Chapters (50)
- Cover
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- The Pengarron Sagas
- The Harvey Family Sagas
On the summit of the Mount was a castle, once a monastery, once a fortress, now inhabited by titled gentry, and this graceful structure, parts dating back to the twelfth century, had been in sight for most of Kerensa’s journey to the farm. To her, the castle maintained an other-worldly quality and inspired her to rein in her pony just inside Vellanoweth’s farmyard and, with a company of hens pecking among the cobbles, she compared her life and her family’s to the world of legend and superstition.
At the beginning of her marriage, Oliver had been the wicked overlord. And while the subsequent years had been mainly happy and fulfilling, all too often, cruelly and unexpectedly, a goblin or a witch had sought to destroy her or her marriage, and once, in the person of an evil, effeminate sea captain, had almost destroyed one of her children. Now Luke was home, still as restless and bad-tempered as a sprite, and as lost as a prince on a quest for some unattainable treasure, his sense of undervalue as strong as before, and hiding a secret.
What lay behind the tale of the mysterious Alicia Rosevear? An innocent maiden or a sorceress? Luke acted as if he had rescued her from a dragon. She had certainly weaved a spell over Jack. He was besotted with her and she showed an affectionate concern for him, but there must be more to their union than this. Kerensa was sure the fine-faced, sweetly mannered young woman played the greater part in the secret both men were keeping.
Looking up at the blue mantle of sky where brilliant white clouds glided cheerfully, she prayed long and hard to ward off anything or anyone about to spring out of the mists of darkness and threaten her or her beloved family’s happiness again.
Kerensa felt the gentle warmth of the sun, tasted the sea-fresh air, and slipped into the tranquillity that was always in this place. She loved it here. She was calling on the one child who welcomed her presence at any time. Kane never saw her weekly visits as being too often, her advice or concern as interference. She was allowed to make as much fuss of Harry as she liked. Having had such a terrible start to his own life – for the first two years he had been brought up in a brothel, starved and beaten – Kane believed one could never bestow too much love on a child. The high-spirited Jessica was of the same mind, and, Kerensa thought, still smarting at her ill-spent morning, had never accused her of smothering, impeding or suffocating her or Kane.