Read Beyond Time (Highland Secret Series) for Free Online Page A

he had been richly rewarded for his loyalty and that he had owned an inn and a post house in York. But what Grace really wanted to know was what the man was like. Not what sort of career he had.
    She mulled the idea of going to see Harry over in her mind. Finally, she decided that it couldn’t do any harm. Her enquiring mind had set itself on a path and it was unlikely to be easily swayed. The shopping, she concluded could wait despite the cold weather.
    Rapping lightly on the large black door set in the twisted oak frame of the entrance to the pub, Grace wondered if anyone would be awake at this time of the morning. Her question was quickly answered when a creak announced that someone was pulling the door open. A knowing smile filled his face when he saw her.
    “I thought you might come back, Grace. Come in girl, it’s cold out there,” he said, ushering her inside.
    The unpleasant aroma of smoke and smoldering cinders from the fire mixed with the heady smell of stale alcohol greeted her as she followed Harry into the main section of the building. Dirty glasses and empty plates and beer bottles littered the bar. It looked for all the world as if Harry had just walked out and left his customers to it.
    “Sorry about the mess. I don’t usually bother clearing up on a Saturday night. Try and get into bed a bit earlier and sleep in on a Sunday.”
    “Oh, Harry, I am so sorry, I hope I haven’t got you out of bed.”
    “Good gracious, no girl. I’ve been up a while.”
    “Can I give you a hand to clear this lot up?”
    “No, I’ll get to it later. Would you like a cup of coffee?”
    “I’d love one, thanks, but if you tell me where everything is I’ll make it,” Grace offered.
    “So, what brought you back then?” he asked.
    “I found his grave and I was curious, I guess. I’d like to know more about him. You seem to know so much about his life, I thought you might be able to tell me a few things.”
    “Now that is an interesting concept. I hoped the same from you.”
    “You did?”
    “Yes Grace, I did.”
    “What could I possibly tell you about Robert Hamilton? I’ve only just come across the man. You and Kate are the ones that seem to know all about him.”
    “Well you could start by telling me where you’re from?”
    “Harry I don’t get you. One minute we’re talking about a dead man and the next you’re asking where I’m from.”
    “Strange, huh?” he replied with a shrug.
    “You talk in riddles. I’m not going to even pretend to understand what you are going on about.”
    Grace followed him into the kitchen. Spotting two mugs in the sink she rinsed them and reached for a seemingly clean drying up cloth on the side of the counter.
    “How do you like your coffee?”
    “As it comes, coffee is coffee to me.”
    Grace smiled to herself. If someone had asked her a few minutes ago how Harry liked his coffee she would have guessed that he didn’t much care. She had always thought you could tell a lot about a person by the coffee they drink.
    “Harry, what do you know about Robert’s wife?”
    “Probably less than you do.”
    “So you don’t know who she was then?”
    “Oh, I know who she is alright.”
    “Well then I would say you know a whole lot more than I do about her.”
    “What do you want to know about Robert’s wife then?”
    “Well anything really. What her name was, how old she was when she married him, …that sort of thing.”
    “Grace, put your cup down. I have something to show you.”
    “That sounds very cryptic, Harry. What have you got?”
    “It’s a portrait of Robert and his wife.”
    “You’re kidding. That’s amazing. I’d love to see it. How on earth did you get hold of it?”
    “It was here in the attic. I came across it about twenty years ago.”
    “Did you find anything else besides the portrait?”
    “No, just the portrait.”
    “It’s odd you didn’t find anything else. I wonder why no one ever spotted it before?”
    “Time will tell you,