Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“He may be attuned to them, but you know the secrets. And you know how to cover our tracks,” Terese encouraged. “And with vigilance we can succeed.” She looked from one woman to another. “These men respect our status as nuns. We need to use that to our advantage.”
“I agree,” Megan said. “It is that very status that has kept us safe so far, and when I informed the farmers of our situation, they were deeply concerned. They do not want us to leave here, and they eagerly offered their help.”
“It is good to know we can count on them,” Hester said. “Good to know we have friends.”
“That is all well and good, but what if the church recalls us home?” Rowena asked. “I, for one, have no plans of leaving this area. This is my home.”
Each woman echoed the same sentiment.
“I feel the same as all of you,” Terese said. “This is my home now and I don’t want to leave it, but as Rowena has suggested there is always that possibility. In fact, it is inevitable. This land belongs to the church, not us.”
“Just as these men are temporary residents here, so are we,” Megan said.
Hester was the first to say what all the sisters felt. “What we need is a permanent home.”
They all looked to Terese.
She smiled. “Then it is a permanent home we will find.”
The women smiled and laughed with joy and soon were chatting about finding the perfect place and what would be needed and how it would take hard work.
The sharp rap at the door startled them all silent.
Terese felt for the dirk she kept in a sheath strapped to her leg before she stood. Satisfied that her weapon was handy if necessary, she signaled the women to remain quiet as she went to the door and asked, “Who’s there?”
“Lachlan.”
“Is something wrong?” Terese asked. “Is one of your men ill?”
“No, everyone is fine,” he answered. “I am concerned about you.”
She opened the door, “Why?”
“I heard raised voices,” he answered, stretching his neck to peer past her into the room.
“We were praying.”
He smiled, but it wasn’t his smile that caught her attention. It was the dark shadows that cautiously moved around outside. He obviously had brought a few warriors with him.
“Isn’t it a little late for prayers?” he asked.
“Are you accusing me of lying?” Too late, Terese let the biting tongue of Alyce Bunnock slip.
Lachlan took a step back and graciously bowed his head as if apologetic. “Not for a moment, Sister Terese. The sounds are what made me wonder if something was amiss, and I only wished to make certain of your safety.”
She had warned the others to use their ruse to protect themselves and here her thoughtless action was placing them in jeopardy.
“Forgive my thoughtlessness,” she said. “It is just that you interrupted a rousing vigil of prayer.”
“I’ve never heard of a rousing vigil of prayer,” he admitted.
“It works well for us. Now if you will excuse me, we must resume the vigil,” she said, easing the door closed on him.
“Sister Terese.”
She almost had the door closed and had to open it a bit to address him. She didn’t like the glint in his dark eyes or his smile that suddenly looked ready to charm. “Yes?”
“Would more voices raised in prayer add to the strength of your vigil?”
He was a sly one; she would have to be more careful around him. “It isn’t the quantity; it’s the belief that gives the prayer strength.”
“Are you accusing me of not being a believer?” he asked.
He did not accuse with a testy tongue, as she had done to him, but rather winsomely.
“Nay, sir, I would never do that,” she said gently and directly met his dark eyes with her blue ones. “When the moment is right, I shall request your assistance in prayer.”
“And I will be at your service,” he bowed gallantly and turned disappearing into the night before Terese could close the door on him.
The bright sun burnt off the mist that had accompanied the dawn, while an unusual warm breeze settled over the land. The pleasant weather had everyone smiling, happy to be busy with outdoors chores on this fine spring day.
Lachlan was pleased with his men’s progress with the two shelters. A few more days and one would be habitable, the other would soon follow.
He had no time to lend a hand. He was more concerned with finding out what he could about the mercenaries. It was time he spoke to Sister Terese and see if she could tell him anything about them.
She had been planting in the field that ran the whole length of the convent, beyond the few structures and bordering the woods on two sides. It was a large field, providing more harvest than the sisters needed, but he imagined that they used the extra to feed the needy. There was also a garden on the side of the common shelter that appeared no one touched but Rowena, having found that out when Boyd entered the area thinking to snatch what looked to be berries. She chased him with a shovel.