Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
I wince. “What happened?”
His eyes turn sorrowful. “The two men raged at one another and pistols were pulled. Henry tried to intervene to bring calm to the situation, but two shots were fired. James Blackburn’s bullet mistakenly caught Henry in the chest and he died instantly. Edward Mardraggon’s bullet went wide, hitting a door.”
Hand over my mouth, a sound of distress escapes my lips and my eyes widen.
“Elizabeth committed suicide a few weeks after Henry was buried, unable to handle her grief and still suffering under the ruination the rumors had caused.”
“That’s so awful,” I murmur, dropping my hand.
“Henry’s and Elizabeth’s deaths are what drove the wedge between the families. Two senseless deaths.”
“I know it’s irrelevant, but who started the rumors? I mean what was the end purpose?”
Ethan shrugs. “No one knows for sure, but some suspect it was a man by the name of Tommen Mardraggon who purportedly was deeply in love with Elizabeth and wanted her for himself. He thought he’d disrupt the marriage and then swoop in to get her.”
“But that’s just a suspicion?”
“It was almost two hundred years ago. No one knows for sure, and Tommen is worm food.”
“I can see why the families would hate each other. The Blackburns were defending Elizabeth, Henry was killed by mistake and that precipitated Elizabeth’s death. It’s all so tragic, but to last this long?”
Ethan takes a deep breath and picks up his glass. “Never let it be said that the Blackburns and Mardraggons don’t know how to carry grudges well. There’s a lot more throughout history that intensified the feud. Throughout time each family tried to ruin the other when there was opportunity, over and over again.”
“How so?”
“Land disputes where the Mardraggons used their political power to steal acreage from my family. During Prohibition, we used our political power to deny licenses for the Mardraggons to continue selling bourbon for medicinal purposes. You name it, some sneaky ulterior motive has been levied against the other. I think you’re seeing the modern-day version of the feud rearing its ugly head and Sylvie’s caught in the middle.”
“Except you’re not fighting for Sylvie to get back at the Mardraggons.”
His gaze pierces into me. “No, I’m not. I’m fighting for her because she is my blood. The Mardraggons, however, are most certainly trying to get the upper hand in this situation. The mere fact that they’re filling her head with poison just shows you how spiteful they are.”
“I believe you have Sylvie’s best interests in mind. I also believe Sylvie is a smart girl with a big heart. She’s got a hole in it right now and I think your family is the one that’s going to fill it.”
Ethan’s gaze softens. “Thank you for saying that. For acknowledging and trusting it.”
The bartender returns, interrupting our conversation to take our orders. We both go for steak since it’s what the restaurant is renowned for in its early stages—a ribeye for Ethan and filet for me.
While we wait for our salads, Ethan asks, “You said Carmen has a sore throat. Will she be able to show this weekend?”
Carmen is scheduled to debut her new horse, Lady Beatrice, which Michelle bought from Blackburn Farms the week before last. “I sure hope so. If it’s strep, she’s good to go once she starts on antibiotics. Michelle said she’ll call me later with an update.”
“Are you coming to the horse show? I mean, I know you come to pretty much all of them.”
I blink in surprise that he’s noticed but try to cover it up with a casual smile. “Of course I’ll be there.”
“You should come to the after-party Saturday night. There’s going to be catered barbeque, a band and a mechanical bull that the kids love to ride on.” Is… Ethan asking me out on a date? Surely not, but despite my best protests that I’m not interested in going out with anyone, my heart races. He taps a finger on the bar top. “Maybe we could facilitate some type of friendship between Carmen and Sylvie. I don’t know if she’s making friends at school, but Carmen is a sweet girl and I think it would be good if Sylvie had someone her age she could pal around with.”
My heart plummets. Of course, he isn’t interested in me in any way other than for my guidance and help with Sylvie. I brush away the disappointment and put on a bright smile. “I’m sure Michelle would love to invite Sylvie for a sleepover. I bet the girls will be fast friends.”
“Even better, I’ll have Sylvie at Carmen’s next training session and maybe we can convince her to get up on a horse after she meets Carmen.”
Michelle and Carmen live outside of Shelby County toward Louisville where we grew up, so Carmen is in a different school system, but she rides at Blackburn Farms three to four times a week. It would be easy for the girls to spend time together and I have no doubt that they’d hit it off. Carmen has a natural empathy within her that would hopefully resonate with Sylvie and give her a friend she could open up to.