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)
Elsie was too shocked to speak and so she did as her husband said and drank. The warm liquid stung as it traveled down her throat and spread through her insides. Surprisingly, it settled her churning stomach and it also chased away the sudden chill that had come over her upon hearing her da say he had sent her and her sisters to the abbey. Never had she expected to hear that.
“Why? Why would he do such a thing?” she asked more of herself than her husband, trying to make sense of it. Her da would never want her and her sisters to suffer as they had at the abbey. Something was amiss.
Cavell offered the most obvious answer. “To be rid of the three of you.”
Elsie shook her head and kept shaking it as she spoke. “Nay. There is no denying he loves us. This makes no sense. Something is not right.”
“You may be right but until I can find out for certain what goes on here, you are not allowed to be alone with your da.”
That sparked her anger. “You will not stop me from seeing my da.”
Cavell brought his face close to hers. “Try me.”
He watched as anger flared like a mighty flame in her eyes before dying out as if doused with a splash of water. That’s when he saw a glisten of tears in her eyes.
“I know my da well and I know without a doubt that he loves all three of his daughters equally, though he worries over Sky the most. He would give his life for any one of us. I will repeat again and again that none of this makes sense and I believe once he is lucid, he will explain it all.”
Cavell was not as sure as his wife, but then he did not know the man, but he also could take no chances with her safety.
“Then you will wait until he is lucid to speak with him.”
She sighed with frustration. “Lucid or not, I will see my da.”
“Not alone or without my permission,” he said firmly.
“I do not need your permission to visit with my da,” she argued.
“You need my permission for most things, or do you forget I am your husband?”
“Sometimes I wish I could forget,” she snapped.
Damn if her remark did not sting, though why it should, puzzled him. Wouldn’t he be happy to be free of her? Wasn’t that what he wanted?
Elsie regretted her spiteful words as soon as they passed her lips, and she would not let them linger between them.
“I am sorry. I did not mean that. I have never wished you were not my husband, and I wish you to remain my husband, though I would prefer you did not dictate to me. I am not a foolish woman, nor am I an insane woman. I am quite sensible.”
“Sensible you say when you made a daring escape from the abbey, then disguised as a monk traveled all on your own to find me?”
“And I succeeded,” she pointed out. “It was not only the sensible thing to do but the necessary thing to do.”
“Sensible. Necessary. Your words perfectly describe the reasons I take precautions that you are not left alone with your da,” he argued, thoughts of numerous horrific things that could have happened to her when she escaped the abbey and went looking for him, tormenting him, tearing at his gut and twisting at his heart.
Her brow went up. “You saw my da. What possible harm can he cause me in his condition?”
“Most people would assume that, but I am not most people. I have the distinction of being a Gallowglass warrior and with that distinction comes experiences that few if any will ever face. I have witnessed a chieftain, weak from a wound, on his deathbed who refused to surrender to his foe unless he stood in front of him. The foe, secure in his victory, obliged the old chieftain. Once the fool stood in front of him, the dying man remarked that the best man left alive claims victory and his foe agreed with a laugh believing he was the victorious one. The old chieftain stretched his hand out from where he lay in his deathbed and once their hands joined, acknowledging the fact, the old chieftain shoved a dagger through his chest, killing him quickly. The old chieftain clung to life for two more days so that his clan was ensured victory. So do not ever underestimate the will of a man seeking victory.”
This time her brow scrunched. “Are you saying my da is trying to secure some sort of victory?”
“He is an ill man who still manages to manipulate.”
“For what reason?” Elsie asked, confused and finding it difficult to believe that her loving da was manipulating anything. Unless… she glanced at the flames in the hearth, remaining focused on them.