Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 89331 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89331 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Not so Flora… she remained where she was.
CHAPTER 6
Flora paid the retreating servants no heed. She glanced around the room waiting to see if anything materialized while hugging herself against the cold that swirled through the room. She turned swiftly when she heard a strange noise and found the shutter that had been broken was in worse shape than before, almost ready to break free of its hinge.
Curious, she pulled a bench tucked under the closest trestle table over to place beneath the window. Seeing it would not give her enough height to reach the window, she pulled another bench over and with effort she got it balanced on top of the first one. She then moved a small stool over to the two benches so she could get herself up on the benches without difficulty. Still, though, the benches swayed a bit once she climbed atop them. She kept to the center of the bench, knowing if she weighted to heavily on one side, the two would topple.
The broken shutter trembled against the stone wall and Flora smiled, feeling the rush of air that shot through the window being the cause of it. She then did her best to examine the window, a theory beginning to form in her head.
Torin had almost reached the practice field with Kinnell, his friend having waited for him, curious as to what had gone on in the keep. Kinnell had laughed when Torin had finished explaining to him.
“Well, you always did love a challenge and it appears Lady Flora is definitely going to be that.”
“Quiet and obedient, that was all I wanted in a wife,” Torin argued. “We are home not even a day, and she creates havoc.”
“You will never be bored with her as a wife,” Kinnell said with more laughter.
Torin shook his head. “You are no help, but you soon will be when you face my frustration on the practice field.”
“THE GHOST! THE GHOST!”
Torin and Kinnell turned at the chorus of screams and ran toward the people they spotted running away from the keep.
As Torin reached two of them, he halted them with a command. “Tell me what happened.”
The woman shivered badly and shook her head, leaving the man to speak. “The giant made himself know. He roared at us and sent his mighty breath spewing throughout the Great Hall.”
“Where is Lady Flora?” Torin demanded.
They both shook their heads.
“Did she rush out with you?” Torin demanded harshly and with a bit of anxiousness, and they both shook their heads. “No one saw to her safety?”
The man and woman shook their heads again, then lowered them, avoiding Lord Torin’s angry glare.
Torin rushed to the keep, Kinnell right behind him. He sped up the stairs, fear for his wife’s safety squeezing his chest, and burst into the Great Hall, yelling out, “FLORA!”
His sudden scream startled Flora and she lost her balance on top of the benches and as the one bench tumbled out from beneath her, she cried out, “Torin!”
Torin raced to her and caught her around the waist to swing her away from the falling bench and out of danger.
His heart beat madly in his chest, having feared he would not reach her in time when she had screamed out his name. Fearful of what she might get into if he let her go, he kept his arm firm around her waist.
“Bloody hell, woman, what were you doing on top of those benches?” he demanded.
“Investigating,” she said as if it was obvious, keeping her hand on his arm, a bit shaky from her near fall.
“Why did you not run with the others when the giant made himself known?” he asked and grew annoyed that his thought was to kiss her, grateful she had not been harmed. What was it about this woman he found so appealing when she had caused him nothing but problems since arriving home?
“It was no giant, no ghost, nothing more than the wind whipping through the Great Hall,” Flora said and pointed to the window. “It is why the shutter broke. The wind tore at it and no doubt served to make the sound appear more like an anguished howl then a simple shot of cold wind.”
Kinnell righted one bench and climbed up on it easily reaching the broken window shutter to examine it. “She could be right about that.”
“It would explain today’s ghostly roar and worth consideration as I continue to investigate,” Flora said.
Kinnell yanked the broken shutter free and smiled. “I will go see this gets repaired.”
“That would be wonderful,” Flora said. “There are other shutters that require repairs as well, but I do not think anyone will return to the keep today. The rest can wait until tomorrow.”
Kinnell chuckled beneath his breath as he left the pair.
“I should fetch my cloak,” Flora said, her husband’s arm still around her waist and her hand still resting upon it.