Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 99593 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99593 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Ryland nodded to the door and slipped out, concerned the old woman would get upset when she recalled that he was there.
Ida shivered and hugged herself. “Did you feel that chill?”
“A slight one,” Esme said as the door shut quietly behind Ryland.
“A chill haunts Purdom Keep along with Lady Claire. You can hear her weeping in the upper chambers, crying for all she has lost. Many believe we are cursed to suffer until her heart hurts no more.” Ida shook her head slowly. “I pray that someday she finds peace.”
“I pray the same,” Esme said, her heart hurting that Claire’s life was filled with such pain. “Thank you so much for the delightful chat, Ida.”
“I quite enjoyed it myself.”
Esme stood. “By chance, would you remember the name of the man Lady Claire loved?”
Ida shook her head. “She never let anyone know who it was. She feared if her da found out he might send him away or worse… harm him.” She got teary-eyed. “She died of a broken heart, and some say it was his name she whispered before she died.”
Esme couldn’t stop the tears from filling her eyes. “Thank you again, Ida.”
Ida grabbed her arm as she walked past her and whispered, “Don’t let him hurt you like Lord Randall hurt Claire. Run. Run as far as you can to get away from him.”
Esme stepped outside, a couple of tears rolling down her cheeks.
Ryland was at her side in an instant, his arm around her. “What’s wrong?”
“Your mum. She had but a moment of happiness and it was gone.” Another tear fell. “We can’t let that happen to us. I don’t want a fleeting time with you, little to no memories, I want to spend the rest of our lives together.”
“We will. I’ll make sure of it,” he promised.
“I imagine the man your mum loved promised the same and she believed him, had hope, and then…” Another tear fell.
“Our situation is far different.”
“Is it or do we follow in your mum’s footsteps?” she asked fearfully.
He took firm hold of her chin. “Listen to me well, Esme. You are mine now and always, and I will let no one take you from me. We belong together and we will stay together.”
She nodded, though she remained fearful, thinking his mum must have once thought the same.
“I never knew Torrance had,” — he shook his head— “I have a half-sister.”
“Two,” Esme corrected. “Dru is your half-sister as well.”
He shook his head and smiled. “Dru can be a handful, but I always wanted siblings.”
“You know where one is. You just have to find the other, not an easy task, I fear. She could have been taken anywhere.”
“Did Ida tell you the name of the man my mum loved?” he asked, slipping his hand around hers as they walked away from the cottage.
“She didn’t know. Your mum kept it a secret fearful he would suffer for loving her.”
“My lord,” Brack called out, rushing toward him.
Ryland stopped. “What is it?”
“We found tracks. A sole rider met with maybe three or four others. I believe Patrick betrayed you. He sent the mercenaries after you and fearing he would be caught, he fled, joining them. Purdom was always a thorn in Clan Glencairn’s side. It is time to remove it for good.”
CHAPTER 28
“He’s angry with you,” Esme whispered, glancing at Brack, a sneer on his face as he cautiously surveyed the woods around them.
“His suspicion grows with every decision I make that is contrary to what Torrance would have done,” Ryland said, too busy scanning the area to waste a glance on Brack.
Esme tightened her hold around his waist. She could feel the tension in him, the way his body had been taut with unease since dawn. They had left the village just after daybreak, not a bit of sun greeting the morn. Nothing but bleak gray clouds had followed the road they traveled along through the dense woods.
Brack had been furious when Ryland had refused to punish the villagers for Patrick’s folly. Ryland had gone further and ordered a hunt to fill their larders. That alone had Brack ready to voice his disapproval, but he held his tongue when Torrance threatened him.
“Object to another decision of mine and I will cut your tongue out of your mouth.”
That had settled that matter, hence the sneer but not another word was heard from Brack.
The trees thickened ahead, the path narrowing and the heavily snow-covered ground making travel difficult.
“Maybe we should have waited, at least until the snow melted some more,” Esme said, eyeing the large snowdrift they had to make their way around.
“Nay. That bit of sun and warmth yesterday lolled us into believing we need not worry about more snow. The air turned bitter today telling us otherwise. We are too vulnerable at Purdom Village. We need to reach home where I can make sure you are safe. Besides, I am eager to speak with the woman Ida told you about, Verna. I don’t recall Torrance ever mentioning her.”