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Do ducks, squealing pigs andtheir wares He was oblivious to the stench of manure, straw and unwashed bodies as hecrowds He didn’t really want to be there at all He’d only returned ho estate matters, before he was depa

rting for Willowbrook to witness the Isobel’s internment into the family crypt

Sucking in a deep breath, he fought the wave of bitter regret that surged through hie of her beautiful face swam in front of him God, he missed her His heart clenched painfully in his chest, until the physical pain became so acute that he wasn’t sure he could continue home

In a desperate atteloo crowds Farmer’s wives dressed simply in coarse cotton dresses, and starched white aprons, herded the gaggle of laughing children as they chased an assort crowd People , while others darted in and out of thethe busy street

Suddenly he blinked as a surge of disbelief swept through him His heart froze in his chest as he studied the spectre before him

There!

Was grief playing tricks upon his mind?

Reigning Brutus to a stop, he sat perfectly still, his eyes locked so fixatedly on the cloaked figure approaching the bakery The colours and sounds of the street around hi buzz

He struggled to absorb what, or rather who

Heart thunored the curious stares of the locals to leaned forward in his saddle to get a better look His watched closely as the cloaked figure h the crowd He knew it couldn’t be the person he wanted it to be All logic defied the possibility, but his heart screamed it had to be; it simply had to be!

“Sweet Jesus!” he declared softly, tipping his head sideways to try to see ed upwards, shielding the face froed to catch sight of the haunting blue eyes that had plagued his dreams for the past few months

There was soly fa possibilities his coure to look toward the main road, and him, once more, he watched and waited

He knew he could disregard the wild possibility and go ho, some intrinsic need to know for certain, kept him still

Cursing hiure disappeared into the bakery before quickly dised Brutus to the side of the road He waited patiently for the insanity to stop He knew the wo bread in the village bakery Isobel was dead, right?

It seeure to re-appear Doaze locked on to the delicate curve of the pointed chin clearly visible in the shadows of the billowing cloak hood Without further thought, he placed his not inconsiderable bulk directly in the path of the approaching figure, cursing hi such ridiculous flights of fancy