Druid's Daughter Read Online Free Page B

northern seas.
    “Absolutely not. You have no idea of the kind of stews we
will be in. Stay here if you wish and I’ll get word back to you as soon as I
can. But do not come near the Blue Doors Tavern . Tonight, or any other
night. That’s an order.”
    Dellafield turned to give more directions to his sergeant
and then stalked away. Morgan suspected he’d put her out of his mind. Probably
just as well since he was being so damnably despotic. Men could be so difficult .
She waited ten minutes after he’d disappeared and then mentally called on her
mother to send Ambrose.
    Huge, dependable Ambrose. What could go wrong when Ambrose
furnished her protection?

Chapter Three
     
    Morgan waited until Dellafield strode out of the room. Then
she called for a hackney and climbed in. The big dog padded alongside and
jumped on the seat beside her. The cabbie started to object at both the dog and
the address Morgan gave him. Turning around he found Ambrose with his face
quite close, staring directly in his eyes, his fangs just barely showing.
    The cabbie swallowed, quietly clucked to his horses and put
the cab in motion toward his passenger’s stated destination, the Blue Doors
Tavern . Why any decent woman would want to go there he couldn’t comprehend,
but that big dog didn’t make for objections. Not of any kind. Her destination
was strictly up to her.
    God help her though, if she didn’t know what that hellhole
of a tavern was like.
    * * * * *
    Morgan sat back, knowing with a deep conviction she would be
needed at the coming confrontation. She didn’t know how, but all would be
revealed. She put her arms around Ambrose, ruffling his thick fur and burying
her face in his luxurious pelt. Surely now they were on their way her Goddess
would keep Jamie safe for just a little longer.
    “Thank the Goddess you’re here,” she whispered to the dog,
who slurped on her cheek in return.
    The Blue Doors was as grubby as a tavern could be. Morgan
looked out at the sky where she could usually find peace. Her Druid soul was
always attuned to the natural and strength-giving Earth. If it was night and
the sky glittered with star-fire, she could find a soothing message in the
shining points of light. Today the somber clouds in the sky brought little
tranquility. She attempted to center her being into an inner peace, but
calmness did not come easily. At last some serenity returned and she leaned
back against the cushions to await the raid’s outcome.
    She didn’t have long to wait. She watched the best of
Scotland Yard take their place in a ring around the tavern and a large part of
them march in. A great deal of noise came from the tavern, as most of the
customers seemed to be shouting their objections and their panic. The doors
were closed and held tight. Yet somehow one culprit escaped the net. He slunk
out a small door with no handle, a door blending almost without notice into the
wall of the building. He crept along the side of the tavern, quite evidently
meaning to sprint away as soon as he got clear.
    Morgan whispered a few words to Ambrose, who immediately
leaped from the hackney cab and cornered the escapee. Ambrose rumbled deep in
his throat and the thug whimpered, a high-pitched, terrified sound.
    The seedy man slunk back along the wall of the tavern,
obviously horrified by the bare fangs of Ambrose. The dog stood with his front
paws on the criminal’s shoulders, breathing into the hapless man’s face. The
huge dog’s fur stood out in a big ruff as he snarled at his cowering victim.
    “Keep him right there, Ambrose,” Morgan said with a shudder.
“He has a perfectly hideous aura. I don’t think I’ve ever seen worse. Ugh. But
I want Lord Lance to talk to him.”
    Hearing the name of the Chief Inspector caused the trembling
man to make a thrusting attempt to get past the dog. Ambrose merely put his
teeth in the thug’s shirt and dragged him back, rearing up against the man’s
body so he was again trapped.
    “For