Page 76 of The Fierce Highlander

“May I be of help, Mistress Leora,” Novice Angelica asked when Leora was not far from her.

“I have questions for you about the abbey,” Lady Elizabeth called out even though they were close enough to be heard without her raising her voice.

Novice Angelica folded her arms across her chest and asked, “And what interest do you have in the abbey, my lady?”

“You do not question my interest. You provide me with answers,” Lady Elizabeth reprimanded.

“I beg your pardon, my lady, but you are not a patron of Whitehall Abbey and, therefore, I am not obligated to answer any of your questions, according to the rules of the abbey. Unless, of course, our patron permits it.”

“And who is this patron?” Lady Elizabeth demanded.

“Lord Slayer of Clan Ravinsher, leader of the largest troop of Gallowglass warriors in the Highlands,” Novice Angelica said with pride.

“Is that supposed to frighten me?” Lady Elizabeth asked, unfazed by the announcement.

As if it was simply a fact, Novice Angelica said, “It would be wise of you to.”

Leora was all too familiar with how commanding Novice Angelica could be and she hurried to jump in before a battle of wits broke out between the two women. “Lady Elizabeth is interested in the abbey’s past when unwanted bairns were delivered there. We were hoping you might know something about that time.”

“That was far before I came along,” Novice Angelica said.

“There must be many a tale about that time the nuns share,” Lady Elizabeth said.

“We do not gossip,” Novice Angelica said.

“I am not looking for gossip. I am looking for facts,” Lady Elizabeth snapped impatiently.

“Facts I can offer you,” Novice Angelica said. “It is no secret that many unwanted bairns were brought to Whitehall Abbey and parents found for them.”

“I was told the bairns were delivered there,” Lady Elizabeth said.

“Then you were given a false fact,” Novice Angelica said. “The abbey was much smaller years ago than it is today and there would have been little room to house expectant mums and their bairns and insufficient food to feed them. Whitehall Abbey was simply a waiting place for the bairns until their prospective parents could collect them.”

“Are you saying that Whitehall Abbey contains no vital information about the bairns? Their birthplaces? Their true parents?” Lady Elizabeth asked, the news upsetting her.

“There are no such records at the abbey, and I would know since I tend to the abbey’s present records and also the archived ones,” Novice Angelica said.

“It is ludicrous to believe the abbey would keep no records of the bairns brought there,” Lady Elizabeth insisted.

“Actually, it would be wise of the abbey to do so,” Leora said. “The bairns who passed through the abbey needed to be protected, keeping records would have offered them no protection.”

Lady Elizabeth continued to disagree. “I understand that, but many churches and institutions keep secret documents mostly to protect themselves. I do not believe that whoever the abbess was at that time would not have thought the same and kept records somewhere.”

Leora was about to respond when Chief’s frantic yapping caught her attention and she turned to see the pup and her husband rushing toward her.

“TAKE COVER!” Noble shouted, as warriors came rushing from all around the village toward the woods just beyond Adele’s cottage.

Leora turned and saw the first line of archers, their bows raised, their arrows ready to fly, and all were pointed at where she and Lady Elizabeth stood.

“Get in the cottage!” Leora screamed and hurried to shield Lady Elizabeth as she urged the old woman toward the door.

Novice Angelica reached the door first, shoving it open and turning to grab Lady Elizabeth’s arm and yank her in. Leora shoved her from behind and nearly made it through the door when she heard something hit the doorframe then felt a sting to her backside as she stumbled into the cottage.

* * *

“Go to Leora now, Chief!”Noble commanded, seeing the door close behind his wife after she stumbled while rushing into the cottage, and the pup took off.

With so many arrows flying at the three women, it was easy to surmise that his wife and possibly Lady Elizabeth were the targets. He was impatient to run to his wife and make sure she hadn’t been wounded, but he needed to quell the attack before he did that. He was relieved to see the door open to let Chief inside and his wife wave to him. Seeing her allowed him to put aside his worries for her and see a quick end brought to the attack. He had sensed something was wrong, an unease that had far too many birds taking flight in the woods closest to the village. He had sent Lance and Bew to see what they could find, and they had confirmed what he had suspected when they both came running to let him know that a troop of archers was in the woods and had killed two sentinels and were about to hit the village.

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