Fighting the Storm by Angeline Gallant & Lorcan McKinnon

Author:Angeline Gallant & Lorcan McKinnon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: mafia, mystery, romance, family secrets, small town
Publisher: Angeline Gallant
Published: 2021-07-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

Marina-Lynne carefully wrapped the stems of a small bunch of herbs before passing them to Kyralie who stood on a hand-carved stool. Maintaining her balance, Kyralie added the herbs Marina-Lynne handed her those already hanging from the ceiling.

“I admire your supply of herbs and poultices. You remind me of my husbands’ mother, Mollie. She told me that back home, in Ireland, they are known as wise ones...”

“Here, we are known as witches,” Kyra stepped down from the stool as gingerly as a cat.

“How long have you been studying the uses of medicinal herbs? Did you have a tutor?” Marina-Lynne tucked a stray wisp of hair back into the braided knot at the base of her neck, the warmth flushing her pale skin.

“My mother,” Kyralie’s voice choked on the word she had tried not to think of for some time. “She was known for her green thumb as well as my grandmother. I guess you could say I inherited more than my mother’s looks.”

“I’m so sorry,” Marina-Lynne looked up from the garden carrots she had begun to slice. “I didn’t mean to bring up a painful topic.”

“I know you meant no harm, Angel.”

Kyralie dried her hands on an embroidered dish towel, watching the younger woman for a moment before she rolled up her sleeves.

“I believe my poultice is just about ready,” Kyralie announced, stirring a large pot, fragrant steam filling the air.

The tiny kitchen was warm, steam swirling in a slow, spirling dance above the pot. Marina-Lynne had no idea what Kyralie had been adding to her “poultice,” but the scent mingled with the heat in the kitchen had her stomach lurching in protest.

“Here,” Marina-Lynne appeared at her elbow, moving as silently as a shadow.

“I didn’t even hear you,” Marina-Lynne forced a smile trying not to show she was jumpy or that Kyra’s sneaking up on her had set her heart racing.

“Old habits die hard,” Kyralie murmured before stepping around her calico cat. “Chew on this small piece of root. It will help settle your stomach.”

Marina-Lynne wrinkled her nose. She hadn’t made a habit of chewing on twigs before and wasn’t relishing the thought of it now.

“It is just a small piece and you will feel so much better for it,” Kyralie assured her cousin. “How far along are you?”

“Four months. I thought I was well past the morning sickness stage. It appears I was wrong.”

“It is likely stress as well,” Kyralie’s voice was as soft as a summer’s breeze. “I had hoped you were carrying my brother’s baby but you are too far along,” she confessed. “You must know Liam is in love with you. I can see it in his eyes and the way he interacts with you.

When we were young he loved you with all his heart - we both did - but I knew Liam was determined to love no other. You can imagine how I felt seeing you together again after all these years. My brother waited all these years...” Tears caught in her throat

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.