Debra Kay Leland Read Online Free PDF Page A

walked up behind him stiffly.
    Egan Wallace was a tall man, nearly nineteen summers now, though he looked much older because of size.  His long dark curly hair hung to his shoulders, his face though it was handsome was hard and cold, with a dark complexion and black eyes that gave him a ruthless look, and one he enjoyed.  He was a man unafraid of a confrontation and everyone knew it.  Most of the men in the village backed down from the younger man, but not Alden.  Though he was stout and graying, the older man had never been one to be intimidated, and today was no different.  But yet, curiosity made him glance at the young man before him again as he took another handful of moss.
    “Alden…  I—I have come to t alk to ye about yur daughter.”
    The older man stopped but a moment at the words he’d just heard; then took up his task again.  “Miranda?  Why?  What could she have done?  Th e child is peaceable enough.”
    Egan shifted on stiff legs and crossed his arms over his strong chest, never taking his eyes from the older man’s back.   “I—have come to ask for her hand in marriage.”
    Alden let a short loud laugh burst from his throat.  “Marriage?  To Miranda?”
    Egan’s eyes narrowed even more.  “I do not see the humor in this, Alden.  The gi rl ‘tis surely of age to wed.”
    “Aye, she is five and ten summers, that much is true; but I have no intention of making her wed ‘til she be ready.”
    “ ’Til she be ready ?”
    Alden shifted and laid down his stone wedge; his work rough hands going to his hips, his eyes narrowing on the younger man in front of him.  “Aye.   And—ye shall not press her, Egan!  Is that clear?  The lass shall marry when she is good and ready to do so; and not a moment before!”
    The younger man didn’t blink, though he shifted uncomfortably as he considered the stern words well.  “…Aye, I hear.  And I give ye my word then that I shall not press the lass; but I want her for my bride, Alden… and I am prepared to wait.”
    The older man pursed his lips, his eyes narrowing even more.  “Aye, and wait ye shall…!”
    He watched the younger man nodded stiffly then turn before he walked away without another word.  Alden looked down at his dog, which sat at his feet tail wagging and shook his head.   “A lot of good ye do for me, ye old mutt!  Ye could have at least barked to warn me or better yet, ye could have just bitten the scoundrel!”
    The dog barked twice and Alden just shook his head as he picked up his wedge again.  “Marry the lass, indeed!  Ha!”
     
    Miranda had no idea why Egan had been staring at her.  Even though she knew she had done nothing wrong to warrant his hard scowl, yet even that didn’t seem to help settle her nervous heart.  It was true that Egan Wallace always had a hard cold look on his face, yet there was something different about it today, something in the way he stared at her that made her feel—almost afraid…
    She hadn’t noticed him as she walked along, but then suddenly he stood in her way.  She stopped with a jolt and looked at him with wide eyes, not knowing what to say, but she was sure she was about to feel his wrath.
    “Good day to ye, lass.”
    She nodded stiffly, unable to find her own voice.
    He stared at her with icy coldness in his eyes, then lowered his head and shifted on long legs, choosing his words carefully before he spok e.  “How old are ye, Miranda?”
    She blinked twice and finally found her voice as she took a small step ba ck.  “I—I am five and ten summers.”
    He smiled the barest of smiles, but it did nothing to soften the hard look on his face.  “I am nearly twenty.  Ye are old enough to wed, lass, have ye ever considered such a thing?”
    Every girl in the village talked about falling in love and about marriage and children; but she was not about to share her thoughts with him, so she merely shook h er head slowly without a word.
    “Ye have grown into a very