Fallen Hero (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 3)

Elspeth shook her head. When Aaron continued to watch her, she looked up at him miserably. “There is none.”

“None at all? What have you been using to light the fires?” Aaron persisted when the wind rattled the door.

“I don’t need them really,” Elspeth mumbled.

“It’s freezing in here,” Aaron countered. “Where is your wood usually kept?”

“In the store out back but it is empty. Thomas was going to arrange for the farmer to deliver some but didn’t get around to it before he-”

Aaron nodded.

“I will go and see what I can find,” Jasper offered.

“I’ll come with you. There should be enough out there to get us through the night. Even wet, it is better than nothing,” Callum added.

Together the men headed out of the door.

“Is there a tavern around here?” Oliver asked.

“At the far end of the village,” Elspeth replied with a nod to the far wall of the kitchen. “It is just around the corner from the church.”

“I will go and see what they have in the way of food for us,” Oliver informed them.

“But it has gone midnight,” Elspeth gasped. “It will be closed.”

Oliver grinned cockily at her. “I am sure the inn keeper won’t mind helping us if he is suitably furnished with a little monetary reward.”

With that, Oliver grabbed his cloak and left.

Aaron watched Niall disappear into the front of the house and knew he had gone to check their captive to make sure he was all right, and still attached to the chair.

Now that he was alone with her, Aaron dragged a chair across the room and took a seat before Elspeth. Once there, he rested his elbows on his knees and leaned toward her.

“We need to get you dry. Can you make it up the stairs?” he murmured. “You need to get out of those wet clothes. Let us deal with the fire and food. Do you have any more candles anywhere?”

Elspeth shook her head. “I don’t know what Thomas was doing but he didn’t purchase any supplies. There is no money,” she whispered.

“None at all?”

Elspeth looked at him solemnly. “There is something odd going on.”

“Well, let’s get you dry first and then we can talk about it. Once you have had something to eat and are warm you can tell me what has been happening. Meantime, I need to ask you a very important question, and I want you to be completely honest with me.”

Elspeth nodded.

“Are you married?”

Elspeth blinked at him. “What makes you ask that?”

Aaron shifted uncomfortably. “Do you have a gentleman friend who might call upon you at this time of night?”

He wanted to look at his pocket watch but knew he wouldn’t be able to see the time because it was so dark inside the house.

“A gentleman friend?” Elspeth gulped. “What kind of woman do you think I am?”

“A pretty one who is young, single and highly eligible,” Aaron replied in a perfunctory manner he truly didn’t feel. Everything within him was focused firmly on her, and how delicately fragile she looked sitting in soaking wet clothing, positively shrouded in the voluminous material that engulfed her slender frame.

“No, I am not expecting any gentleman callers,” Elspeth reported firmly. “Even you. It is nice of you to grace me with your presence by the way. Did you not know Thomas is dead?”