He did all those things while Bree’s mother chatted with Aunt Di and Princess Leeta. Princess Leeta asked her to be kind to Morla as the girl thought herself to be in love with Sir Garlain. Of course, it was just a crush, and Leeta promised to speak to her sister about it that very night.
Bree skipped the part where her mother danced with Garlain the first time, and the days after where they spent every moment they could together. Those accounts were a bit too personal for Bree and they weren’t what she was looking for. She spied Morla’s name again and focused.
The day Garlain announced his betrothal with Patricia and asked the king for his blessings, Morla stated that Patricia would die.
Bree stared at the words on the page. She had remembered correctly: Morla had prophesized the future, she was a seer.
Everyone present that day was aghast, and the kingberated Morla for her words. Leeta took Morla out of the hall and Patricia was left with a great sense of foreboding. Had Morla told the truth? Would she die?
Tears filled Bree’s eyes and tracked down her face, making the side of her nose itchy. As she scratched the offending itch, she wondered: if Morla hadn’t made that proclamation that day, would her mother still be alive? Had the fact that the princess said the words, made her premonition come true?
Bree’s mother did get sick and Garlain travelled with her to her time. Once the doctors discovered her pregnancy, she refused treatment.
Aunt Di and Uncle Mark travelled back to Pradwick Castle and relayed the news. Aunt Di spent some time with Morla on that trip and deduced Morla had no meanness about her with her predictions; she was trying to help. Yes, she thought she was in love with Garlain, but Leeta had made her see there was no future between her and Sir Garlain. Not only was he too old for her, but his heart also belonged to someone else. Morla’s own heart broke a little but she soon rallied, and she wanted nothing but happiness for Garlain. But when she saw what would come to pass, she spoke without thinking.
Bree gazed out of the window and let out a heartfelt sigh. Princess Morla did indeed have a talent for clairvoyance. And that thought had Bree wondering if the princess knew she had gone back in time to see her father. Was she the one who set all the traps? Was Morla trying to keep Bree from Garlain? If so, why?
She flipped through the rest of the diary and at the end, her mother’s last entry told how Garlain had promised, with Mark and Dianne’s help, to return to the present and take Bree home with him. He promised Patricia he would be a good father and love the child as he loved her.
Bree dropped the diary onto the bed. Garlain never fought for her. He let Dianne and Mark persuade him that living in what was the present then would be best for Bree. But as her father, he could have demanded that Mark and Dianne let her go back to the past with him.
Tears burned her eyes and she sobbed into her uninjured arm.
Maybe he didn’t really want Bree with him. A part of her could understand how having a small child would have been difficult especially in his time, but what about the promise he made to his wife? Didn’t that mean anything?
Maybe both he and Morla set the traps so Bree would turn around and never approach her father.
She curled up on her bed and let the racking sobs free.
A soft knock on the door sounded and Bree sniffed, wiped her eyes, and sat up.
“Bree?” Laura asked. “Are you in there?”
“The door’s open.” She bawled.
Laura opened the door and pushed it back half shut behind her. She was next to Bree in an instant, wrapping her arms around her. The comforting scent of lavender soap comforted Bree and she stopped sobbing.
“Shh, I’m here now,” Laura said. “What’s wrong?” She squeezed and Bree flinched.
Laura sat back and as she used her fingers to gently check Bree’s head and neck, she asked, “Are you hurt?”
Her hands slid down Bree’s arms and Bree flinched again.
“Youarehurt.” She moved to Bree’s side and picking up Bree’s arm by her wrist, she took a closer look at her arm. “Oh, my, that looks broken. I’ll call that lovely Doctor Carrie.”
Bree sniffed again. “No, don’t, it’s not broken. That’s not why I’m upset.”
“Why then?”
“My father never wanted me.”
Moving to the dresser, Laura plucked some tissues out the box and handed them to Bree. “Why do you say that?”
Bree noisily blew her nose. “He promised Mom he would come back for me, but he never did.”
“I’m sorry. Did you meet him? What was he like?”
“I haven’t met him, and I don’t know if I want to now.”
