Bellamy didn’t wait for her answer and began to fumble at the lock. “I’m going after her.”
“Hopefully, no one bothered her, and she made it to the brickyard.”
Bellamy was already opening the door. “Turn off the light and latch the door so that no one can get in. You’ll be safe until I get back.”
“I thank you, Bellamy.”
He stepped out and closed the door. His rapid footsteps headed toward the stable.
Alannah locked the door, extinguished the lantern, then lowered herself to a crate.
A minute later, the clopping of a horse’s hooves passed by the shed. The pace picked up into a gallop and a moment later faded into the distance.
Alannah released a tense breath, then settled in to wait. And to pray that no one would get injured. Surely God wouldn’t allow any more bad to happen in her life, not after letting her suffer so much already. She’d had her lifetime quota. It was time for something good to happen for once.
At a rattling of the door, Alannah jerked her head up, and her eyes flew open. She hadn’t meant to doze, had tried to stay awake and prayerful. But as the minutes had passed and then an hour or more, her eyes had grown heavy.
The stress of the night had exhausted her more than she’d realized.
At a soft knock, Alannah stood and fumbled through the darkness to reach the door. The only person it could be was Bellamy. He had to be returning with news.
“Alannah?” came a woman’s soft whisper. Zaira.
“Oh aye.” Alannah unlocked the door, and Zaira pushed inside. “Whyever are you here? You didn’t get into trouble now, too, did you?”
Zaira closed the door behind her. Then without answering, she stepped to Alannah and drew her into a hug.
Alannah could feel the young woman trembling. Her hair had come loose, and the hood was down. “What’s wrong?”
Zaira just squeezed her tighter.
Unease prickled Alannah’s spine. Had Zaira gotten into trouble with Shaw and Charlie? Maybe they’d harmed her. Or Bellamy.
Alannah pulled back. “Did they hurt you?”
In the dark, only Zaira’s outline was visible, but it was enough to see the young woman shake her head. “No. I’m unharmed. Shaw and Charlie stopped me on the road to the brickyard, but when they realized I wasn’t you, they let me go.”
“Is Bellamy okay?”
“He’s fine. I was already at the brickyard when he found me.” Even with the positive news, Zaira’s voice contained a grave note.
A vise wrapped around Alannah’s throat. She couldn’t keep from reaching out and gripping Zaira’s hands. “Kiernan?”Oh please, God above. Not Kiernan.If something had happened to him...
“Kiernan had left for the city by the time Da and I got there.”
“You’re sure he’s okay?”
“’Tis Torin—” Zaira’s whisper broke on the edge of a sob.
Alannah’s body stiffened for what she knew was to come.
“I’m sorry, Alannah,” Zaira choked out the words. “Torin was killed.”
Alannah could only picture her brother as he’d been earlier that day at the pond, his blue eyes wide behind his spectacles as he’d gazed between her and Kiernan. His kind eyes had pleaded with her to accept Kiernan. Had he known that he didn’t have long to live? Maybe he’d wanted to make sure she was taken care of when he was gone.
Torin was gone.
He’d never walk up behind her and surprise her. He’d never give her one of his easy grins. He’d never wrap his arms around her in a hug.
