Page 26 of Promises Made at Midnight
“Is everything alright, Ulrick,” Bridgette asked as they stood together in each other’s arms, the dance all but forgotten.
Her words brought him back from his musings and he could only stare in wonder at the woman before him. Those mesmerizing green eyes of hers were certainly going to be his undoing.
“Aye, I am well. Why do you ask?” he questioned her.
“One moment I swear you were going to kiss me and the next you’re frowning. Obviously, something has upset you,” she answered. Her eyes were etched in concern that perchance she was the reason for his sudden change in his demeanor.
“’Tis nothing,” he grumbled, until he realized she continued to intently watch him. A sudden rush of excitement filled his body with thoughts of kissing the lady who gently rubbed his arm with her thumb, as though to comfort him.
“You don’t appear as if it’s nothing, Ulrick,” she said in a hushed tone before she, too, began to frown. “Have I done something wrong? I don’t want people to think I don’t fit in here in the twelfth century.”
“My lady, you have done nothing to make anyone believe otherwise,” he replied confirming his thoughts but a moment ago, “unless ’tis your speech if others are close enough to hear your conversation.”
Her eyes widened before she looked around to see if she had been overheard. With no one paying attention, she stepped closer. “That’s a relief. So why do you continue to look as if you’re ready to hack away at someone with your sword?” she replied lowering her voice.
A snort escaped his lips. “I have no idea what you are talking about, my lady.”
A couple bumped into them reminding Ulrick that they had all but forgotten they were standing in the middle of the revelers with no participation on their part to continue the patterns of the dance.
Bridgette tugged on the sleeve of his tunic. “Come with me,” she all but demanded.
Ulrick hid his smile at the fierceness of her command. He followed, not knowing her objective. She did not lead them far, only to an alcove near the kitchen entrance. They were certainly in view of anyone who cared to see them but hidden enough that they could have a private word together.
She crossed her arms over her chest as if she mimicked his own stance when he was observing the training of the knights under his care. “Well? Were you going to kiss me or was that all my imagination?”
He was momentarily startled at her question and could barely hide his amusement. “My… you are a bold one, are you not, Lady Bridgette?” he murmured, watching her carefully.
She came to him, stepping so close he swore he could hear her heart beating within her chest. “You didn’t answer my question… did you want to kiss me?”
He watched her tongue sweep across the seam of her lips before she bit her lower one. Ulrick almost swept her into his arms to ensure this woman was kissed… thoroughly.
“I cannot kiss you here in the middle of the hall under the watchful eyes of our liege lord, Bridgette. He would have my head sitting on a pike outside his gate for such an atrocity, especially since I am more than aware you are under his care.”
Her laugh was bright before she answered him. “I hardly think a kiss is worthy of you being beheaded, Ulrick.”
“You have not been here long enough to truly know the Devil’s Dragon. ’Tis more than enough reason in his eyes. You are his ward and under his protection,” he reminded her, even as she moved closer to him.
“I don’t want to be under his protection,” she murmured, smoothing the fabric of his tunic. “I want to be under yours.”
“Such a confession is going to be my undoing,” he growled out, as he felt a part of him stir to life with her confession.
“I suspect it’ll be mine as well,” she said honestly. Her seductive smile caused his body to heat with a burning desire to make her his in every way. “Since I suppose I cannot fault you on your truly chivalrous nature, which is completely refreshing by the way, meet me up on the parapet at midnight. The dancing will be over by then and we can have a quiet word together, just the two of us.”
Before he could comment, she stood on the tips of her toes whilst pulling on the fabric of his tunic, causing him to lean down. Bridgette surprised him when she placed a gentle kiss upon his cheek. She left him standing there, completely dazed, whilst she returned to the dancing. God help him, but that woman was going to drive him insane.
CHAPTER18
Bridgette pulled the hood of her cape close around her head before opening the turret door. A blast of cold night air met her face, carrying the distinct salty smell of the ocean, invisible in the distance. Taking a deep breath, she made her way toward the battlement wall and up the stairs leading to the narrow parapet.
Disappointment filled her when she didn’t see Ulrick already there. Considering his words about her beingbold, perhaps she shouldn’t be surprised. Yes… she knew she was taking her fate into her own hands when she asked if he wanted to kiss her. Yes… she probably knew deep down inside what his answer would be. She hadn’t been wrong when he declined in the middle of the hall. But she swore he had wanted to kiss her, and she was more than ready for him to do just that! She was a modern woman used to taking care of herself stuck in medieval England where women had very little say on how their lives would be lived. Surely a kiss wouldn’t be too out of line and cause much trouble?
She shook her head. When she had kissed his cheek earlier, her lips had tingled from the contact of his skin. Her heart had soared along with her body, coming alive for the very first time as never before. She wanted to see what was happening between them because of their odd connection. For heaven’s sake, she had crossedTimefor this man! Good or bad, Bridgette had a gut feeling they were bound to one another, as though God had righted a wrong that they had been born in the different centuries. She just knew they were meant to be together. Now, she could only wonder if Ulrick felt the same.
Just thinking his name made her warm all over… and she meant,all over!She smiled as memories of their day together on the lists merged with the urgings of her heart. She had never wanted a man as much as she wanted Ulrick, and she supposed she would have some explaining to do at some point in their relationship that she wasn’t a virgin. Deep down Bridgette knew he was feeling the same way, which was exactly why she asked him to meet her here. In the dark… with only the moonlight to shine down upon them.
She waited another fifteen minutes with only her own thoughts rambling inside her head. Obviously, since he hadn’t joined her, she had made a horrific mistake. She wondered how she would redeem herself in his eyes with the rising of the sun. Maybe she wasn’t fitting in as well as she thought she had. Since she had learned that other women had previously made their way to Berwyck from the future, Bridgette had thought Ulrick would be used to them showing up unexpectedly. But she couldn’t expect a medieval knight to be completely accustomed to a woman who spoke her own mind and did as she pleased. Or could she? Lord Dristan certainly didn’t seem to mind that his wife was more than just a lady who gave him his offspring.
She turned to leave, ready to find her bed very much alone, when the turret door squeaked open. She smiled when she saw Ulrick making his way toward her. My God… would she ever get over how overwhelming his entire presence was? He was larger than life, in her opinion, with his dark red cape billowing in the breeze along with that long black hair when he approached. She was dying inside to feel its length running through her fingers.
