The rap at the door had him cursing as he unwillingly tore his mouth away from hers. “I’m going to kill whoever that is.”
Dawn nodded adamantly, agreeing with him.
Cree walked over to the door hoping that Torr stood on the other side so that he could do what he’d been aching to do… punch him square in the face. He was disappointed to find Elwin standing there.
“You’re needed at the keep, my lord.”
“It can’t wait?” Cree all but growled.
Elwin took a step back and let Cree judge for himself. “A messenger arrived half frozen. It seems that Roland Gerwan decided to journey here sooner than expected and got caught in the snowstorm. The messenger was sent to get help. It seems he and his entourage are stuck at an empty croft and demanding that you send help immediately.”
Cree shook his head. Didn’t he have enough to contend with? Now he had to deal with Lucerne’s parents? He turned to Dawn. “I will return later. Stay put and stay out of trouble.”
She nodded and smiled and Cree shook his head again as he walked out the door.
Dawn dropped down into one of the chairs at the table and refilled her tankard with hot cider and tore a piece of bread off the flat loaf to munch on. She barely swallowed the piece when there was another rap at the door.
She hesitated to answer preferring to be alone, but another quick rap made her realize that she had no choice but to answer the persistent person. She opened the door and was surprised to see Bree standing there. And was even more surprised by what she said.
“Old Mary needs to speak with you right away.”
Chapter Thirteen
Dawn didn’t hesitate. She slipped her fur-lined cloak over her shoulders and hurried out of the cottage to be greeted by Elwin. Her guard was back, but then she couldn’t blame Cree. With what they had just learned, he had no way of knowing what the McCluskys might do. So she was relieved rather than perturbed to see Elwin and she greeted him with a smile.
Bree was so polite in her explanation that Elwin couldn’t say no. “We’d like to go to Old Mary’s, if that is permitted?”
“I’ll be right behind you, lassies,” Elwin said and followed.
Once inside the cottage, Old Mary was quick to request that Bree take two tankards of hot cider and a loaf of bread out to Elwin and keep him company while she spoke with Dawn. Bree did her bidding and was soon out the door.
Dawn was grateful for the privacy. There were things she needed to ask Old Mary that were better left between the two of them. And then there were—she hoped—things that Old Mary intended to tell her. Dawn moved a chair from the table to the side of the bed where Old Mary rested. She looked worn-out, her eyes heavy, and her shoulders sagging.
Dawn immediately gestured asking if she was feeling all right.
“Tired, age, the cold, take your pick,” she replied with a wave of her hand as if it didn’t matter. “You found the comb.”
Dawn nodded, confirming what the old women already knew.
“And others know as well.”
This time Dawn didn’t bother to confirm. It amazed and, at times, frightened Dawn how Old Mary knew things. There were those who whispered that she was a witch, others thought her crazy, but Dawn knew she was neither, though she did harbor secrets.
Old Mary sighed and reached for Dawn’s hand and Dawn took hold. “I knew it was time that you had the mate to the comb you already possessed.” She smiled. “Unfortunately, I didn’t count on the snowstorm and I couldn’t wait any longer to get the comb to you. I should have brought it with me when Cree had me moved from my cottage, but I hadn’t wanted to take a chance of someone seeing it, so I left it to return and collect another day. As usual the days slip past faster than we expect and suddenly the time was upon me.” Old Mary gripped Dawn’s hand tighter. “The most important thing for you to remember is that your mother gave you those combs. They belong to you. She wanted you to have something of hers. She wanted you to know how much she loved you.”
Dawn felt a catch in her stomach and she didn’t think it was the babe. It was finally settling in that perhaps what had been implied could very well be true and if that was so, then who was she? She was afraid to ask, but she had to know. She gestured rocking a babe in her arms and pointed to herself.
“Who is your mother?”
Dawn nodded vigorously, eager yet fearful to hear the answer.
Old Mary’s eyes shot to the door and Dawn looked to see what had her worried but no knock came and then suddenly raised voices were heard just beyond the door before it flew open.