Blind Impulse by Kathryn Loch Read Free Book Online

his profession. 
    Another goldsmith resided in town but his work was not as fine as Roger’s.  Alyna requested the smith to repair a necklace and he bungled the job, leaving sharp burrs on the metal which cut her skin. 
    Alyna then took the n ecklace to Roger.  Who hauled himself out of bed for the first time and promptly filed off the burrs.  After that, Alyna and Roger learned to work together.
    “ Alyna?”  Cecily said, disrupting the memory.  “Are you all right?”
    “ Yes,” she replied.  “I just h ad the strangest dream.”
    “ It’s the sleeping draught.  Sometimes it plays tricks with your mind.”
    “ This was no trick.”  She thought for a long moment.  Roger had relearned his trade.  Could Garin do the same?
    It would be impossible.  Garin was a knight, not an artisan, he could no longer fight in battle. 
    But what about running a barony?
    You know, Alyna, people can surprise you if you give them a chance.
    Abruptly she understood what the dream meant.  “What time is it?”
    “ Almost dawn.”
    “ I must speak with the baroness.”  She stood and began rummaging through her clothes to change.
    “ Alyna, what are you talking about?”
    “ I must speak with her before the betrothal is officially broken.”
    “ Alyna, are you feeling all right?  You haven’t caught that terrible fever have you?”
    “ I am fine, Cecily,” Alyna snapped.  “Send a servant to the baroness.  I have to talk to her.”
    Cecily gripped her shoulders, stopping her.  “Alyna, the betrothal will be finished by tomorrow.  We will stay until then.  You have plenty of time to tal k to her.”
    “ But don’t you see?  I don’t want the betrothal ended.” 
    Cecily felt her forehead and Alyna jerked away.  “I am not sick.  I can still marry Garin.”
    “ Are you daft?”
    Alyna had not expected this from Cecily of all people.  “Nay,” she said sternly .  “I have a perfect example right in front of me.”
    Cecily’s mouth tightened.  “I know what you are thinking, Alyna.  My husband is blind but I was already married to him when it happened.  The church will not allow you to marry because Garin cannot provid e for you.”
    “ Just like Roger cannot provide for you?”
    “ That is different.  Roger is an artisan not a knight or a baron.”
    “ Garin is a courageous man, Cecily.  This battle will just be a little different from the ones he has fought in the past.”
    “ I agree, Al yna,” her father said from the door.
    She jumped, startled.  “Father, I didn’t hear you.”
    He grinned.  “That’s because you were busy arguing with Cecily.  Take it easy on her, will you?”
    “ I’m sorry,” she replied, realizing she had been harsh.
    “ Still you hav e a good point about Garin.  If Roger could learn so can he.”
    “ That’s why I want to talk to the baroness.”
    Geoff nodded and studied her a moment.  “Are you sure, Alyna?  Right now, you can walk away without fault.  But if you pursue this, there will be no going back.”
    “ I am sure, father.  Garin is a good man.  I know he can defeat this.”
    “ I agree, Alyna.  Let’s see what the baroness says.”
    ****
    Garin opened his eyes to darkness.  His muddled brain finally started to function again, struggling to determine reality from fevered hallucination and the nightmares of death continuing to plague him from the war.  Bitterness filled him.  Each time he awoke, he had some measure of hope he would be able to see again - even a tiny glimmer of light - but each time hop e faded into the darkness which now cursed him.
    His mother told him his sister had also fallen ill.  Naworth departed, running from the fever, and leaving her behind.  But Juliana recovered well, with no problems.  It now seemed Juliana would get her wish to be heir of Kirkoswald.  Without his sight Garin had no hope for a future.
    Alyna, what of her?  His dream to marry her vanished like melting snow.  Had they told