My Estranged Lover (Middlemarch Shifters Book 5)

by Shelley Munro

  Saul winked at Caroline. “She pulled a knife, prepared to gut me to save her kids from the big mean leopard.”

  Emily slapped her hand over her mouth to cut off her laugh. Above her hand, her eyes danced with merriment.

  “You didn’t?” Tomasine asked, and Caroline could tell she was trying not to laugh too.

  Caroline nodded. “I did. Let me put this bread in the oven and I’ll make us a morning tea.”

  “I’m glad you stayed,” Isabella said. “I thought you would. You’re strong.”

  Caroline glanced at her. “Your bluntness regarding my options pulled me up and made me think about what I wanted and everything I’d have to give up.”

  “How are the boys taking it?” Tomasine asked.

  Caroline placed six loaves of bread into the big oven and set the timer. She washed her hands and filled the jug to make tea and coffee. “With scarcely a blink. They’d seen and learned things since they’d been here. They never mentioned anything, but I’d noticed their fascination with leopards. Ricky keeps asking when he will turn into a cat. He’s obsessed with leopards and loves to play with the men when they’re in leopard form.”

  “Grab a seat at the table,” Saul said. “I’ll make tea and coffee for you. We’re way ahead. Spend time with your friends.”

  “Thanks.” She turned to Isabella. “Since Saul has been helping in the kitchen I’ve had the afternoons to sew. Your dress is almost finished, apart from the hem. Normally, I’d do two fittings, but I didn’t know when I’d see you, so I kept going. Tomasine, your dress is done too, and Emily’s is underway.”

  “Did Isabella tell you about the market?” Emily asked.

  “A little.”

  “It was brilliant.” Tomasine’s eyes sparkled. “People crowded the hall, and since it was a warm day, we had a few stalls selling food and drinks, set up outside. Most of the stallholders sold out, and the Feline council is thrilled with the funds we raised.”

  “When is the next one?” Caroline asked. “Maria and Cam are back soon. Once Maria is back, I’ll have more time since I’ll only be helping her a few hours each day.”

  Saul placed the teapot on the table and returned with mugs, milk and sugar, and a plate of cheese scones, not long out of the oven He set a pot of coffee in front of her.

  “Yum,” Isabella said. “Cheese scones are my favorite.”

  “You’ve lost weight,” Emily said. “Have they been working you hard?”

  “It hasn’t been so bad since Saul arrived to help. After cooking food all day, I haven’t wanted to eat.”

  “I get that.” Emily reached for a scone. “It’s nice to eat food other people have cooked.”

  “You look great, Caroline.” Tomasine cocked her head and studied her. “There is a sparkle to you that wasn’t there before.”

  “I am happy,” Caroline said. “We haven’t been here long, but it has been the right move for all of us. Marsh is happier too, and for once, we have money in the bank.”

  “I heard that Charles and Dawn lost their new farmhand yesterday.” Isabella sipped her black tea. “He’s have trouble getting replacement workers.”

  Caroline sighed. “He always found fault with anything Marsh did. It’s easy to see the difference in Marsh now, and we’re able to spend more time together as a family.”

  A yeasty fresh-bread aroma mingled with the onions Saul was browning as he made a quiche.

  “It’s lovely to see you,” Caroline said. “Are you staying the night? It’s a long drive here and back to Middlemarch.”

  “We’ll drive part of the way back and stay at a bed and breakfast,” Emily said. “It’s nice to have a break.”

  “Who is looking after the café?” Caroline buttered a scone and took a bite.

  “My two local ladies,” Emily said.

  “Dara, one of the women here, wondered if she could sell her knitting. She says that during the winter, when Glenshee is cut off, she spends her time knitting and her family doesn’t need any more jumpers or scarves. She said the other women knit and crochet. What do you think?” Caroline smiled. “I could even design a Glenshee label for us to use.”

  Emily and Tomasine glanced at each other, excitement in their grins.

  “Any other sewers?” Isabella asked.

  “No. One of the ladies spins wool. Dara uses the wool to knit her projects.”

  “I think that is a fantastic idea,” Emily said.

  Tomasine nodded. “Especially the label.”

