Chapter 26

Sullen hostility hung in the air for the next two days, and we spoke little while working on the barn and awaiting news from the Mead. None came until James arrived for his next visit. One of the Jacobsen brothers had come to town for supplies and told him Hardcastle and his bunch showed up and searched the Mead thoroughly. Hans and his sons had arrived hard on their heels, so trouble was averted.

James looked over the nearly completed barn. “Things are coming along quickly. I trust Lucas is a big help.”

“He’s labor worth his hire. Of course, Cuthan helped a lot. I expect we’ll move into the loft in a couple of days and live there until the house is built.”

“I worry about you out here alone. Why don’t you suspend work on the farm and move to town where I can give you more protection?”

Thoughts of the Black Crow building his nest of hate in that town sent shivers down my back. Why would such a man give me fright?