The Healer's Apprentice — Brenda Hasse

Fate may be unkind, but it decides one's destiny...Edinburgh, Scotland - February 1786Sixteen-year-old Haggadah and her ill mother share an overcrowded apartment with others. They scavenge for food and beg for coins to survive. Rumors of a new bridge have become a reality. They must vacate their home before their tenement building is dismantled to make way for the construction. Now homeless, Haggadah and her mother sleep in a sheltered alley for the night.Living on the street for years, Tavish has many friends among the homeless. The young man sees Haggadah sitting in the shadows, is attracted to her kind face and mesmerizing eyes, and recognizes her mother's dire condition. Fearing Haggadah may become a victim of prostitution, Tavish turns to the elderly town healer, the only person he knows who can help.Unfortunately, Haggadah believes the healer is a witch, or worse yet, Half-Hangit Maggie, who murdered her infant, was hanged but survived. Tavish must convince Haggadah to escort her mother to the healer's cottage. Will she agree, unaware that the person she fears can change the course of her life?