Silk and Stone Read Online Free PDF

Clara looked at her, impressed but worried. This complicated things. Extra precautions would be necessary.
    Rachel nodded. “They’ll know how to find things.”
    “You must teach them how to go along carefully, then.”
    “I will.”
    Clara quickly moved vases of flowers off a little table, and rolled it near the bassinets. She set out a black pottery bowl that had been made by her great-grandmother in Oklahoma, then broke dried tobacco and herbs into it. “What are their names?” she asked Sarah in English.
    Sarah smiled wider. “Jacob, for Hugh’s brother, and Eleanore, for my grandmother.”
    “Strong names. You did well.”
    Sarah’s smile faltered. “No, I almost died during labor. But I love them so much. Please do your best for them. I don’t think I’ll be able to have any more children.”
    “I had only two,” Rachel Raincrow said. “Two are plenty if they’re the right two.”
    Sarah’s face brightened. “I agree. And Hugh said the same thing.”
    Clara struck a match and dropped it in the bowl. Seconds later, fragrant smoke wafted up. Clara stroked it with both hands, urging it to spread and purify the room. She concentrated on the bowl, chanting sacred prayer formulas. When the time was right, she would hold each newborn baby over the smoke, envelopingthe new souls in a cocoon of goodwill from the spirits.
    “My God, what’s going on here?”
    Clara jerked her head up, appalled at the damage this intrusion might do, and its rudeness. Two people stood in the doorway—a young blond woman with disrepect in her eyes, and an older man whose red hair signified some relation to Sarah. The woman was dressed in high heels, a straight skirt, and a flowing maternity blouse with a soft white bow at the throat. Her belly made a distinct mound under the expensive-looking material.
    Sarah’s brother frowned. He was the one who had spoken.
    “William, what are you doing here?” Sarah asked, leaning forward with painful urgency. “Don’t interrupt. It’s a ceremony.”
    “Sarah’s brother,” Rachel whispered darkly. “And his wife. The one who stole the ruby.”
    Clara drew back in alarm. Oh, this was a terrible sign. “I’m working,” she said as calmly as she could. “Please, stay out.”
    The man fumbled with a large, wrapped present he held in both hands. “I don’t intend to interfere, sister. I merely wondered what this is all about. I brought”—his face flushed, he held out the package—“
we
brought the babies a gift.”
    Sarah cupped a hand over her mouth. Tears flowed down her cheeks. “I can’t accept it.”
    “Please.” His tone had a sad urgency. He set the package on a chair by the door. “Please take it. I’d like your children to know their uncle cares about them. No matter your disagreement with me, please don’t shut me out of their lives. They’ll be welcome at Highview.”
    Sarah looked away and swallowed hard. “They’ll make up their own minds about you. Hugh and I won’t raise them to hate their own uncle.”
    “Thank you,” he said, his voice ragged. He went over to the babies and looked down at them tenderly. “They’re perfect, sister. Absolutely perfect.”
    Smoke billowed from Clara’s pot. William stared at it curiously but said nothing. Clara fanned the fragrantcloud and kept one eye on his wife, whose pretty face had grown darker. A shiver crept down Clara’s backbone. A shiver—and the intuition that made her such a good medicine woman. There was danger here. Her eyes widened, and her hands froze in the blue-white smoke. She scrutinized the wife with unrelenting concern. “What about me, Sarah?” the wife asked coolly. “Will you raise your children to hate me?”
    “I’ll tell them the truth,” Sarah shot back. One of the babies sneezed. Sarah’s brother scowled at Clara, but took his wife’s arm. “Let’s leave them to their ceremony,” he said firmly.
    His wife covered his hand with hers and looked from him to the babies with