Page 79 of Never Leave Me
“You can give it back to me once Harrison is able to commission one just for you.”
Will took the ring and forced it into Harrison’s hand. “We must give Lord Worth no reason to question the authenticity of your vows.”
That was all the prodding Harrison needed. He took the ring and placed it on the open prayer book the priest was holding.
As the priest blessed the ring, the delicate gold band with the intricate vines and flowers twined together mocked Ellen. Harrison wouldn’t commission a ring for her. Not when their marriage wasn’t real. Because it wasn’t, was it?
After all, Harrison had assured her he was only staying as long as it took to get the holy water into the vault. Of course, now with their attempt to thwart Lord Worth, Harrison would have to remain at least until he could show himself publicly and prove he was here.
But after that, Ellen would do everything she could to convince Marian and Will to let Harrison have their last flask of holy water. She didn’t want him to be in the past in the middle of the danger. She wanted him as far from it as possible.
Harrison reached for her third finger and began to slip on the ring, repeating after the priest. “With this ring I thee wed. With my body, I thee worship. And with all my worldly goods, I thee endow. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
As he finished, his gaze dropped to hers. For an instant, it was as if the curtains had been thrown back. Raw emotion—dare she say love?— emanated in the beautiful green depths of his eyes. Both Marian’s and Dad’s declarations about Harrison loving her rang in her mind. Were they right? Did he love her?
As if sensing her question, he shifted his attention to her hand and the ring. And in the next instant as he glanced up, it was as if he’d yanked the curtains closed. Only his usual friendly warmth remained.
Was that how she’d missed his love? Because he’d become adept at hiding it from her? Even as she examined his face again for any hint of his feelings, she knew she wasn’t being fair to blame him.If he’d gotten good at hiding his emotions, he’d done so because he’d known she would get scared—just like she had the last morning in Saint Lucia.
The priest linked their right hands together. “Those whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.”
Let no man put asunder.The words reverberated through Ellen along with the reality of what she was doing. She’d just made sacred vows to Harrison. And if by some miracle they both returned to the present, she couldn’t disregard them, could she?
She and Harrison needed to have a talk later. This was all thrust upon them so hastily that they hadn’t had time to discuss the ramifications of their decision.
“...have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a ring, and by joining of hands. I pronounce that they be man and wife together.”
They were man and wife. A strange thrill whispered through her, one mingled with fear. She’d never believed she’d get married. And here she was. A married woman.
The priest closed the holy book and smiled at them benevolently.
Would he make the declaration of kissing the bride? Or was that not yet a part of wedding ceremonies of 1382?
Will slapped Harrison on the back. “Come. Bring your bride. And we shall drink in celebration.”
Harrison nodded. “First we must dispatch a messenger to Lord Worth, letting him know of the marriage.”
Will offered one of his rare smiles. “I have seen it already done. Erelong, word will spread throughout the countryside of the nuptials.”
As they returned to the great hall to celebrate, the minstrels struck up a tune, the servants poured the wine freely, and the conversationwas festive. As Ellen sat next to Harrison, her thoughts turned again to Saint Lucia, their dancing all night and watching the sunrise on the beach. She’d loved every moment of their time together ... because even though they’d been with everyone else, she’d felt like they were in their own world together.
But tonight, though they were sitting side by side, she felt far away from him. Harrison was distracted by how different everything in the Middle Ages was—the food, clothing, furniture, and customs. And then, when he wasn’t exclaiming over something or another, he was speaking to Will or Dad.
As the conversation shifted to planning for the takeover of the wellspring at St. Sepulchre, she was sure Harrison had forgotten she still sat beside him.
Harrison bent over a parchment map her dad had sketched of old Canterbury—an attempt to replicate a large map he’d once displayed in his terraced home on St. Peter’s Street. “I believe the tunnel is here. And it crosses here into St. Sepulchre.” He dragged his finger to another location.
Will sipped wine from his goblet and followed the path. “You are certain a passageway leads into the priory?”
Dad gave a small shrug. “The Romans dug underground passageways during their occupation of the British Isles. While I believe this one leads into St. Sepulchre, I can’t know for certain it does until we get down there. But I have memorized numerous routes and can hopefully guide us there one way or another.”
Harrison traced the path her father planned to use. “The question is whether the tunnels will be damaged now as a result of the earthquake.”
“We can clear it out as we go, can’t we?” Dad asked.
“Let us pray so.” Will focused on the map. “Where does the tunnel emerge within the grounds of St. Sepulchre Priory?”
Her dad reached for a handful of honey-glazed almonds fromthe bowl at the center of the table. He popped them in his mouth, and while he chewed, he studied the small area on the map that appeared to be St. Sepulchre.
