She did as he bade and shone the light over the empty space in front of them. It no longer appeared empty. Instead, spanning the length of the gap between them and the stone wall were a series of bridges. Several boards of differing breadths traversed the area.
“With so many options, this seems like a test. Which one do we take?” she asked.
“That does appear to be the question,” he said.
Graeme came to his feet, and one by one he examined the bridges, pressing his hand against them. He would find the way across, and he would know the stone when he found it. This was his quest, his passion.
Vanessa understood that, understood the overwhelming desire to prove something, whether to prove it merely to yourself or to prove it to others. It was the primary foundation between the two of them, something they would be able to stand upon together for years to come. Perhaps she could have the science-minded marriage she had sought.
Of course, all of that depended on him keeping his hands off of her so she could keep her wits about her. If other women felt this way with their husbands, no wonder they fancied themselves in love. No wonder they became simpletons with nothing more in their brains than dresses and flirtations.
Well, Vanessa had no intention of allowing that to happen to her. If that meant she had to spend less time in Graeme’s bed, then so be it. She would have to comply every now and again. She couldn’t forsake her wifely duties—she wasn’t without certain conventions.
But to allow him to touch her whenever he wanted was out of the question. And she did not have the strength necessary to deny him. One simple kiss, and she’d be lost. She’d never again accomplish anything.
Even now, just thinking about him, she could feel her body betraying her, distracting her beyond reason. As if her memory could recall the sensations of their last lovemaking, her breasts tightened. She closed her eyes and took a deep and even breath.
“In the image of the tapestry,” Graeme said, “the knight was placing the stone into a partially constructed wall.”
Vanessa shook herself, annoyed that even the mere thought of his touch could so easily distract her from the task at hand. She was supposed to be assisting him, not standing here like a schoolgirl mooning over him. Perhaps she was deficient in some capacity, more susceptible to a lover’s touch, as even the mere thought of it made her reasoning disappear.
“So you think it’s one of the ones in the center of that wall?” she asked.
He exhaled slowly. “I don’t know. From this angle, they all look the same.”
“I suppose you’ll only know if you try,” she said.
“Very true.” He took off his jacket and handed it to her.
“You stay on this side.” He put her pouch of tools into the waistband of his trousers, then went to stand in front of the bridges. The one directly in front of him was wide, large enough for him to simply walk across. It certainly appeared to be the most sturdy of the group. The other boards varied in breadth, the one on the far left being the most narrow.
He put his foot on the wide plank in front of him and pressed downward; it held steady. “Here goes.” Graeme lifted his other foot off the ledge and set it on the bridge. It remained firm. He turned to face her. “It appears I’ve found the right one.”
But the words were no sooner out of this mouth than the board cracked. Vanessa grabbed his arm with both her hands just as the wood gave way, and he fell. He grabbed onto the ledge and hoisted himself up.
“Evidently that was not the correct choice,” she said. She swallowed hard against the fear that lodged in her throat. She smacked his arm. “That scared the devil out of me.”
“I didn’t much enjoy it myself.” Together they sat and eyed the wood planks in front of them. “No more guesses,” he said.
“Yes, please.”
They were quiet for several moments. All the while Vanessa contemplated the changes in her life since she’d met Graeme. She was not yet ready to be a widow, and it was on her lips to tell him so when he spoke.
“I think I’ve found it,” Graeme murmured. She stepped forward. “Which one?”
He pointed to the one in the far-left corner.
“Why that one? Simply because it is the most narrow and therefore the most dangerous?” she asked.
“No, because narrow is the way of the righteous,” Graeme said as he came to his feet.
“Of course, how foolish of us,” she said. Then before she could think better of it, she grabbed his face and pulled him in for a quick kiss. “Just in case.”
He nodded. “I believe this wall faces east, though without the sun I can’t be certain. Despite the image in the tapestry, I should think if the knights intentionally put the Stone of Destiny in this wall, they’d lay it first. The cornerstone, if you will,” Graeme said.
“Well, there are those who believe the Stone of Destiny was the cornerstone of David’s palace,” she said. “’Tis excellent logic.”
“True.” He exhaled slowly. Then, without another word, he stepped out onto the board. It creaked beneath his weight, but did not move. One foot and then the other, and the bridge held firm until he was on the other side.