  “I don’t mind selling the stuff for you,” Isabella offered. “It was fun. I can buy supplies for any of you. Actually, that was part of my idea. I know you don’t have spare cash at present, but I wondered if you’d let me buy fabric, cotton, buttons and zippers for you, so you’ll have plenty to keep you busy during the winter. You could give me a small cut for selling after we take out the price of the supplies.”

  Caroline nodded. “I love sewing and designing, but I don’t want to become a production line.”

  “I thought of that,” Isabella said. “If you give me a general guide as to what you want, then when the stuff arrives at Glenshee, you can make whatever you want. Buyers snapped up the dresses and children’s shirts. I didn’t get to try my sales pitch.”

  “She didn’t,” Tomasine said with a grin. “She’d practiced it on me.”

  “I agree with Isabella.” Emily chuckled when Isabella pulled a face at Tomasine. “You could use your design skills. We had a crowd of varied ages, thrilled to have something like this in the country. Once the word gets around we’ll have even more people attending.”

  “The part that slows me is sewing on buttons and hemming. I can do hems with my machine but some need to be done by hand.”

  “Teach me,” Isabella said. “If I can sew a wound shut, I can sew on a button. I’ll check with Leo, but I could stay a few days. Leo was saying he’d love to visit Glenshee since Felix has told him so much about the station. He’ll be thrilled at the opportunity. What do you say?”

  “You can stay in the main house,” Saul said from the other side of the kitchen. “Cam and Maria won’t mind.”

  The women stared at her. Emily and Tomasine both wore smiles while Isabella’s expression remained blank.

  Caroline liked Isabella. She liked all three women who had befriended her. “I love the idea.”

  “I don’t mind helping with buttons and things,” Tomasine said. “Isabella can show me.”

  “What wounds have you treated?” Caroline demanded.

  Isabella gave a sly smile. “I’ll tell you while you teach me.”

  “Don’t scare her,” Tomasine ordered.

  “I’d never do that to a friend,” Isabella said, and when she smiled, Caroline noted her teeth appeared pointier. “Only enemies should fear me.”

  Emily spluttered while Caroline just gaped at her.

  “Isabella,” Tomasine said, and a chiding note colored the petite woman’s voice.

  Isabella tossed her head. “I purchased fabric just in case you said yes. Do you want to see?” A diffidence appeared in her then, and Caroline realized she wasn’t as confident as she projected.

  “I’d love it. It will be just like Christmas.”

  Isabella beamed.

  “After lunch,” Saul announced. “The men will be here soon.”

  Caroline stood. “I’d better set the table. Dara will arrive with the boys any minute.”

  “I’ll show Emily and Isabella around,” Tomasine said. “I’d love to see Dara and the others while we’re here. We can bring your boys back for you.”

  Caroline agreed, and the women left while she and Saul prepared for the six hungry men who would arrive any minute.

  “They like you,” Saul said.

  “I haven’t known them long. Not properly. Marsh and I didn’t go out much, so most of the Middlemarch residents were only nodding acquaintances.”

  “They’re good women. They’ll be good friends you can trust.”

 
; “I’m figuring that out. Are you sure it will be okay for Isabella to stay at the homestead?”

  “Sure. Maria and Cam are easygoing.”

  “Does she have a knife?” someone called.

  Saul snorted. “Sounds as if the comedians have arrived for lunch. Let’s both pick up a knife.”

  Caroline grinned and turned to find her weapon of choice.

  * * * * *

  “Come to bed, kitten,” Marsh said.

  “There’s not enough room for this fabric.” She planted her hands on her hips as she surveyed the mess.

  “When Cam and Maria arrive home I’ll ask if there is a place you can set up your machine and organize your sewing. They might have an empty cottage or an idea we haven’t considered.”

  “You’d do that?”

  “Kitten. Of course, I’d do that for you. I want you to be happy and sewing pleases you. I know you regretted giving up your course at varsity, and I love seeing you so animated about a project. I watched you at dinner tonight, discussing sewing and knitting and the market. This idea excites you. It’s good for you and all the funds that pour into the Feline council help the shapeshifter community. I can’t see any downside.”

