Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 111355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Dawn was pleased to see her and urged her in with a wave of her hand.
Lila hesitated, her head downcast and her eyes darting from Dawn to Cree. “I am sorry for interrupting, my lord, I thought to visit with Dawn for a while if she was free to do so.”
Dawn nodded vigorously, eager to talk with her friend and see if anyone in the village had heard anything about the murder. But Lila remained where she was, just inside the door, waiting for Cree’s consent to enter.
Dawn poked Cree with her elbow since the scowl on his face was frightening her half to death.
He cocked a brow at Dawn and then looked to Lila. “It seems that Dawn favors a visit with you rather than me.”
Lila’s eyes turned wide and she looked as if she didn’t know what to do or say.
Dawn shook her finger at Cree, who grinned, and she hurried over to her friend, her hands gesturing rapidly.
Lila leaned close to Dawn when she reached her side and said, “But he doesn’t look like he’s teasing.”
Cree laughed and Lila appeared even more startled. Laughter was rarely if ever heard from Cree.
Dawn shook her finger at Cree again and Lila finally smiled recognizing the banter for what it was, playful teasing, much like she and Paul would do with each other.
Cree walked over to give Dawn a quick kiss and then turned to Lila. “I am glad you are here. Dawn needs to eat, the babe protests.”
“I will see that she does, my lord,” Lila said with a bob of her head and a smile.
“I am pleased that you are such a good friend to Dawn,” Cree said.
More at ease, Lila said, “As she is to me, my lord, and I do have stories to tell about when we were young and reckless, if you would like to hear them sometime.”
Dawn shook her head, though she appeared to laugh.
Cree’s smile grew. “I very much do want to hear them.” He gave Dawn another quick kiss and was out the door.
Lila immediately threw her arms around Dawn and hugged her. “I am so happy for you. It is so easy to see how much you both love each other.” She then stepped away and gently shoved Dawn to the table. “Sit and eat and we’ll talk.
Dawn was only too eager to talk with her friend. She had missed their daily talks and there was so much to tell her.
As usual Lila started talking and Dawn smiled, glad her friend was there.
“Has he told you he loves you?” Lila asked.
Dawn smiled and nodded.
“There is talk,” Lila said lowering her voice, “that he is going to make you his wife. That once it is proven that you are Kirk McClusky’s daughter the King will grant him permission or at least the people are hoping the King will.” Her eyes suddenly turned wide. “Talk of love has made me forget why I came here in the first place.” She shivered. “Everyone is talking about the murder of that poor lass Bree. When I heard that she was found in the woods behind your cottage...” she shivered again.
Dawn patted her arm to comfort her.
“Did you really see the body?”
Dawn nodded and explained what she had seen.
Lila paled. “How horrible.”
Dawn then explained about the young man who had just died in Elsa’s cottage and her thoughts on how he may have been connected to Bree.
“You know Bree spent a lot of time in the woods. She told people that she wanted to learn all about the plants and be a healer like Elsa. But it’s winter and with the snow there aren’t many plants to be found. So what was she really doing in the woods?”
Dawn asked if Lila knew anything else about Bree.
“The villagers seemed to like her. She was a pleasant lass; no one had a bad word to say about her. And she must have been a good person or Old Mary would have never wanted her to stay in her cottage.”
Dawn hadn’t thought about that. Old Mary certainly wouldn’t have wanted Bree around if she thought the young lass could prove harmful.
“There was something I saw I had thought odd but dismissed it. Now though with everything that is going on perhaps there was something to it.”
Dawn was anxious to hear it and let Lila know with a quick gesture.
“I had forgotten something at the work cottage one night and was on my way back from there when I saw Lucerne’s other servant, the one who spends her days stitching Lucerne’s garments, leaving Old Mary’s cottage. And the odd thing was that the two women hugged in the doorway before Lucerne’s servant took her leave. What would she be doing visiting Old Mary? And why did it appear as if they knew each other?”