The Shadow Isle Read Online Free Page B

The Shadow Isle
Book: The Shadow Isle Read Online Free
Author: Katharine Kerr
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presence of so many large beasts in its water, the loch supplied full nets of fish all year long. Berwynna suspected that some sort of dweomer made the loch unusually productive, but neither her mother nor her sister would confirm her suspicion nor deny it. Man and dwarf, however, do not live by fish alone, as old Otho was fond of saying. The local villagers and farmers paid for Marnmara’s healing services with produce and what little grain they could spare. Mic’s coin bought beef, oats, and barley from the farmers on the richer lands to the south. Occasionally the boatmen managed to kill a deer. As well as medicinal herbs, Marnmara raised vegetables in her garden, and apple trees grew around Avain’s tower.
    “Wynni!” Marnmara stood in the door of the kitchen hut. “Dougie’s just come across to the pier.”
    “Oh, ye gods!” Berwynna said. “Here I stink of fish.”
    “That won’t bother him. He’s besotted.”
    Still, Berwynna scrubbed her hands with a scrap of soap and rinsed them in a bucket of well water. She wanted to change her filthy old clothes, but as she was hurrying toward the manse, she saw Dougie, just coming up the path, his tousled red hair gleaming in the sun. Under one arm he carried a bulky packet, wrapped in cloth.
    “There you are!” Dougie said, smiling. “Ah, you look beautiful today, lass!”
    “My thanks!” He is besotted, Berwynna thought. Thank God! “It gladdens my heart to see you, too.”
    “Good. I’m hoping to have a bit of a talk with you and your mother.” He paused for a grin. “About us.”
    Berwynna’s heart leaped and pounded. “Indeed?” she said. “Well, I’m sure I wouldn’t know what there is to talk about.”
    He merely grinned and reached out to catch her hand.
    They found Angmar in the great hall, where she was sitting at a window with mending spread out on the low table in front of her. Dougie laid his parcel on the table, then bowed to her.
    “What’s all this?” Angmar raised a questioning eyebrow. “Usually you just sit yourself down without so much as a by-your-leave. ”
    “Uh, my apologies, my lady.” Dougie’s face turned a faint pink. “I’ve brought you a very strange gift, and I was hoping that we, I mean Wynni and I and you, could have a bit of a chat.”
    “If you’re going to ask me if you may marry her, save your breath. I’ll not agree.”
    Dougie winced.
    “I don’t want her living off the island,” Angmar continued.
    “Truly?” Dougie said. “Or is that me and my kin aren’t grand enough for you?”
    “What? Naught of the sort! Dougie, I know not how or why, but in my soul I do know that me and mine will cause you grief one day. I’d beg you to put my daughter out of your heart.”
    “Mam!” Berwynna could stay silent no longer. “But I love him. I want to marry Dougie.”
    He turned her way and grinned. When Berwynna held out her hand, he clasped it and drew her close.
    “Wynni, heard you not one word of what I said?” Angmar flopped her mending onto the table and scowled at both of them. “Avain did see much grief—”
    “What she sees in the water isn’t always true,” Berwynna said. “Sometimes it’s wrong, or else it comes true in some odd way that’s more of a jest than anything. Well, doesn’t it?”
    “True enough.” Angmar paused for a long sigh. “But—”
    “Besides,” Berwynna hurried on before her mother could finish. “If you won’t let me leave the island, why can’t Dougie come live here?”
    “And what would your family say to that, then?” Angmar glanced at Dougie. “With you the eldest son and all?”
    “They’d take a bit of persuading,” Dougie said. “But I’d keep at it and wear them down in the end.”
    “Still, most like it be too dangerous. The isle be a jealous place, and I doubt me if you belong to it the way we do.”
    Berwynna felt tears gathering just behind her eyes. She gave her mother the most piteous look she could manage and willed the tears to

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