Page 80 of Never Leave Me
Will sat back in his chair. “I own freely to being in the grounds many times and have never seen any indication of a hatch.”
“I would venture the hatch has been covered in order to conceal it.” Dad dusted the sugar from his hands. “We’ll need a plan for removing the impediments.”
“I shall send a message to my sister, Christina, who is a nun at St. Sepulchre and shall ask her to locate the tunnel entrance and make certain the way is free of obstructions.”
Dad nodded, shocks of his thick gray hair standing on end. Ellen wanted to reach over and smooth down the hair along with smoothing the worried lines from his forehead. He wore the same harried, busy look he always had whenever she’d visited him in recent years. Apparently, traveling to the past hadn’t changed his perspective or his method of handling things. He was as distracted as always.
Was Marian disappointed she hadn’t been able to speak more privately with Dad and work at rebuilding their relationship? Time was running out for being with him. He had only two days left to live—unless they could somehow find a way to make sure he survived whatever calamity was yet to come.
“Right, then.” Dad patted the table and the map as if the matter was settled. “Tell your sister to be prepared tomorrow night. We’ll enter the nunnery under cover of darkness. Once inside, we’ll take Ickham’s guards by surprise. If they’re expecting an attack from the outside walls and gates, then they won’t be looking for us to infiltrate the priory from within.”
Dad believed the earthquake had opened up the wellspring—which was why he’d chosen to cross time in 1382 on May 21. He was surprised to learn that Will and two of his servants had dugat the site of the old wellspring and already reopened it. Apparently there hadn’t been much water. Will had sealed and locked the well, otherwise there wouldn’t be any water left.
“And the well?” Harrison pushed his empty goblet away. “Where exactly is it located within the grounds?”
Will pointed to a spot on the map. “Ickham has several guards posted around the well at all times. But he cannot open it, as I have the keys.”
Harrison leaned over the map again, studying it carefully. “Does Ickham know of the tunnel?”
“’Tis likely no one knows.” Will shot her dad a narrowed look, as though he was trying to understand how Dad knew so much not only about the earthquake but also about the tunnels underneath Canterbury.
Harrison smothered a yawn. His head wound had turned out to be superficial. She guessed his dizziness and weakness had more to do with waking up in 1382 than it had from banging his head.
Even so, the hour was late, and Harrison was likely exhausted just as she had been after her first day in the past. She tugged on his arm. “I prescribe rest for my patient. Time for bed.”
He cast her a brief smile. “I didn’t realize I was your patient.”
“Of course you are.” She smiled in return, but his attention immediately returned to the map.
Will pushed away from the table, eyeing her and Harrison. “There will be no slumber until your marriage is consummated.”
At Will’s bold words, Ellen bolted up from the bench. “Harrison is injured and tired—”
“You must consummate this night.” Will spoke the words matter-of-factly, as if discussion of the marriage bed was in the same category as the attack on St. Sepulchre. “We cannot give Lord Worth any reason to question the validity of your union.”
“You’re quite right.” Harrison didn’t look up from the map.
Her dad just cleared his throat before shoveling in another handful of sweetmeats.
Heat climbed into Ellen’s cheeks. She wanted to protest further but doing so would cast suspicion upon their hasty marriage. Instead, she stood awkwardly, uncertain what to say or do next.
Harrison picked up his empty goblet and twisted it as though examining its fine details. “You go ahead, love. I’ll be up shortly.”
She managed a nod before spinning and starting across the great hall. The train of her gown dragged through the rushes and her feet ached in her poor-fitting, slipper-like shoes. Even so, she tried to exit the room as gracefully as she could, especially with so many stares following her.
By the time she ascended the stairs, she felt as though she would melt from the heat of her embarrassment. Even within the confines of her chamber, as the maidservants helped her from her gown into a shift of lightweight linen, their knowing smiles made her want to duck under the covers and disappear.
She allowed one to brush her hair until it had the sheen of spun gold while the other scattered juniper and flowers across the floor and turned down the bedcovers. Finally, they led her to the bed and situated her against a mound of pillows, leaving one candle aglow on the bedside table.
After they left the room, her stomach twisted into knots. Surely Harrison didn’t intend to go through with consummating their marriage, did he? The question had been plaguing her since leaving the great hall, and now it arose with a clamor.
And if he did? Would it be so bad? After all, the attraction between them was undeniable—or at least it had been in Saint Lucia. She didn’t want to make their marriage official, did she?
For so long she’d closed herself off to men and relationships that she wasn’t sure she could set herself free to embrace the possibility. There were still too many unknowns.
But what about Harrison’s needs and desires? She wanted him to be happy and fulfilled. The question was—did he truly love her and want this marriage for real? Or was he only going along with her once again because he was so accommodating and sweet?
“The priest will validate that the deed is done.” Will’s voice came from the corridor outside the chamber.
