from? Suddenly, the tree grew brighter. She squinted and lifted her hand to shield the light from her eyes. It was as if the bark parted—and in the middle stood a person in silhouette. Halle couldn’t tell if it was a man or woman.
“ Come this way, ” the voice said again.
Curious, she stood and moved closer. Who could be doing this? But what amazed her more was that her mind had become transfixed. A magnetic tug kept her moving forward until everything around her turned white.
Perhaps she’d died alongside Andrew. After all…she felt no pain, except in her heart over Andrew’s death.
A fog swirled in her mind, making her dizzy. She fought to keep her eyes open, but couldn’t as darkness fell upon her.
Chapter Seven
A fuzzy cloud hung thick in Halle’s head, and yet a bright light shined upon her. It was the sun, more than likely, so then why didn’t she feel more heat to help warm her chilled limbs. Perhaps it was still snowing.
Her head pounded, and she didn’t dare open her eyes for fear the light would make it worse. She tried to let the sounds and smells around her alert her to what was going on. Slowly, tingles of awareness spread through her body, making her feel more alive than she had a few moments ago.
“Come this way.”
There’s that voice again. Yet this time it seemed closer than before when she’d heard it by the tree. And the voice clearly came from a woman.
“There she is, my lord. I found her lying right here.”
Halle still didn’t open her eyes, but soon shadows covered the brightness mere seconds before warm, chubby fingers curled around her arms. Halle breathed in deeply. The scent of freshly baked bread stirred her hungry stomach. The person beside her must have just come from eating—or cooking—bread.
“She does not appear to be hurt.” A man’s voice broke the uncomfortable silence.
There are two of them? Although the pounding in Halle’s head hadn’t subsided, she forced her eyes open. Bright light silhouetted the man and older woman kneeling beside her. Their faces were unrecognizable. Halle squinted and turned her head to escape the light. Groaning, she willed the sharp pain in her head to disappear.
“Miss? I say, are you all right?” the man asked, his voice harsh with authority.
Grass…dewy and slippery, dampened her palms as she tried to sit up. The moisture seeped into her dress as well. What had happened to the snow? She shivered. “I do have a headache, and I’m cold.”
The man leaned closer and sniffed. “Miss, are you foxed?”
She placed her hand on his shoulder and pushed him away. Her vision was still slightly blurred and with him so close, it made her dizzy. “No. I haven’t had any alcohol.”
“Can you stand, dearie?” The chubby woman encouraged gently as she tugged on Halle’s arm.
“I think so.” With the help from the two, Halle was soon on her feet. She swayed and fell against the man. He wrapped an arm around her waist to hold her steady.
“My lord,” the woman said, “I think we should get her inside by the fire. Do you not agree?”
“I don’t know, Gertie,” the man said warily. “We still have no clue to her identity.”
Halle blinked, trying to keep her eyes open. “Please stop talking as if you don’t know I’m right here listening.” She tugged away from the man. “I’m fine. I just passed out, I guess.”
“You are an American.” The man stated the obvious.
“Well, duh!” Halle focused on his face now that the sun wasn’t obstructing her view. Familiarity pricked at her conscience, yet she couldn’t place a name to him. He must be one of the people in the reenactment, even though it wasn’t anyone that’s she remembered seeing. Yet, if he was, why hadn’t he changed out of his costume? Obviously, it was morning from the way the bright sun lit up the sky, so why is he still wearing his historical-looking duds?
He stood next to her looking as though he’d just returned from riding.
“ Come this way, ” the voice said again.
Curious, she stood and moved closer. Who could be doing this? But what amazed her more was that her mind had become transfixed. A magnetic tug kept her moving forward until everything around her turned white.
Perhaps she’d died alongside Andrew. After all…she felt no pain, except in her heart over Andrew’s death.
A fog swirled in her mind, making her dizzy. She fought to keep her eyes open, but couldn’t as darkness fell upon her.
Chapter Seven
A fuzzy cloud hung thick in Halle’s head, and yet a bright light shined upon her. It was the sun, more than likely, so then why didn’t she feel more heat to help warm her chilled limbs. Perhaps it was still snowing.
Her head pounded, and she didn’t dare open her eyes for fear the light would make it worse. She tried to let the sounds and smells around her alert her to what was going on. Slowly, tingles of awareness spread through her body, making her feel more alive than she had a few moments ago.
“Come this way.”
There’s that voice again. Yet this time it seemed closer than before when she’d heard it by the tree. And the voice clearly came from a woman.
“There she is, my lord. I found her lying right here.”
Halle still didn’t open her eyes, but soon shadows covered the brightness mere seconds before warm, chubby fingers curled around her arms. Halle breathed in deeply. The scent of freshly baked bread stirred her hungry stomach. The person beside her must have just come from eating—or cooking—bread.
“She does not appear to be hurt.” A man’s voice broke the uncomfortable silence.
There are two of them? Although the pounding in Halle’s head hadn’t subsided, she forced her eyes open. Bright light silhouetted the man and older woman kneeling beside her. Their faces were unrecognizable. Halle squinted and turned her head to escape the light. Groaning, she willed the sharp pain in her head to disappear.
“Miss? I say, are you all right?” the man asked, his voice harsh with authority.
Grass…dewy and slippery, dampened her palms as she tried to sit up. The moisture seeped into her dress as well. What had happened to the snow? She shivered. “I do have a headache, and I’m cold.”
The man leaned closer and sniffed. “Miss, are you foxed?”
She placed her hand on his shoulder and pushed him away. Her vision was still slightly blurred and with him so close, it made her dizzy. “No. I haven’t had any alcohol.”
“Can you stand, dearie?” The chubby woman encouraged gently as she tugged on Halle’s arm.
“I think so.” With the help from the two, Halle was soon on her feet. She swayed and fell against the man. He wrapped an arm around her waist to hold her steady.
“My lord,” the woman said, “I think we should get her inside by the fire. Do you not agree?”
“I don’t know, Gertie,” the man said warily. “We still have no clue to her identity.”
Halle blinked, trying to keep her eyes open. “Please stop talking as if you don’t know I’m right here listening.” She tugged away from the man. “I’m fine. I just passed out, I guess.”
“You are an American.” The man stated the obvious.
“Well, duh!” Halle focused on his face now that the sun wasn’t obstructing her view. Familiarity pricked at her conscience, yet she couldn’t place a name to him. He must be one of the people in the reenactment, even though it wasn’t anyone that’s she remembered seeing. Yet, if he was, why hadn’t he changed out of his costume? Obviously, it was morning from the way the bright sun lit up the sky, so why is he still wearing his historical-looking duds?
He stood next to her looking as though he’d just returned from riding.
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