The Promise by T. J. Bennett

Author:T. J. Bennett [Bennett, T. J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, General
ISBN: 9781933836966
Google: zNGO3TzgNWMC
Publisher: Medallion Press, Inc.
Published: 2009-04-14T16:00:00+00:00

“Did you hear something?” Fritz raised his head from the cold stone floor where he had spread out one of the blankets for his bed. Light from the full moon streamed through the high window, casting pale shadows across his lean face.

Inés hesitated for a moment, hearing the same sound as he. Apparently, Fritz had not the experience to recognize the faint cries of lovers in the throes of passion. She smiled bitterly and peered over the edge of the bed at him.

“Someone’s having a dream. Go to sleep.”

“Nay, there it is again. I should call one of the monks. It sounds as though they might need help.”

He started to lever himself up off the floor and then groaned, clutching at his shoulder. Even in the dark, she could see his grimace of pain.

Inés sat up and glared at him.

“I tell you, someone is having a dream. You are in no condition to help regardless. Since you insist on using the floor as your bed, lie down on it and be still.”

His eyes shifted to hers, and she saw their cool glitter. “Yes. What good could I possibly be to someone in need? Mayhap I should just lie down and ignore it,” he muttered.

“Why do you say that?” she demanded. Her voice sounded strange in this darkness, as if it did not belong to her.

He did not answer. Not for the first time, she noted his oblique reference to what had happened in the woods. Yet he would pursue the subject no further when she inquired. She wanted to talk about it. Needed to. But no one had asked, as if they were afraid to hear the answers, and she did not volunteer.

Long minutes passed. She heard the blanket rustle while he shifted back and forth. She imagined he tried to find a comfortable place on the unyielding floor. She sat up and peered down at him once more.

“I was right. You are a fool,” she accused.

He did not even look up.

“What are you talking about now?” His voice sounded weary.

“Here there is a perfectly good bed in this chamber, and you refuse to take advantage of it. Why?”

This time he did look up. “Mayhap because it is already occupied.”

She gingerly sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Every muscle in her body screamed from her ordeal. “I told you to take it. You are far more injured than I.”

He snorted and glowered at her. “Oh, yes, which would say a great deal for me, wouldn’t it? You already think that I am a silly boy who needs his mama’s care.” He shook his finger at her. “Well, man or boy, I still know enough not to let a lady sleep on the floor while I snore comfortably in bed!”

He rolled away from her but hissed when his injured shoulder struck the stone.

Her anger flared. “I told you, I am no lady!”

He rolled back.

“By whose words?” he demanded.

Her lower lip quivered, and for all the gold in the world, she could not have prevented the sob breaking forth.

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