  “I’m lucky to have you. Some men don’t like—”

  “I think I’m the lucky one. Bed,” he repeated. “I don’t know about you, but I’m tired.”

  Caroline went to him and kissed his brow. “I guess staying out overnight watching for sheep rustlers is tiring.”

  Marsh yawned. “Bloody glad it’s not my turn tonight.”

  “Do you think they’ll come again?”

  “Hamish thinks so, and he’s in charge when Cam isn’t here.”

  She let Marsh guide her toward their bedroom. “You get ready for bed. I’ll check on the boys first.”

  “They’re both asleep. Ricky is snoring.”

  “Now I have to check to see if you’re right.”

  “I’ll do the I-told-you-so when you get in bed,” Marsh said with a yawn.

  “Go to bed. I’ll be there in a minute.” Before he could argue, she trotted down the passage toward the boys’ rooms.

  James had curled up in a ball, his breathing steady. She resettled the blankets around his form and gave in to the urge to touch, brushing his curls off his forehead. A wave of love filled her, and she knew she’d made the right decision. She could never leave her children, no matter what genes they carried.

  And Marsh…

  She smiled into the darkness and stood.

  Ricky was snoring, his limbs twitching as if he were running. Of their two children, he’d been the most excited about turning into a cat. James drew black leopards, but Ricky had run around growling at everyone.

  Marsh laughed and said he’d grow out of it. This was new to him.

  Caroline resettled the covers Ricky had kicked off and leaned over to kiss his brow. Satisfied, the boys were settled, she returned to their bedroom. Marsh was also snoring. A grin curled her lips. There would be teasing tomorrow. She partially closed their door, leaving it ajar so she could hear if either of the boys needed them and pulled off her clothes.

  She was tired herself, her muscles aching from lugging around boxes of fabrics. Emily and Tomasine had left and she and Isabella had gone through the boxes of supplies she’d purchased. It would be like having her own shop, and already her mind spun designs. She hadn’t felt this enthusiastic about sewing and designing for a long time.

  Although she’d protested the cost, Isabella had waved the subject away. She had funds, she’d said, that she didn’t know how to spend and this investment was gold.

  “Besides, learning how to sew buttons and hems and anything else you need done will give me more purpose. I help Emily in the café, but I need to do other stuff.”

  Curiosity had propelled Caroline to ask, “What did you do before you came to Middlemarch?”

  “I was an assassin.” She delivered this in a flat tone that from any other person Caroline would have cried fib.

  “Truth?”

  Isabella nodded, treating Caroline like a nervous animal that might flee at any second. “Ask Tomasine.”

  “I suppose there aren’t many job openings for an assassin in Middlemarch.”

  “No, that’s why I’m looking for something to fill my time.”

  “Do you know any martial arts?”

  “Yes.”

  “Get your teaching certificate or whatever you need to teach and hold classes for the kids. In the country, there aren’t many opportunities for the kids. They’d love something like that. You could run classes for all ages. The local women might enjoy learning self-defense or you could run a fitness class. I’m sure there are situations where it is best for shifters to remain in human form. Discuss it with your Feline council.”

  “You are a genius,” Isabella said. “I’ll talk to Saber.”

  “I presume an assassin needs to keep fit. You could do a boot camp fitness class. Rugby is starting and people will want to get in training for the zombie run.”

  Isabella had grabbed her in a hug and kissed her square on the mouth, shocking Caroline into silence. Saul had laughed hard enough to bust a gut. Caroline slid into bed, smiling at the memory.

  “Why are you smiling?”

  “Isabella kissed me today.”

  “What?” Marsh sounded more awake.

  “She was excited about the ideas I suggested. I think she’s bored and needs things to keep her busy.”

  “That’s okay then. Leo is my friend. I’d hate to tell him our mates have run off together. I wouldn’t like it either.”

  “Good to know,” she said and snuggled closer.

  * * * * *

  A growl woke her. High-pitched and loud, right next to her ear. Groggy from sleep, Caroline turned her head, trying to escape. Something furry brushed against her cheek, her eyes flicked open and she screamed, rolling from bed and getting tangled in the covers. She toppled to the floor, her gaze on the fluffy black cat quivering near her pillow. Its green eyes were big and wide, and it let out a cry.

