Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
“What do you think?” she asked when her husband remained silent.
“I agree what you think makes sense and that it could possibly make for an extremely dangerous situation.”
“Do you think it could be why Slayer took Sky?”
Cavell thought a moment. “I don’t think so. Knowing we wed, he would have never kept such revealing information from me. He would have told me that you were possibly in danger. It is something he must be made aware of since he has Sky.”
“Oh God, what of Leora? We have no idea where she is. Someone may have taken her,” Elsie said, fear causing her hands to tremble.
Cavell reached out and took his wife’s hands in his. “We will find Leora. First, we need to speak with your da and confirm what we suspect. Then I will send Melvin with a message to Slayer and ask for help from the Gallowglass in finding Leora.”
Elsie leaned forward to kiss her husband gently. “I don’t know what I would do if you were not here to help me.”
Cavell smiled. “You hunted me down by yourself. I do not think anything would stop you from finding your sisters. You are a courageous, determined woman, Elsie.”
“I am only finding my courage, finding myself, and you have helped me with that.”
“You have helped me more, wife,” he said. “You stopped me from drowning in my own self-pity and loved me in spite of the arse I was when we met.”
She laughed. “But it all worked out well since I love you arse and all.”
He laughed as he took her in his arms and hugged her tightly. “And I love you and I particularly love your arse.”
They lingered in the moment of levity, both aware of what was to come, though Cavell wished it could be different. His wife and her sisters had suffered enough, but he feared their suffering was about to get worse.
“We cannot wait to talk with your da,” Cavell said, releasing his wife reluctantly.
“I know and this time he will have no choice but to speak the truth.”
Elsie stood beside her da’s bed, her husband standing next to her and her hand clinging tightly to his as she repeated what Clara had told her. Once done, she said, “I have a thought, Da, that since you made a promise to Mum never to reveal the truth it would not stop you from confirming the truth if found out. So, Da, I believe the promise you made to Mum was to never reveal that Leora, Sky, and I are not your true daughters. That Mum conveniently made all believe that she gave birth on planned trips you made to rescue unwanted bairns.”
Norris sighed as if a huge burden had been lifted off him and he pushed himself up to sit straighter in bed as if he had suddenly regained his strength.
“You and your sis—the other two lasses were not unwanted. Your mum and I loved and continue to love the three of you as if you were our own and to us, you are our own. Your mum was heartbroken when she miscarried twice and then never got with child again. The old healer we had at the time told your mum about unwanted bairns and the horror some of them suffered. Your mum insisted we do something and so the healer informed us when a bairn in need was to be born. Your mum stitched a pouch to wear so she would appear she was with child, and we planned to travel when she was close to delivery.
“What Clara heard was me telling your mum that the third bairn, Sky, would be the last one. Our healer warned us that the midwife who delivered the bairns would no longer continue to do so and that another midwife had been discovered doing the same and she had been hanged. Sky was the last delivery the woman made. Besides, we could not continue to pretend to travel while your mum was with child.” He stretched his hand out to Elsie. “Forgive me, Elsie, but I could not break the promise I made to your mum, and I feared if the three of you learned the truth, you would hate me for it and the thought my daughters would no longer love me tore at my heart. So, I kept my promise and kept my tongue silent.”
Elsie left her husband’s side to take her da’s hand and sit beside him on the bed. “I could never stop loving you, Da, and I love you and Mum even more for saving me and I know Leora and Sky would feel the same. We will always love you, Da, no matter what.” She hugged him and was glad to feel his arms close with some strength around her.
“Do you know by chance who the parents are or anyone who may know?” Cavell asked.