Chapter 21

In the early hours of the morning she awoke to the sound of her father’s coughing. She moved over to the bed and sat down beside her father.

“Daddy?”

Andy looked up at Shay from the bed weakly, his face red from coughing. Shay fetched him a glass of water from the far side of the room and handed it to him. He drank thirstily and Shay fetched him another glass.

She cursed herself for falling asleep. Time was of the essence and she had fallen asleep when she should have been looking for information. Beyond the window Shay could see a tinge of orange blossom on the horizon. She did not know what time it was exactly but it was obvious that dawn was approaching and with it the wedding.

Then the chamber doors opened and a man entered whom Shay had not seen previously. He ap