Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 92771 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92771 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Walter hurried around Shade, smiling. “Shade is sending me with a message to her step-da, Rawlin, that we need help. Shade says that he will gather some men to come help us finish the few things that need doing.”
“Don’t you dare let your foolish pride get in the way of help, Hollin,” his wife cautioned when seeing him scowl, ready to refuse the offer. “You would do the same for Rawlin, if necessary.”
“And he would appreciate the help from a friend,” Shade said. “If you fail to heed my advice, Hollin, the break will worsen and leave you unable to walk properly or possibly not at all, never mind what other problems it could cause.”
Galen crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her husband. “He will do as you say, Shade.”
Hollin’s wife might be petite, but her look was powerful enough to have her husband say, “I’ll do as you say, Shade, and I appreciate any help Rawlin or others are willing to give me.”
Shade smiled. “Wise choice, Hollin. Let me give your son a message to take to my step-da, then I will show your wife how to tend to your leg while it heals.”
“I’m ready to leave,” Walter said eagerly.
“You need to be careful, son,” Hollin cautioned. “I have heard that Lord Torrance’s men are in the area scooping up men and even young lads to help with the battle. Stay off the worn paths and speak to no one.”
Shade’s stomach knotted at the thought of what such a battle could bring for not only her best friend but many others. “Has the battle started?”
“There is talk that Lord Torrance is on the verge of marching his men toward Clan MacLeish,” Hollin said. “God pray Chieftain Ryland is wise and strong enough to stop him. If he doesn’t, Lord Torrance will not stop at Clan MacLeish.”
Shade stepped outside with Walter and gave him a quick message to deliver, knowing the lad was eager to leave.
“It will take me a while to reach the Rawlin farm, but I’ll go as fast as I can,” Walter assured her.
“Remember to heed your da’s warning and do not dally once there,” she said and looked to the darkening sky. “A storm brews, and you don’t want to get caught in it.”
With a nod, Walter took off running.
Shade, seeing that Quint had repaired a portion of a fence, went to him and shared everything that had been said in the cottage.
“I can follow the lad and make sure he returns unharmed,” he offered.
“It might be wise to do with Lord Torrance’s men in the area.”
“You will remain here until I return,” he ordered, unrolling his sleeves.
“I will not leave without you,” she said and glanced up at the sky again. “It appears that a strong storm is brewing. I hope we can make it home before it hits.”
“Be ready to leave when I return,” he said, and his arm snagged her around the waist to pull her against him and kiss her.
Shade stood there stunned, watching him hurry off. It happened so fast that she questioned if it truly had happened at all. But it was hard to deny since her lips continued to tingle from his kiss. She wondered why he kissed her. Were his kisses meant to entice? But why here and now? Did he leave with a reminder of what could be between them? She shook her head. She had no time for this. She had Hollin to tend to, though the thought of coupling with Quint continued to linger in the back of her mind.
Habit.
He had kissed Shade out of habit as he once did with his wife whenever he left her. But he had not kissed her on that fateful day. He had been in a hurry to go and return to her. It haunted him every day that he had not taken the time to kiss her.
“You owe me extra kisses,” she had called out to him when he rode off and he had told her he would give her a lot more than kisses when he returned.
He shook the memory away. It hurt too much to recall, and he hurried after the lad.
All went well until it didn’t. The message was delivered quickly, and Walter took his leave just as quickly. He was keeping a swift pace when out of nowhere three men stepped in his path bringing him to an abrupt halt.
“He looks like a good one. With him, it would make ten lads to deliver to Lord Torrance,” one of the men said.
“Young and quick on his feet, he could gather the weapons off the dead in no time,” another man said.
“I must get home. My da needs me,” Walter said, a tremor in his voice.
“Lord Torrance needs you more,” the one who hadn’t spoken yet said. “You’ll be coming with us.”