Lion Heart by Paula Quinn

Author:Paula Quinn
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Highland
Published: 2020-02-13T00:00:00+00:00

“I was not taught it,” Charlie reminded it. “I saw it with Bertram and Lily two years ago when I was ten.”

Elias saw his point and assured him that neither he nor any man in his family had or would ever do such a terrible thing. His father had been raised a slave to the Governor of Berwick. He told the boy the story of his parents.

“So,” Charlie asked as they approached the house. “When you marry Lily, will you have children with her?”

“Aye,” Elias told him. “Ye and Annabelle to start.”

Charlie dropped his logs and threw his arms around him. “Thank you,” he cried.

Elias could not let go or else some of the logs might fall on their feet. He leaned in though and touched his forehead to Charlie’s. “Ye are a good lad. ’Tis my honor.” He swallowed his heart and the wish that Cecily was here with her brother.

“Now, come. Let us get this done. And dinna spread the news of my heart to anyone.”

Charlie promised and picked up his logs.

“I have aboot six or seven more trips,” he said. “I dinna want ye comin’ along. ‘Tis too rigorous.”

“Eli, I—”

“Charlie.” He said nothing else. The matter was closed. He wouldn’t lose Charlie.

He walked to the back of the house and set down the logs then clapped his hands together, wiping the dirt from them, and set out again.

“Oh, Elias, there you are!”

He turned at the sound of Lily’s voice and smiled at Charlie on the way around. When his gaze came to her, he felt as if his body was being drained of himself and then filled again, better than before.

She was like daylight piercing the gloom, spreading warmth despite the rain.

“I was gettin’ some wood with Charlie.”

“Why? We have plenty of wood in the shed,” she informed him with a curious scowl.

There was plenty of wood – “In the shed? Who went into the shed?”

“I did,” she told him. “I cleaned it up and then Estrid, Clare, and I chopped some wood. ‘Tis an excellent way to get rid of some things.”

He nodded. He couldn’t help but grin at her. She had chopped wood. She and her friends…her sisters. What was better than a wife who would not perish without him? But with Bertram still out there, it was dangerous for her to be so far away, alone.

Cleaning the shed was mayhap even more dangerous.

“Did ye wear yer mask?” he asked.

“Of course,” she thankfully replied. “So, now will you sit and eat with me, Annabelle and Simon?”

He hadn’t known she’d be preparing any meals today or he would not have been late. “Forgive me.”

She graced him with a smile and then turned back to the kitchen from where she came. Elias washed his hands in the well, a habit he’d irritatingly picked up because of Lily, and picked a few splinters from his skin. He hurried back to the kitchen and then slowed at the door and let Charlie enter first.

The room smelled wonderful with mixed herbs and spices, chopped and roasted roots, like carrots, dandelion, and turmeric over rice.

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