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Chapter 4
“Branton, go back to the castle,” Morag called over her shoulder as she rode toward the secret garden with Branton following right on her tail on a steed of his own.
“Lady Ernestine told me to escort you on your ride to protect you and that is what I’m going to do,” he answered stubbornly.
“But I dinna want ye here.”
“Why not?” he asked.
“I want to be alone.”
“You are sneaking off to the secret garden, aren’t you? Why? No one is there anymore so there is no reason to go.”
“It’s none of yer business what I do, so stop askin’ so many questions.”
“Are you going to visit the grave of Imanie?”
“Aye. That’s what I’m goin’ to do and I want to be alone. So ye’ll have to wait for me outside the gate.” She rode up to the garden gate and stopped.
“Wait outside the gate? Whatever for?”
“I like to be alone when I visit Imanie.”
“I won’t bother you. You won’t even know I’m there.”
“Nay. I plan to be here a long time,” she told him. “So ye might as well just turn around and head back to the castle. I’ll meet ye there.”
“I’m sorry but I can’t do that,” said Branton, dismounting. “I’m here to protect you. If you don’t want me around, I’ll wait for you in the cottage. I could use a nap.” He stretched his arms over his head and yawned.
Morag panicked. She couldn’t let Branton into the secret garden and certainly not inside the house or he would see that someone was living there. She had to keep him from seeing Mazelina or she wouldn’t get mentored after all.
“Branton, I willna tell ye again. This is a secret garden, meant only for members of the Followers of the Secret Heart.”
“What does it matter? You’re the only one left now.” Branton yawned again. “Besides, it’s not even a secret anymore.”
“It matters to me. Now, I command ye to stay outside the garden gate until I return.”
“Oh, all right.” Branton tethered his horse and sat down with his back up against a tree and closed his eyes. “I’ll get a few minutes of shut eye, but don’t take too long. I need to hurry back to the castle to add Sir Jacob’s name to the list of contenders before it is filled. You should add your father and uncles’ names to the list as well.”
“I will. As soon as we return, I’ll do just that.”
As soon as she was convinced that Branton wasn’t going to follow her, she slipped inside the secret garden, leaving her horse with the boy. After closing the gate behind her, she scanned the garden quickly.
“Mazelina?” she whispered, heading up the path to the cottage. A cool spring wind blew and she lifted the hood of her cloak over her head, holding it close for warmth. “Mazelina, I’m here just like ye told me.” Looking down, she spied Imanie’s grave. While the rest of the garden was still covered with dead flowers and dried up weeds and fallen leaves, the grass atop Imanie’s grave was bright and green. “Odd,” she said, not giving it much thought before she hurried up the steps and barged into the cottage.
“I’m here, Mazelina,” she called out. “I’m here to be mentored.”
The inside of the house was dark since it was such a dreary day. She found a jar candle on a table next to the door and quickly lit it. “Mazelina?” she called out once more, thinking the woman might be sleeping and not have heard her. But when she held up the candle to see the room, her heart dropped in her chest. The bed hadn’t been slept in and there was still dust covering the rickety furniture. She slowly lowered her hood, taking a good look around. She didn’t see anything belonging to Mazelina and there was no evidence that anyone had been here since the last time she visited in the winter. Sadness filled her being as she realized that Mazelina hadn’t waited for her. Perhaps, the woman had thought she wasn’t coming and went back to wherever she lived. Now, Morag would have no chance of being mentored in the way the woman promised.
She turned to leave, startled, and screamed when she saw someone standing in the doorway.
“Branton! Ye fool. Ye almost gave me a heart attack. I thought I told ye to stay outside the garden.”
“I intended to,” he said. “But the wind blew open the gate and I swore I saw someone in the garden that wasn’t you.”
“Ye did?” Hope filled her being. “Was it a woman?”
“A woman?” Branton looked confused. “Why would you think that?”