  Marsh came running from the bathroom, a towel around his waist. He scooped up the cat and held it, stroking along its spine until the animal purred.

  Caroline slapped her hand over her yawn. “Where did it come from? James and Ricky must have sneaked it inside.”

  “Back in a minute,” Marsh said in a terse voice.

  Caroline picked herself up off the floor and pulled on her dressing gown. She stuffed her feet in her slippers just as Marsh appeared, the cat still in his arms.

  Caroline frowned at the fluffy black bundle. It purred like a motor boat with each stroke of Marsh’s fingers. “It’s big for a domestic cat.”

  “You’d better take a seat,” Marsh said, a strange expression on his face.

  “Why? James? Ricky? Is something wrong?”

  James appeared behind Marsh, his black curls sticking up at right angles. That answered part of her question.

  “Ricky?”

  “This is Ricky,” Marsh said.

  “What? But…” Caroline parked her butt on the corner of their bed, her knees giving out on her. “I don’t understand. I thought only teenagers…” She stared at the purring cat—leopard—in Marsh’s arms. Her mouth worked but not a sound emerged.

  Marsh stroked Ricky, and their son purred louder, lifting his head, so Marsh could stroke under his chin.

  “How?” she asked. “Will he change back?”

  “In theory,” Marsh said, his gaze on her.

  “Theory?”

  “He’s only three. I’ve never heard of children shifting this early, not apart from Sylvie.”

  Caroline puffed out a breath. “Sylvie is okay.”

  “I…hell.” Marsh set Ricky on the bed beside Caroline and Ricky sidled up to her. Automatically, she stroked his back and soon his loud rumbly purrs filled the bedroom.

  “Marsh, what aren’t you telling me?”

  “He’s three. Getting him to un
derstand how to shift might be more difficult than it was with Sylvie. Felix told me, the shift terrified her, and he worried she wouldn’t shift back. The first shift is painful.”

  Caroline understood everything Marsh didn’t state aloud. Ricky had to want to shift back to his human form, and given Ricky’s disappointment at not being able to shift until he was a teenager plus the pain angle, their son might stay in feline form.

  “Can you talk to him?”

  “I’ll do my best,” Marsh promised.

  James sidled closer and climbed on the bed, his eyes wide. “Wow.”

  “Yes,” Caroline said dryly.

  Ricky gave her hand a nudge because she’d stopped patting him.

  “It’s time to get moving.” Marsh scooped up Ricky.

  Caroline watched them leave, fear swooping through her belly.

  “Is that Ricky?” James asked.

  “Yes,” Caroline said. “Don’t you dare copy him, James Rutherford. This is not a contest.”

  “I can draw him.”

  Caroline exhaled, aware she’d been sharp with her son. “Yes, of course you can. Ask Daddy to take photos for you. Ricky will be in his human form soon.”

  She hoped.

  Chapter Eleven

  On automatic pilot, Caroline grabbed a box of breakfast cereal from the pantry and plonked it on the kitchen table. She put on the jug and walked to a cupboard to get out plates. Her son—her three-year-old son had transformed into a leopard.

  James entered the kitchen, then she heard a growl and the clack of claws against the tiled kitchen floor. She turned from the cutlery drawer in time to see Ricky leap at James’s back. Her oldest son landed with a crash, sending a chair toppling to the floor.

  Ricky put his furry head close to James’s and growled, white teeth flashing.

  “Ricky!” Caroline darted closer to grab Ricky, and he bared his teeth at her. Undeterred, she reached out to seize him by the scruff, and her son clawed her, hissing and spitting when James attempted to struggle free.

  Caroline winced as her breaths sawed in and out and the pain kicked in. She gaped at the lines of blood that formed on her forearm.

  “Ricky.” Marsh tone was harsh and growly. “Let James up.”

  Ricky continued to hiss and spit, and Marsh moved so fast, Caroline blinked. He grabbed Ricky by the scruff and held him up, then roared at his son in a feline manner. There was an instant of stunned silence then Ricky went limp in Marsh’s grip. He gave a tiny whimper, and Marsh placed him on the floor.