Chapter2
Acold breezeblew over Aubriella, making her teeth chatter. She reached blindly for a blanket, finding nothing near. She cursed and opened her eyes to search for one. Bright sunlight streaming through the window momentarily blinded her. She blinked several times, trying to focus on the room. Where the hell was she? Nothing was recognizabletoher.
“How are you feeling?” a femaleasked.
Aubriella glanced up at the woman sitting next to the bed. The lady had a very old book in her hands. She picked up a ribbon, slid it into the book, and closed it before she set it on a nearby table. Her dark hair was pulled back into a braid and twisted into an elaborate knot at the back of her neck. Her beauty made Aubriella feel inferior incomparison.
“I’m…” Her voice came out hoarsely. She cleared her throat and tried to speak again. “I’mcold.”
The woman nodded and then stood. She walked across the room and opened a chest. When she came back, she had an olive-green blanket in her hands. She unfolded it and placed it overAubriella.
“Is that better?” sheasked.
Aubriella nodded as she pulled the blanket closer. “It is. Thank you.” Why was she helping her? The last thing Aubriella remembered was going through the mirror to assist—she bolted upward. The man, where was he? Had he brought her to thisplace?
“Where am I?” Aubriella asked. “Whoareyou?”
The woman smiled and patted her arm. “You have no need to worry. You’re under my brother’s protection. No one will harm you here at KingsbridgeCastle.”
Kingsbridge Castle? Why was that name familiar? She wracked her brain trying to place it. She’d earned her doctorate in history and specialized in both English and Scottish history. There was a fount of information on the battles they’d fought over the centuries. She had always been fascinated with how the United Kingdom had come into being. If her brain wasn’t so muddled, she’d be able to place the castle and its location. Castles, in particular, had alwaysfascinatedher.
“Kingsbridge,” she said more to herself. Saying it aloud helped her tothink.
“Yes,” the lady replied. “What can you tell me ofyourself?”
Aubriella chewed on her lip. “Kingsbridge,” she said again and snapped her fingers. “I’m still in England.” Of all the places for her to end up… Kingsbridge castle had alwaysfascinatedher.
The earls at Kingsbridge had a good relationship with their Scottish neighbors and often sided with them more than the English crown. They were lucky to retain control of the lands in most cases. There was one instance where the king had demanded the earl marry a duke’s daughter or he’d strip him of the title and land. Whenwasthat?
“Yes,” the lady patted her again. “Are you afraid of someone? Do you wish to go toScotland?”
Aubriella glanced up at her, startled. She’d forgotten the lady was there. Perhaps she could be of use. “What yearisit?”
It was the lady’s turn to be surprised. “How hard did you hityourhead?”
Why did everything have to be done the hard way? It would be much easier if the lady had simply answered her. Now she had to pretend a bit to be addled for her to aid her. Aubriella raised her hand and rubbed the side of her head. It wasn’t difficult to feign injury. Her headdidhurt somethingfierce.
“I’m not sure,” she said and winced. “Please tell methedate.”
The lady frowned. “It is August 3, 1819,” she finally answered. “Does thathelpyou?”
It did, but probably not for the reason the lady thought. It gave her an idea where they were in history. The current earl was probably the man she’d seen in the mirror. He’d hurt a great deal. If her head didn’t pain her, she’d be better able to read the lady at her side. She was working on pure instinct, and so far, it hadn’t gotten heranywhere.
“Yes,” she replied. “Itdoes.”
“The date isimportant?”
“It is to me,” Aubriella said. It helped ease some of her anxiety. The lady, though, seemed even more stressed. “Please don’t fret over me. I have a hard head and will be fine.” At least she hoped so. She didn’t like having her gift muted. She hadn’t realized how much she’d relied on it until it wasn’t there for her toreach.
“That may be true,” the lady said, then smiled warmly. “Either way, we’ll help you. Do you feel up to a visit with my brother? He’s been anxiously waiting for word of your condition. The doctor left strict instructions not towakeyou.”
Aubriella wanted to know their names, but didn’t want to be rude and ask her outright. The easiest way to achieve her goal was to be blunt with her own name. “Thank you, my lady.” She lifted her lips into a welcoming smile. “My name is Aubriella Byrne, and I’m inyourdebt.”
“More my brother’s than mine, Miss Byrne.” She sat on the bed. “I am Lady Odessa Barrington. My brother is the Earl of Thornbury. You’ll meethimsoon.”
So she had guessed correctly. If she was right, and she usually was, then the current earl was the son of the earl who’d been forced to marry the duke’s daughter. She’d always wondered about that particular story. Why had the king been so insistent? What had the earl done to offend him? Maybe it hadn’t been that at all. The king may have believed he was doing the previous earl a favor. When she found the chance, she’d quietly inquireaboutit.
This was the best thing that had ever happened to her. The scholar inside of her wanted to dig deep and take as much information as she could home with her. If she ever did return home… Elizabeth Kendall’s journal hadn’t had a lot of information on traveling through the mirror. Her leap through had been an educated guess from the information she’d hadonhand.
