Second Chances Read Free Page A

her own mount, she wouldn’t be frightened,” Kenzi replied trying not to notice Mrs. Mortimer’s flushed skin.

“That would be wonderful. She, ah, had a bad fall about a year ago and hasn’t wanted to be near a horse since. Feel free to take her riding any time she wishes to go, except at night. I must draw the line somewhere,” Mrs. Mortimer said waving a hand at them dismissively.

Kenzi nodded and walked with Molly to the stables. Apparently, Mrs. Mortimer had called the stables to tell them to mount two horses. Kenzi walked around the horse that she was to ride with Molly and eyed it critically.

“Oh, Tempest is a fine horse, miss. She loves to stroll the grounds but watch her cuz she’ll take to a trot quickly if you’re not careful. Threw Mr. Mortimer a couple months ago cuz he didn’t heed my warning,” said the elderly groom.

“She looks like a fine horse. I haven’t seen such a fine saddle since I was in Scotland. I’m sorry I’m Kenzi, what is your name?”

The groom swept his hand through his hair and grinned broadly. “I’m Toby, ma’am. Pleased to meet you.”

After helping Molly onto the horse after Kenzi mounted, Toby returned to the barn. Molly held onto Kenzi tightly until she realized that they weren’t going at more than a slow gallop.

“Are you all right, Molly?” Kenzi asked leaning back slightly.

“Yes, Miss Kenzi, I’m okay. Where are we going?”

“Well, I thought you could tell me,” Kenzi suggested.

“I don’t know where anything is,” Molly said as she loosened her grip on Kenzi.

“Oh, well, then we’ll just let Tempest take us where she wishes. How about that?”

Molly nodded and moved her arms down around Kenzi’s waist. They rode for a while on a path through the woods.

They’d been riding for about a half hour before they reached a clearing on top of what appeared to be a cliff with about a fifteen foot drop to water so clear they could see the bottom was somewhere around fifty feet deep.

“Oh, isn’t that beautiful, Molly?” Kenzi asked gently and pointed to the water below them.

“Is it safe to swim in there?” Molly asked looking down.

“It looks safe. I don’t see any jagged rocks or logs in there that would hurt someone. Maybe we’ll come back some other time and find our way down there to swim,” Kenzi said as she clucked to the horse leading it away from the edge.

“Miss Kenzi?”

“Yes, Molly?”

“Can I tell you a secret?” Molly asked her eyes flashing with worry.
 
    “ Of course you can, Molly.  My lips are sealed.”
    “One you can’t tell nobody, especially…mommy,” Molly said.

“Why don’t you whisper it in this ear and I promise I won’t tell anyone,” Kenzi said gesturing to the ear that was closest to the microphone.

“I want to go home. I don’t like it here,” Molly whispered.

“You don’t like it on the island?” Kenzi asked trying to draw out a confession that Molly wasn’t a Mortimer.

“I want my mommy and daddy. She’s nice and all but I don’t like her,” Molly whispered.

“You want to go back to the house to be with your mommy and daddy?” Kenzi asked gently brushing Molly’s dark hair away from her eyes.

“No, that’s not my house. I want to go to my real mommy and daddy. I’m not Molly I’m Janey! I hate Molly but that’s what they call me,” Molly said as tears formed in her eyes.

“I have to call you Molly even if that’s not your real name, okay? I won’t tell anyone your secret, okay?” Kenzi asked hugging Molly’s little body to her.

Shawn heard everything Molly had told Kenzi. They had a problem, Kenzi couldn’t get away with Molly after the first day and neither could he.

Kenzi knew as well as he did that they would have to wait for the right moment. The poor child was obviously traumatized but she would have to wait until Kenzi and Shawn had built up some trust with the Mortimers and could safely get her out of there.

He