Tears stung her eyes, and her mouth grew dry. The animal was behind her. How far, she didn’t know, but she mustn’t show fear. Not in front of the beast, anyway.
She opened the door and quickly rushed inside, slamming the hard oak behind her. Her fingers shook as she locked the door.
Rapid breaths were released from her burning chest as she laid her head against the wall. The tears she’d been trying to hide fell freely down her cheeks now. She’d seen wild animals before, but for the first time in her life, this particular animal brought a different kind of fear.
“Bella? Is that you?”
Taking deep breaths, she tried to calm her crazily beating heart as she dried her moist cheeks. She mustn’t show her father how upset she was. Then again, he might not even notice.
On shaky legs, she walked into the parlor. Sitting on his favorite brown stuffed chair near the hearth, Father looked up from the book on his lap. The frail man had a green, woolen blanket over his legs even though a fire burned in the hearth. Every day his face appeared a little grayer. Either that or his once brown hair turned whiter, making his skin look so sickly. A smile strained across his thin face as he looked at her.
“Yes, Father. I’m home.”
“You were gone so long. I became thirsty.”
Bella had only been gone two hours, but for her father, it probably seemed like a whole day. “I rode into town to the library.”
“Into town?” He sat forward in his chair, and the book on his lap slid and fell to the floor.
“Yes, Father. I do this every Wednesday, remember?” She retrieved the book from the floor and placed it back on his lap.
“Did you happen to see that nice young man, Garrett?”
Bella gritted her teeth. Even the man’s name set her on edge. “I did.”
“Does he still favor you over all the other girls in town?”
“I’m sure he treats all the other girls in town the same way he treats me, Father.”
She walked to the pitcher of water sitting on the table by the window. “Are you still thirsty?” She held up an empty cup.
“Thirsty? Of course not, my dear. Whatever made you think that?” He settled back in his chair and opened the book.
She frowned. Just as she figured... he didn’t remember their conversations from one minute to the next. At least he had a book to entertain him and make the day pass quickly.
“I’m going upstairs to my room.”
His answer was to nod, but he kept his gaze inside the book.
Sighing heavily, she left the parlor and made her way up the stairs toward her room. Along the wall were portraits of their ancestors. Throughout the years, all of the Walsh men were able to secure their finances and make more money. Since her father’s mind had been withering away, so had the money. Andrew promised he would help take care of her and Father, but she didn’t want to have to rely on him forever because being the sheriff kept him busy. Instead, she would like to find a husband who would help her take care of her father and their small farm.
Unfortunately, she just didn’t see that happening.
As she entered her room, her mind jumped back to what Garrett had told her. Either he had her confused with someone else, or he was teasing her again. Why would he think she’d been abducted?
She moved to her trunk and dug through the several years’ worth of journals she’d kept. She’d also stored her mother’s journals after she’d died. Maybe between reading the two of them, she’d see if there was any mention of an abduction. She couldn’t ask her father. For certain, he wouldn’t know. And she didn’t know when she’d see Andrew again this week.
With the books stacked in her arms, she carried them to her bed and dumped them on the rose and lavender flowered quilt her mother had made her when Bella was fifteen. As she searched for the right year, she listened to the embers popping behind her in the hearth. Thankfully, their servant, Mrs. Christensen, had kept the fire going. It seemed Bella’s room was always cold without the warmth from the fireplace.
From outside, an animal’s cry disturbed her concentration. She snapped upright and glanced at the window. Why did the growl sound so near?
With her heart beating wildly in her chest again, Bella hurried to the window, parted the mint green drapes, and peered outside. She searched the ground for any trace of the determined animal. From within the trees that outlined the forest, there was a movement. Something darted farther into the wood, looking like... A panther? She must be imagining things, yet the chills of fright rushing through her confirmed that was what she saw.
She inhaled an uneven breath as panic twisted her heart. An odd feeling came over her as if this had happened to her before. She shook away the terror rushing through her. If she had seen this wild animal before, she would have remembered something so frightening. However, she felt unsafe, and she didn’t like it one bit.
Indeed, she’d have to find a way to destroy the feline. But could she outwit such a calculating animal?
There was no other option. Bella must!
Before the animal attacked someone – even her.
TWO
SHIFTING IN HIS CHAIR, Terrick Wentworth groaned and rubbed the pain shooting down his right leg. From now until he reached his goal, he would experience more discomfort than just a crippled leg. If everything went his way, he would beat all odds and prove to his father that he deserved this land.
Terrick needed to remember this was just a test. His last test his father would ever put him through... and he would come out the victor!
He sat by the east window in his bedchamber, peering out
