Page 17 of Promises Made at Midnight
It was Bridgette’s turn for her eyes to widen. “Little old lady with a kind face, white hair and twinkling blue eyes?” As Ulrick’s nod, Bridgette swore. “I was having a conversation with her by a fountain designed with a statue of a knight in its center… you to be exact.”
“’Tis not possible, Lady Bridgette. I assure you I have never been to this future world of yours, nor do I wish to be taken there.”
“All the same, the figure was you. She gave me a coin to toss in the fountain to make a wish…” her voice trailed off, not wanting to divulge the nature of her deepest desire.
“And what were you wishing for, Lady Bridgette?” Ulrick inquired, his dark brow arching with his question. He was clearly curious about what wish could have opened up the heavens to allow her to travel back in time.
He waited for her answer somewhat patiently before his hand clenched the arm of his chair, his knuckles turning white. She watched his every feature in mild fascination that he was really sitting here before her. She supposed she could have lied but what was the point? Shehadbeen wishing for him to be real and… well… now he was. “It was you,” she whispered, watching his eyes widen in surprise.
“Me? But you do not know me.”
“At the time I just wanted someone who was the personification of the statue I saw in front of me. How was I supposed to know that, when the coin ricocheted off the marble and I caught it, I’d be transported back in time? But there you were hovering over me when I woke up. What are we going to do now?”
He stood and held out his hand to assist her from the chair. The minute their fingers connected, those crazy little currents raced up her arm. She knew he felt it too from his sharp intake of breath. She could understand what he was going through, because the rapid beating of her heart felt as though it would burst from her chest.
“We will think of something. I will send in Amiria’s ladies to help you dress for the evening meal after Mass. We can attend together, if you would care to join us. That is, if you are feeling up to it. Otherwise, I will see that someone comes to your chamber to show you to the Great Hall at the appointed hour. Will that be satisfactory?” he inquired politely.
“Yes, and please call me Bridgette,” she murmured shyly.
He gave a short nod of his head. “And you must needs call me Ulrick. Under the circumstances, I believe ’tis only fitting. I will see you shortly.”
With another formal bow, he left, leaving her to gaze at the closed door, willing him to return. Shaking her head at the crazy situation she now found herself in, Bridgette went to sit on the edge of the bed. She tried to figure out how she was going to get herself out of this predicament, but she didn’t have a clue. Time travel… who knew?
Bridgette took a deep breath to steady her nerves and let it out slowly. With a new resolve, she figured she might as well enjoy the opportunity that had presented itself, since she had always been someone to land on her feet during difficult times in her life. If she was going to be stuck in time, at least she had the acting experience of portraying a lady of olden days. How much harder could it be to go back another few hundred years?
When a knock sounded at her door, she took another gulp of air to get herself into character once more and gave the call to enter. However hard this was going to be, she was about to find out. This was going to be one hell of an adventure!
CHAPTER13
Berwyck’s chapel was filled for the evening Mass. Ulrick listened as the priest droned on with his sermon. He was having a difficult time with his prayers, since the woman seated next to him continually fidgeted, either fingering the fabric of her dress or tapping her leg up and down at a brisk pace. The priest cleared his throat, hoping to gain her attention to his words but ’twas no use. Lady Bridgette appeared uncomfortable in the chapel, although why she should feel this way whilst offering her petitions to God was beyond his ken.
He leaned over to whisper in her ear. “My lady, be at ease. No harm shall come to you, and you must needs pay attention to Father Donovan.”
Her eyes pleaded with him to understand what was bothering her. She moved closer to him so she could answer him with a hushed tone of reverence. “I don’t know Latin, which means I haven’t any idea what he’s saying,” she said quietly, as she reached for his hand.
He was surprised at the gesture. It made him both uncomfortable and elated at the same time. Holding hands to touch someone so familiarly when you had only just met must be common practice in her future world. He squeezed her hand but briefly before letting go, knowing the good Father would not approve of an open display of affection from two people who had not pledged their troth. Was it his imagination, or did she look disappointed?
“Follow my lead,” he prompted softly. “He is almost over, and we must pay heed to his words.”
She nodded and folded her hands in her lap. They were shaking.
’Twas not much longer before Father Donovan gave the congregation his blessing with a final prayer. When the wordamenresounded in the chapel from those seeking forgiveness of their sins, everyone began to rise with the exception of Bridgette. He caught Amiria’s eye, and she nodded in the lady’s direction, so he sat back down on the bench next to her, waiting until they were alone.
“My lady,” Ulrick began, looking at tears glistening on the length of her lashes, “What may I do to ease your sorrow and suffering?”
Bridgette attempted a smile but ’twas a poor effort at best. “I’m not sure that you can. I’m feeling very overwhelmed at the moment. I thought I could do this but now I’m not sure I can.”
He reached over and took her hand and, as had happened before, goose bumps dashed up his arm when they touched. “I thought mayhap attending Mass would give you some semblance of comfort and would be familiar to you. ’Twas not meant to make you sad.”
She gave his hand a squeeze along with a heavy sigh. “I was raised Catholic but that’s the first time I’ve ever felt inadequate in church,” she confessed, with a catch to her words. “I thought it would be so easy to fit in, but maybe I was wrong to assume it would be similar to any other acting job in the guild. I’m generally not one to feel so melancholy. I tend to land on my feet no matter what life throws at me. But my being here… now… in this time and place… how does someone prepare for something of this nature?”
“I do not know how you could be prepared for such an anomaly, my lady. Please know we will be as helpful as possible to ensure your transition into our world until you can be returned to your own, if that is your wish.” Ulrick managed to deliver a smile with the declaration, no matter how unnerving this conversation was.
“That’s very kind of you. Lord Dristan and Lady Amiria have been thoughtful, too, welcoming a total stranger into their home, although I don’t think the lord of the manor is all that pleased that I’m here,” she replied whilst worry filled her eyes.
“They are used to their hall filled with guests and, as for my liege lord, he has accepted responsibility for you as his ward. You are under his protection and he will defend you to his last dying breath,” Ulrick declared with conviction.
“Well… I hope it won’t come to that,” she murmured, a short uncomfortable laugh escaping her lips. She raised those incredible green eyes to him as if searching for what only she knew for sure. She continued to wait for him to go on with the conversation. Perhaps she expected him to declare himself, but he could not make such a vow to a woman he barely knew.
