Read Online A Girl Called Eilinora by Nadine Dorries - Free Book Online
Authors: Nadine Dorries
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Their son lay down on the opposite bench and they both looked at him, faces etched in parental love and concern.
‘Are you well, Lydia? Do you feel strong enough to take on the shooting party? The organization has been a lot of work for you stuck in London, I understand that.’ He leant over and gave his wife’s hand a squeeze.
He suddenly felt a sense of relief wash over him. He had almost been ensnared by the girl he had found on the road. Or had he? Had he lost his senses? He thought he must have. He had felt as though he were under a spell when in the presence of the girl from the Mulranny Road. To be back on English soil and free from her, in the company of his wife, well, it was a relief. He was a God fearing man. He understood the evil of temptation and God knew, he had been sorely tempted. As he leant back in his carriage, he felt a sense of triumph. He had been tested and he had survived because it must have been a dream, it had never happened. As each day passed, the sensations which had assailed him that morning in the inn faded until now, they were almost gone. He felt calmer; the past more distant, the memory of her, the smell, the invasiveness of her aura, it had gone for good. He had passed the most severe test that the devil could have placed in his path and he was grateful for that.
He had decided that within the month, he would return to Ballyford and that this time, he would take Lydia with him. He was sure, over time, Lydia would agree to join him. Most landlords had fled and had declared that they would not return until the land had lain fallow and the blight and typhus had spent itself out. He would be different. He would lead by example and return soon. With Lydia by his side, his strong Lydia, he could do it.
Lydia smiled and replied, ‘Oh, I’m fine. I’m just worried about our son. I hope the doctors get to the bottom of it all soon.’ Then changing the subject, she said, ‘Do you recall the girl you took into Ballyford, Owen, the one you picked up on the Mulranny Road? I told you to take her to the poor house, do you remember? I believe the carriage dropped her in Galway on your return. Well, Hudson has received a letter from Mrs Gibson and Shevlin yesterday, she has only turned up back at the castle, and get this piece of information, she’s pregnant, too. She can’t have been that starved or sick. Shevlin says she was hiding in Mrs McAndrew’s cottage and Mrs McAndrew refuses to let her be sent away. The Irish, they drive me to distraction. They are beyond comprehension.’
Lydia paused for breath whilst she dug around in her bag for a handkerchief.
‘Anyway, I’m sure as soon as her child is born, Mrs McAndrew will have no trouble tracking down who the father is. She has a witches’ knack for that sort of thing.’
Owen felt an icy trickle of fear run down his back as he looked into the all-knowing and familiar eyes of his wife.
The train swayed around a corner and swayed again as it righted itself. Owen jumped to his feet and, lifting his hand, clasped the leather strap hanging down as he looked on the shelf for his bag. Anything to avert the gaze of his wife and conceal the redness of his face.
‘What in God’s name is wrong with this train,’ said Owen as the train lunged once more but he never heard Lydia’s reply, only the screams of the staff in the next carriage as the train once again lurched to the side. At first the brakes screeched so loud that they drowned out all other noise and then there was silence as the train, having left the tracks, slowly fell to its resting place, hundreds of feet below the viaduct.
The last thing Owen saw before he met his maker, was the face of the girl with flaming red hair and the green eyes, smiling down at him.
~
We hope you enjoyed this book.
The story continues in Ruby Flynn , buy it here now!
For more information, click one of the links below:
About Nadine Dorries
About the Four Streets Trilogy
Also by Nadine
‘Are you well, Lydia? Do you feel strong enough to take on the shooting party? The organization has been a lot of work for you stuck in London, I understand that.’ He leant over and gave his wife’s hand a squeeze.
He suddenly felt a sense of relief wash over him. He had almost been ensnared by the girl he had found on the road. Or had he? Had he lost his senses? He thought he must have. He had felt as though he were under a spell when in the presence of the girl from the Mulranny Road. To be back on English soil and free from her, in the company of his wife, well, it was a relief. He was a God fearing man. He understood the evil of temptation and God knew, he had been sorely tempted. As he leant back in his carriage, he felt a sense of triumph. He had been tested and he had survived because it must have been a dream, it had never happened. As each day passed, the sensations which had assailed him that morning in the inn faded until now, they were almost gone. He felt calmer; the past more distant, the memory of her, the smell, the invasiveness of her aura, it had gone for good. He had passed the most severe test that the devil could have placed in his path and he was grateful for that.
He had decided that within the month, he would return to Ballyford and that this time, he would take Lydia with him. He was sure, over time, Lydia would agree to join him. Most landlords had fled and had declared that they would not return until the land had lain fallow and the blight and typhus had spent itself out. He would be different. He would lead by example and return soon. With Lydia by his side, his strong Lydia, he could do it.
Lydia smiled and replied, ‘Oh, I’m fine. I’m just worried about our son. I hope the doctors get to the bottom of it all soon.’ Then changing the subject, she said, ‘Do you recall the girl you took into Ballyford, Owen, the one you picked up on the Mulranny Road? I told you to take her to the poor house, do you remember? I believe the carriage dropped her in Galway on your return. Well, Hudson has received a letter from Mrs Gibson and Shevlin yesterday, she has only turned up back at the castle, and get this piece of information, she’s pregnant, too. She can’t have been that starved or sick. Shevlin says she was hiding in Mrs McAndrew’s cottage and Mrs McAndrew refuses to let her be sent away. The Irish, they drive me to distraction. They are beyond comprehension.’
Lydia paused for breath whilst she dug around in her bag for a handkerchief.
‘Anyway, I’m sure as soon as her child is born, Mrs McAndrew will have no trouble tracking down who the father is. She has a witches’ knack for that sort of thing.’
Owen felt an icy trickle of fear run down his back as he looked into the all-knowing and familiar eyes of his wife.
The train swayed around a corner and swayed again as it righted itself. Owen jumped to his feet and, lifting his hand, clasped the leather strap hanging down as he looked on the shelf for his bag. Anything to avert the gaze of his wife and conceal the redness of his face.
‘What in God’s name is wrong with this train,’ said Owen as the train lunged once more but he never heard Lydia’s reply, only the screams of the staff in the next carriage as the train once again lurched to the side. At first the brakes screeched so loud that they drowned out all other noise and then there was silence as the train, having left the tracks, slowly fell to its resting place, hundreds of feet below the viaduct.
The last thing Owen saw before he met his maker, was the face of the girl with flaming red hair and the green eyes, smiling down at him.
~
We hope you enjoyed this book.
The story continues in Ruby Flynn , buy it here now!
For more information, click one of the links below:
About Nadine Dorries
About the Four Streets Trilogy
Also by Nadine
Similar Books
