Read Online Shepherd's Quest: The Broken Key #1 by Brian S. Pratt - Free Book Online
Authors: Brian S. Pratt
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bad for her, but he despised Rupert more.
To up the ante, he dropped off the necklace he took from Rupert’s drawer the night before at Mirriam’s door. He didn’t leave a note with it, instead he twined it around several beautiful flowers and laid it upon a finely embroidered kerchief. That by itself wouldn’t have led people to believe that it was from Rupert. So right afterwards, he went into town and stood near the window of the biggest gossip in town.
He could hear her inside talking with a couple other ladies as they worked on their needlework. Every year she and her circle work on a quilt which they give to one of the more underprivileged families in the area. This year they planned to give it to Clara Jenis and her family. Clara has been ill for the past few months and her husband was having a hard time keeping things together. Between working, their three children, and her illness, he was about worn to a frazzle.
From his position by the window, he heard them talking about somebody or another.
Then he said sort of loud, but not too conspicuously so, “I tell you I saw him!” Then in another voice like he was another person he replied, “Rupert?” From within the house, all talking ceased.
Bart grinned to himself as he said, “Yes Rupert. You would think he’d leave well enough alone after his problems of the night before.” In his second voice he asked himself, “What happened?” The inside of the house was as quiet as a tomb, he knew every ear within was straining to hear what he had to say next.
“I saw him placing something at the door of Mirriam’s home,” he said in voice one.
“Mirriam?” voice two asked. “Isn’t she the one who’s been trying to get her hooks in him for years?”
“That’s the one,” voice one replied. “Looks like she finally hooked him.”
“What did he leave?” voice two asked.
“I’m not exactly sure,” voice one explained. “Some flowers for sure though I thought I saw something glittering among the stems.”
Then as he started to say, “We’ll have to see what…” he began moving away from the window and let his voice trail off. After he became quiet, he snuck back to the window and listened. Inside it remained silent for only a few seconds before the women all started talking at once. Now, if Mirriam would just find the necklace and put it on, it would lend credibility to the seed he just sowed.
He hung around town for a couple hours and sure enough, Mirriam appeared wearing the necklace. Her eyes were aglow and she walked briskly through town. By this time the rumor he planted had circulated widely. Two people already had approached him and told him about it, each telling seeming to add some new detail. As she passed through the people on the streets, they would grow quiet. Then after she went by, their eyes would follow her as they talked in hushed whispers.
Bart watched as she continued along the street, her hand would at times go to the necklace and rub it as if she didn’t really believe it was there. She paused at the corner for a second before her eyes lit up. Across the street, Rupert and his three cronies had just appeared.
She waved and hurried across the street to meet him. Bart followed her at a discreet distance to see what would happen. He wasn’t alone, many of those on the street saw where she was heading and followed too.
Rupert came to a stop and his eyes turned dark when he saw the necklace around her neck. He recognized it as one that had been in his drawer. Bart was too far away to hear what was said, but after just a couple exchanges between Rupert and Mirriam, Rupert ripped the necklace from around her neck. Then Mirriam turned and fled, tears in her eyes.
Bart stood there a moment too long, for Rupert noticed him. His face turned darker and he began moving quickly towards him. Bart remained where he was until the four young men came to him.
Rupert held out the necklace and demanded, “Do you know anything
To up the ante, he dropped off the necklace he took from Rupert’s drawer the night before at Mirriam’s door. He didn’t leave a note with it, instead he twined it around several beautiful flowers and laid it upon a finely embroidered kerchief. That by itself wouldn’t have led people to believe that it was from Rupert. So right afterwards, he went into town and stood near the window of the biggest gossip in town.
He could hear her inside talking with a couple other ladies as they worked on their needlework. Every year she and her circle work on a quilt which they give to one of the more underprivileged families in the area. This year they planned to give it to Clara Jenis and her family. Clara has been ill for the past few months and her husband was having a hard time keeping things together. Between working, their three children, and her illness, he was about worn to a frazzle.
From his position by the window, he heard them talking about somebody or another.
Then he said sort of loud, but not too conspicuously so, “I tell you I saw him!” Then in another voice like he was another person he replied, “Rupert?” From within the house, all talking ceased.
Bart grinned to himself as he said, “Yes Rupert. You would think he’d leave well enough alone after his problems of the night before.” In his second voice he asked himself, “What happened?” The inside of the house was as quiet as a tomb, he knew every ear within was straining to hear what he had to say next.
“I saw him placing something at the door of Mirriam’s home,” he said in voice one.
“Mirriam?” voice two asked. “Isn’t she the one who’s been trying to get her hooks in him for years?”
“That’s the one,” voice one replied. “Looks like she finally hooked him.”
“What did he leave?” voice two asked.
“I’m not exactly sure,” voice one explained. “Some flowers for sure though I thought I saw something glittering among the stems.”
Then as he started to say, “We’ll have to see what…” he began moving away from the window and let his voice trail off. After he became quiet, he snuck back to the window and listened. Inside it remained silent for only a few seconds before the women all started talking at once. Now, if Mirriam would just find the necklace and put it on, it would lend credibility to the seed he just sowed.
He hung around town for a couple hours and sure enough, Mirriam appeared wearing the necklace. Her eyes were aglow and she walked briskly through town. By this time the rumor he planted had circulated widely. Two people already had approached him and told him about it, each telling seeming to add some new detail. As she passed through the people on the streets, they would grow quiet. Then after she went by, their eyes would follow her as they talked in hushed whispers.
Bart watched as she continued along the street, her hand would at times go to the necklace and rub it as if she didn’t really believe it was there. She paused at the corner for a second before her eyes lit up. Across the street, Rupert and his three cronies had just appeared.
She waved and hurried across the street to meet him. Bart followed her at a discreet distance to see what would happen. He wasn’t alone, many of those on the street saw where she was heading and followed too.
Rupert came to a stop and his eyes turned dark when he saw the necklace around her neck. He recognized it as one that had been in his drawer. Bart was too far away to hear what was said, but after just a couple exchanges between Rupert and Mirriam, Rupert ripped the necklace from around her neck. Then Mirriam turned and fled, tears in her eyes.
Bart stood there a moment too long, for Rupert noticed him. His face turned darker and he began moving quickly towards him. Bart remained where he was until the four young men came to him.
Rupert held out the necklace and demanded, “Do you know anything
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