Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 102573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
He shoved his wife behind him once again and ordered sternly, “Stay put until I say otherwise.”
“Ivan ran off. He has no coin to pay you, but I do. Any one of you who brings him to me dead or alive will see good coin,” Bhric ordered. “Fight me and I will see you taken alive to live your days out to serve a tribe of Northmen. Your choice.”
The two men who had dropped their swords rushed to their horses, mounted and hurried off.
The larger of the mercenaries, broad and thick, stepped forward. “Glad we met up with you on the way here, Bhric.”
Bhric laughed. “You mean you are glad my warriors discovered your presence before they turned their weapons on you, Finley.”
“There is that,” he said, his sizeable belly shaking as he laughed. “So, we get the money Ivan promised us if we catch him?”
“I should see you dead for accepting coin to attack me and my men,” Bhric confirmed.
Finley laughed. “I had no intentions of attacking you, at least until you offered me more coin not to. A man does have to eat and feed his crew.”
“You do bargain well, Finley, I will give you that and, aye, the coin is yours if you catch Ivan.”
“We’ll see to grabbing those two fools as well for no extra coin,” Finley said.
“I imagine your men already have them, as for Ivan—”
“He’s a slippery one,” Finely said, “but we’ll find him and bring him to you… alive he’ll cost you more.”
“I will spend no extra coin on him. Bring him back dead,” Bhric said.
“Will do,” Finley nodded. “So, the Clan MacVannan is yours now? Your wife is the true daughter of Lord Bennett?”
“Did Ivan tell you that?” Bhric asked and swung his hand behind his back to keep his wife where she was when he felt her move to step from behind him.
“There’s been whispers, tongues wagging among the common folk for years that Lord Bennett was seen sneaking around Clan Strathearn the night your wife was born. Naturally, people grow suspicious, and tales are born, or truths are buried in gossip.” He laughed. “I have even heard ridiculous whispers that your wife’s mum isn’t her true mum. “But I guess the only one who can confirm the truth is your mum since all know she was good friends with Lady Margaret.”
Tavia smiled as best as she could after returning to the keep. There was much excitement going on and tongues spreading the news rapidly. All were relieved to learn Lord Ivan was the evil that had invaded their clan and that he soon would be caught and punished. The most exciting news, however, was that Ingrid had given birth to a daughter. And while Tavia stood in Ingrid and Sven’s cottage to welcome and rejoice over the little bairn, Tavia’s mind was still in the woods, Finley’s words echoing in her head.
Heard whispers that your wife’s mum isn’t her true mum.
How could that be? How could her mum not be her true mum? Her mum had been with child, her da had talked about how happy she was to carry Tavia. What happened to that child if she was not that bairn? And why had it all been kept from her? But most of all what she wished to know was… who truly was she?
“You will help me keep all men away from her, Bhric.”
Tavia looked to see Sven and her husband staring down at the small-wrapped bundle in Sven’s arms.
“I believe if she is anything like her mother it will be the men who need to watch out for her,” Bhric said with a laugh.
Sven nodded. “That gives me hope.”
“Thank you, Tavia, for seeing that William did not harm me,” Ingrid said as Marta fussed over her.
“Aye,” Sven said, taking his daughter to hand to his wife and sit next to them both on the bed. “We are grateful and proud that Lord Bhric has such a brave wife. You do him proud.”
“That she does,” Bhric said and though she smiled, he knew it was forced, her mind elsewhere and he could not blame her. “It has been a long day with much happening. We will take our leave so my sister can rest.”
“But I want to know what punishment you have set for William and Glenna,” Ingrid asked.
“They have suffered enough,” Tavia said, thinking how they had found the elderly couple huddled in the woods together awaiting their fate. “They wish to return to Clan MacVannan once we are sure Ivan is dead. They want to help their clan that has been made to suffer under Ivan’s brutal reign.”
“But William must pay for what he did to Marta?” Ingrid argued.
“And what of Glenna and how she made Ingrid suffer?” Marta asked, her face pinched with annoyance.
“William was not the one who attacked Marta,” Bhric said and continued to explain. “He told us it was one of Ivan’s men who posed as a cleric and stopped here for food and drink. He was here to see Glenna and William and took advantage of the moment after learning that Marta disliked Tavia. And we are lucky that Glenna lied to the man and told him she had already poisoned the food and that a potion sat waiting for Ingrid to drink and succumb to. Otherwise, he intended to do it himself. Glenna was aware her lie would be discovered, and she would be made to suffer for it. And one look at her and you will see that she did suffer. Now rest, Ingrid, and enjoy the blessings of your newborn daughter.”