Read Online The Faithful Heart by Sorcha MacMurrough - Free Book Online
Authors: Sorcha MacMurrough
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her some refreshment.
Though Morgana was hungry, she refused. After all the deprivation
she had seen that even, she was sure any morsel she partook of would
choke her.
"Nay, nothing for me, thank you, Mary. But there is something you
can do for me."
"Aye, if I can, my lady."
"I know you have your dressmaking busines, but I would count it as a
great favor if you would come work for me again."
She stared at Morgana. "How can I help?"
"I want you to come back and take stock of all we have and all we
need. I also want you to audit the family accounts. You could
calculate our wealth down to the last penny in the old days, and
will know what state our affairs were in two years ago. I have never
trusted Fergus, and I will get back all he has stolen, that I
promise you.”
“Have you seen him yet?” Mary asked, her tone fraught with worry.
“No, why?” Morgana countered.
“No reason, really. But I would counsel you to show some
forbearance, for your anger will sometimes get the better of you,”
Mary advised.
Morgana smiled tightly. “Two years in the convent has taught me the
value of patience.”
“All the same, tread carefully.Fergus is a MacGee. He has some
friends within his own family and amongst the MacMahons.”
“I will not harbour thieves and traitors in Lisleavan, as you well
know,” Morgana said with the toss of her head.
The older woman nodded. "Just be careful of him. The damage he has
done already is nothing compared to what he might try to do now that
you are back and poking your nose into what he deems to be his
affairs."
"I could say the same for you. If you do as I ask, you'll be putting
yourself at risk as well," Morgana warned her friend.
"Aye, but risk brings reward, as you know. You used to be the
greatest trader in the region."
Morgana squared her shoulders at that reminder. "I will be again."
Mary started to gather her things. "I’ll head up to the castle now
and get started. Fergus certainly won't be in the estate office
now," she said with a smirk.
"Er, no." Morgana blushed at the recollection of her cousin's
dissolute habits.
She stepped out into the crisp evening air, and had not gone three
steps when she heard Ruairc bellow, “There you are! Where have you
been!”
She turned to face him, and knew full well from the anger which
glinted in his eyes that he had seen both of her seemingly romantic
exchanges with her two childhood companions.
“I’ve been going around surveying the pitiful remains of my domain,
and you've been following me around, spying on me.”
Ruairc sought to deny her accusation, but she spat, “Please spare me
the protestations of innocence. I saw you following me and
recognised the color of your doublet under your cloak.”
“Morgana, please don’t be angry .I am merely concerned for your
welfare. Has it not occurred to you that the person responsible for
the poisoning of your father might make an attempt upon your life
now that you are back?” Ruairc asserted.
“Yes, it has occurred to me, Ruairc, which is why I'm wearing a
dagger under my cloak." She had brought it with her to the convent
when she had become a novice, and hastily found it and donned it
before she had left with Ruairc. "But I have no reason to trust you
either, when for all I know you could be in league with your
brothers to ruin my family."
"If I had killed your brother for my own gain, I certainly wouldn't
have squandered everything," he observed quietly with a sweep of his
hand. “Look at this place! Do you really think this is my doing?”
She shook her head angrily. "It's like a wilderness compared to only
two years ago. Which is why I must fight this. Do what I can to
relieve the suffering of the poor.Which is why I can't cower in fear
inside the
Though Morgana was hungry, she refused. After all the deprivation
she had seen that even, she was sure any morsel she partook of would
choke her.
"Nay, nothing for me, thank you, Mary. But there is something you
can do for me."
"Aye, if I can, my lady."
"I know you have your dressmaking busines, but I would count it as a
great favor if you would come work for me again."
She stared at Morgana. "How can I help?"
"I want you to come back and take stock of all we have and all we
need. I also want you to audit the family accounts. You could
calculate our wealth down to the last penny in the old days, and
will know what state our affairs were in two years ago. I have never
trusted Fergus, and I will get back all he has stolen, that I
promise you.”
“Have you seen him yet?” Mary asked, her tone fraught with worry.
“No, why?” Morgana countered.
“No reason, really. But I would counsel you to show some
forbearance, for your anger will sometimes get the better of you,”
Mary advised.
Morgana smiled tightly. “Two years in the convent has taught me the
value of patience.”
“All the same, tread carefully.Fergus is a MacGee. He has some
friends within his own family and amongst the MacMahons.”
“I will not harbour thieves and traitors in Lisleavan, as you well
know,” Morgana said with the toss of her head.
The older woman nodded. "Just be careful of him. The damage he has
done already is nothing compared to what he might try to do now that
you are back and poking your nose into what he deems to be his
affairs."
"I could say the same for you. If you do as I ask, you'll be putting
yourself at risk as well," Morgana warned her friend.
"Aye, but risk brings reward, as you know. You used to be the
greatest trader in the region."
Morgana squared her shoulders at that reminder. "I will be again."
Mary started to gather her things. "I’ll head up to the castle now
and get started. Fergus certainly won't be in the estate office
now," she said with a smirk.
"Er, no." Morgana blushed at the recollection of her cousin's
dissolute habits.
She stepped out into the crisp evening air, and had not gone three
steps when she heard Ruairc bellow, “There you are! Where have you
been!”
She turned to face him, and knew full well from the anger which
glinted in his eyes that he had seen both of her seemingly romantic
exchanges with her two childhood companions.
“I’ve been going around surveying the pitiful remains of my domain,
and you've been following me around, spying on me.”
Ruairc sought to deny her accusation, but she spat, “Please spare me
the protestations of innocence. I saw you following me and
recognised the color of your doublet under your cloak.”
“Morgana, please don’t be angry .I am merely concerned for your
welfare. Has it not occurred to you that the person responsible for
the poisoning of your father might make an attempt upon your life
now that you are back?” Ruairc asserted.
“Yes, it has occurred to me, Ruairc, which is why I'm wearing a
dagger under my cloak." She had brought it with her to the convent
when she had become a novice, and hastily found it and donned it
before she had left with Ruairc. "But I have no reason to trust you
either, when for all I know you could be in league with your
brothers to ruin my family."
"If I had killed your brother for my own gain, I certainly wouldn't
have squandered everything," he observed quietly with a sweep of his
hand. “Look at this place! Do you really think this is my doing?”
She shook her head angrily. "It's like a wilderness compared to only
two years ago. Which is why I must fight this. Do what I can to
relieve the suffering of the poor.Which is why I can't cower in fear
inside the
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