Free Enchanted Cottage (Avador Book 3, Books We Love Fantasy Romance) by Shirley Martin

here. She would continue without him.
    Rising from the chair, she brushed her hand across her face to dry her tears. Something felt different—her skin! Fewer blemishes marred her cheeks than before, she could tell. To satisfy herself, she rushed to her bedroom and reached for the hand mirror. Holding it up, she saw, as she suspected, fewer blemishes dotting her face. Strange but wonderful. Oh, so wonderful! Why had those splotches disappeared? She almost looked like the Alana Cullain from Cairn, before Morag’s curse.
    A jumble of emotions sent her head spinning. Now that he’s gone, I look so much better than yesterday . Oh, the irony of it! A fresh spate of tears threatened to fall, but she fought her grief. She wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. She missed Colin unbearably, but no longer did she have a face that frightened people away.
    Just think! If she continued to improve—to look normal again—she could return to her village. She would confront Morag Delaney and vindicate herself. She would prove herself innocent of practicing black magic and resume her old life again. All she needed was courage.
    Don’t get your hopes up. For all she knew, this improvement might be only temporary. She might look ugly again tomorrow. She rose from the chair, filled with resolve and a determination to be optimistic. And see what tomorrow would bring.
    The next day, Alana could scarcely wait for daylight, so anxious was she to see her face. In the darkness of her bedroom, she ran her fingers across her cheeks. Smooth, absolutely smooth! As the rising sun turned the western sky from lavender to pink, and a golden glow lit the land, Alana jumped from her bed and reached for the mirror on her dresser. She held the mirror in front of her and smiled as she hadn’t smiled in a long time. Setting the mirror down, she sang a little tune, dancing around the room. Goddess, thank you, thank you . She mustn’t be vain; no, she knew that was sinful. But oh! To look normal again! Happiness consumed her.
    And Colin, what about him ? She loved him; there would never be another man to take his place. As that cold reality sank in, her thoughts sobered. In desperation, she latched onto a premise she hoped and prayed would prove true. If their love was destined to be, he would come back into her life. Talmora, let it be so. For now, she had a life to live, and she must live it without him. So many possibilities lay in store, so many things she could do now, places to visit, people to see.
    And that reminded her of her last visit to Moytura. Her dresses, cape, and shoes must be ready by now. She would leave for the city soon and spend more time than she had on her last visit. No need to hurry home. She had the money from her sale of the bracelet, and the bracelet returned to her. She also had the money Colin had given her, coins she must spend sparingly. From here on, she must support herself. She couldn’t depend on the Goddess’s bounty for the rest of her life.
    Looking outside, she saw the grass wet from rain, a shower she had slept through. After breakfast, she waited a while for the ground to dry, then gathered her books from the Temple of Knowledge and set out along the forest path. How different this trek was from her journey a nine-day ago. Up and down hills she trod, the trees and bushes wet from the recent rain, dampening her dress. The trip seemed shorter this time, perhaps because happiness lent a spring to her step.
    The city came into view, its spires sparkling in the sunlight. First dropping her books off at the Temple, she headed for the dress shop. There, she saw in the window a lovely dress of light blue linen trimmed in lace and inquired about it. “I didn’t know you sold ready-made dresses here.”
    The proprietor greeted her with a smile. “Normally we don’t, but a wealthy woman changed her mind about buying it. If you’d like to try it on, we can make adjustments to fit you.”
    Feeling extravagant for the