle tied the gelding to the rail beside the gray and followed Macalister and Fergus into the herb-scented darkness inside. A tiny glimmer of light came from a brazier standing in the corner.

Macalister fumbled around for a moment to locate a couple of candles. He brought them over to the brazier, where he blew on the banked coals to bring them to rosy life. He touched each wick in turn on the glowing embers to light it, after which he set the candles in clay holders on the table.

Kyle took one of the lighted candles with him to examine the jars and pots on the shelves against the side walls.

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.