Dominic watched her walk out of the room, he was furious that the man who had hurt her was left to live. He wanted to run him through and watch him bleed to death. He left the Chateau and went to the stables and rose as fast as he could to Port Lira, he wanted to make his love for Alannah known to her and his mother, he was going to propose to her over dinner tonight. Before he left he told Maria of his plans and asked her to prepare a very special meal. He wanted tonight to be perfect.
Alannah walked out of the Chateau still crying. She needed to find a place to be alone. She was stumbling up the path towards the back garden to find Nicolò, but when she found him he was deep in discussion with his new lady friend. She continued on to where Patrick was at work in the mill, Alannah scolded herself mentally for her words to Dominic about Rosemary. "What is the matter with me? You would think that I was jealous! I have no right to be! Why do I say such stupid things? Dominic will surely hate me for them! And what must the Señora think of me now?"
To her surprise, she found Patrick speaking with a man seated on a wagon. "Ah, there she is now." Patrick said when he spotted her. "Alannah, come here and meet our neighbor, Pierre. He would like to borrow you for the day, if that is all right with you."
She stood shyly under the friendly scrutiny of the farmer with the handlebar moustache who wore a tweed jacket and peaked cap. He touched his cap in greeting and nodded to her.
"Hello Alannah, it is a pleasure to meet you. If I may beg your forgiveness to ask this of you on such short notice, but we are in need of an extra pair of hands at out ranch. You see myself, my wife, our son and our neighbors are going to Port Lira today on a purchase run. We will pay you,' he added with a humorous imploring look. "And of course there are meals."
"Why would you need someone to look after your son's wife? Is she well?"
"I'm afraid she has just had a child and the journey would be too difficult for them."
"Yes, of course I'll come," Alannah said, her face breaking into a smile, glad for the change from her routine. And a distraction from the problem that has recently presented itself.
"Well, climb on board then," Pierre said as Patrick helped her up into the wagon. Without further adieu he clucked to his horses, and Alannah waved back at Patrick as they climbed the hill.