Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Dru wasn’t sure about entering the abbey when she reached it. Her bad feeling grew, settling heavily around her. She feared once she entered the place nothing would ever be the same again and not in a good way. She was glad for the small reprieve of being left to herself in the refectory, Mother Abbess excusing herself for a few moments and Knox busy finding shelter for his mare.
She scooped up a small bench and placed it in front of the fireplace to get warm, a chill having yet to leave her. She rubbed her arms to warm them as she continued to contemplate her situation. Quint would help her if needed. He was presently overseeing Clan MacLeish until Chieftain Ryland was well enough to resume his duties, having been badly wounded in the battle between his clan and Torrance’s clan. Quint was one man most people feared. He was a fierce mercenary known as The Monk, for a good reason, and he had once saved her life. They had become friends. She had done many a favor for him in his search for the truths that had caused him much suffering and had finally been put to rest. He would help her if necessary.
“Dru.”
Frightened upon hearing her name spoken with such strength, Dru jumped up from the bench.
“I mean you no harm, no fright,” Knox said and approached her. “I have an offer for you.” His eyes roamed over her, and he shook his head. “The road is no place for a wee one like you.”
“I have no need of your opinion,” Dru said, “and I have no interest in an offer from you.”
Knox couldn’t take his eyes off her hair. He had never seen such a strange color. It appeared to rage red one moment then blonde another. And it fell in soft waves around her face, and a pretty face at that. He chased the interfering thoughts away. He had a mission to accomplish, a mission that would get him what he always wanted.
“I can pay you.”
“Still not interested,” Dru said firmly.
“You have the skill I need,” he persisted.
“Are you deaf?” Dru snapped. “I am not interested.”
Knox stared at her for a moment. Even with her face twisted in anger, she was pretty, and he got annoyed with himself for thinking so.
“You have a skill for acquiring information,” he said with untended sharpness. “Help me find who I search for, and I will pay you a generous sum.”
She knew who he searched for but asked anyway. “Search for who?”
“Autumn, the sister of Lord Torrance of Clan Glencairn.”
“Lord Torrance is an evil man,” she said, scrunching her face in disgust. “I wouldn’t help him if my life depended on it.”
Knox wasn’t about to let this petite woman rob him of what he had longed for most of his life.
“He would not be pleased to hear that,” he said in a way that warned.
Dru walked up to him, having to tilt her head back to look up at him. “Are you threatening to tell him?” She didn’t give him time to answer, she continued talking while she poked him in the chest. “You should.” Poke. “Know that.” Poke. “I Don’t.” Poke. “Take well.” Poke. “To threats.”
His hands grabbed at her waist and hoisted up so that she was eye level with him.
“And I don’t take well to being poked.”
Dru poked him in the nose. “I will poke you whenever the urge strikes me.”
“DRU!”
Dru rolled her eyes at the scolding voice of Mother Abbess and got annoyed at the slight, smug grin on Knox’s face. Then she realized what she had said about poking Knox whenever the urge struck and realized how it must have sounded to Mother Abbess.
When Knox’s expression changed suddenly, her stomach roiled. “What now?”
“A problem,” he said and lowered her to her feet.
Dru’s breath caught in her throat when she turned and saw a cleric walking toward Mother Abbess.
“I should have forced you to take vows when you sought shelter here and saved you from your wanton ways,” Mother Abbess said, clearly upset. “It is good Cleric Freen is here to rectify my mistake.”
Dru thought about explaining, but it would do no good, so she remained silent.
“You are doomed, my child, unless this man will wed you and save you from ruin,” Cleric Freen said.
“Hell no,” Dru said loudly and clearly so they understood that was, by no means, an option.
“You cannot continue living your life on the road, drenched in a foul odor to keep men at bay,” Mother Abbess cautioned. “One day you will surely meet with a dreadful fate. Please, Dru, save yourself now while you can.”
Dru pointed to Knox without looking at him. “He does not want to marry me.”
“I will marry her.”
Dru’s head snapped to the right so fast that you could hear her neck crack. “Nay, you won’t.”