Longing (abridged) from The Fiery Cross

Diana provided this excerpt as a comparison of the unabridged and abridged audio tapes of her books. This excerpt is from the script for The Fiery Cross abridged audio tape. Please feel free to read "Longing For Home" in its entirety. [Please note, the title "Longing For Home," is the title I have given it, not what Diana called it.--Rosana]

But the longing for home was strong: my spacious hearth, with its huge cauldron and its roasting jack, the light-filled peace of my surgery, with the fragrant bunches of nettle and dried lavender overhead, dusty gold in the afternoon sun. My feather bed, soft and clean, linen sheets smelling of rosemary and yarrow.

Summoning up a wistful vision of this haven of delight, I smiled at Jamie, who was keeping me company.

Suddenly, a wail like an approaching ambulance betokened the appearance of Marsali, Joan in her arms.

"Da," she said to Jamie. "Ye've got to come. Father Kenneth's been arrested!"