Standing with the rough wood at her back, she chided herself. Wild beast! She should have remained where she was, no matter how uncomfortable she felt under his gaze. He was only a man.
Instead she sprinted across the floor and crawled under the covers of her bed. After a few minutes, the front door opened and footsteps sounded on the stairs. The slow tread stopped before reaching the top. She forced her breath out, squeezed her eyes, and waited.
Before long the footsteps sounded again, but instead of coming into her room they headed back down the stairs. Just when she thought it would never come, she heard the faint sound of the front door open and close. She kept her eyes shut until her heart slowed its racing beat.
Again she prayed, finding the peace she’d been searching for earlier. She had asked God if Seattle was His plan for her. Obviously it was not. And while she didn’t buy into the 1580 princess idea one-hundred percent, God could do anything. If He wanted her in 1580, she’d be in 1580.
She slept restlessly.
****
A smiling Margaret met her the next morning with an armful of clothing. “Good morning, Princess Lexy! Did you sleep well?”
She groaned. Even Margaret’s voice was bright. “Not particularly.”
Margaret walked past her and nodded. “Always is a mite hard to sleep in a strange place.”
Strange being the operative word.
Margaret hummed and placed her bundle on the unmade bed. “Your breakfast is downstairs waiting for you, my lady. Ebbe has already broke his fast and is outside getting the horses ready. I thought it best to have you dressed in something appropriate before heading downstairs. We have no clothing fit for a princess, I do apologize.”
Margaret continued talking, but Lexy tuned her out. What would today hold? What did Ebbe have in mind? She found herself anxious to get dressed. “Will you stay and help me?”
Margaret straightened. “Yes. Of course, your highness.”
She shook her head. “Please don’t call me that. Just call me Lexy.” ‘My lady’ was bad enough. Goodness, what had she gotten herself into? A nervous giggle threatened to escape.
“Oh no,” Margaret argued. “I could never address you as Lexy. It would not do. We only called you ‘my lady’ until Ebbe told us who you were.”
“What if I insist? I’m certain there are instances when permission is given to address someone less formal than required.” To think she actually stood in 1580 drove her to the edge. To be called ‘your highness’ would push her over it completely.
On the other hand, Margaret was close to crossing the line into hand wringing. Lexy took pity on her. “Look, how about we just stick with ‘my lady?’” Her mind spun, trying to find a way out of the ridiculous form of address. “Ebbe said we’re to keep quiet about the fact I’m the princess. If you all go around addressing me as ‘your highness,’ the truth may get out sooner than we want.”
“I don’t know, your…um…my…uh…Princess Lexy.”
Lexy sighed. This princess business might be harder than she thought. “Please. ’My lady’ is fine. How about we talk it over with Ebbe?”
Margaret gave a weak smile. “As you wish, my lady.”
She waved at the pile of clothes lying on the bed. “Now let’s get me dressed.”
It was a servant’s outfit, close in style to the one Margaret wore. An undergarment of thin linen was topped with a heavier ivory shirt and dark gray skirt. “Again, ” the older lady apologized. “I’m sorry for the clothing.”
“No problem,” Lexy mumbled. If what Ebbe told her last night turned out to be true, wearing a servant’s outfit was the least of her problems.
Properly dressed by Margaret’s standards, she found herself seated in a chair with Margaret attempting to fix her hair. She closed her eyes while the older lady mumbled in displeasure about the length of it. Frankly, she’d always thought of her hair as long. It fell an inch below her shoulders and had a tendency to look unkempt if she wore it longer.
The pulling and twisting of Margaret’s fingers through her hair relaxed her, and she almost found herself dozing. Almost. Before she could reclaim part of the lost sleep from the previous night, Margaret gave a “hmph” of accomplishment. Lexy peered into the small hand-held mirror offered and saw someone she didn’t recognize. Her hair had been twisted back into a simple knot.
“Margaret. What can I say? It’s…pretty. I had no idea my hair could look so nice.” She stood, resisting the urge to hug the sweet lady and walking to the door instead. “I think I’m ready for breakfast now. What do you eat in 1580?”
****
Food in 1580 so far isn’t too bad. Either that or she was too hungry to care. Fresh scrambled eggs, pancakes—everything she tried tasted divine.
“Good morning, my lady,” Ebbe said, entering the house and sitting next to her. “I assume breakfast is to your liking?”
“Delicious. All I need now is a double shot of espresso, and we’ll be set.” She attacked another piece of pancake with spoon and knife. Didn’t they have forks in 1580?
“Pardon?”
She chased an errant piece of pancake around her plate with her spoon. “Sorry. Just playing with you.”
His usual smile returned. “Indeed. Margaret informed me of your wishes. I will agree to them for the time being. Please understand that there may come a time when we will have to readdress them.”
She nodded. She must have missed Margaret going outside. “Now that I’ve had a night to think on it, I have some more questions for you. What if I say I don’t want anything to do with this 1580 princess thing? Can you take me back?”
His smile disappeared. “I thought we discussed this last night. I can’t take you back.”
She sighed and looked out the window across from her seat. Somewhere outside a horse whinnied. “I know. I just want to know why. Why can’t you take me back?”
He glanced around the room before leaning in closer. “I’m not sure how to get you back to the future.”
“Honestly, I expected more out of you. Of course you know how to get me back. You brought me here. Besides, you said you were there when my parents gave me up.”
“Yes, my lady. But you must understand it was different places both times. And both times we had a guide. There was an old man the night you went into the future and this time, a man came to me and told me how to meet you. It is the truth, my lady. Joseph came to me weeks ago and told me exactly how to find you. He is the one who led me to you.”
Listening to his story brought chills to her arms in spite of the warm house and the multiple layers she wore. “You have no way to get in contact with him?”
“No, he is not known to me. I trusted him because he knew the details of your travels in the first place.”
She picked up her spoon and turned it over. Why was it so difficult to get the story out of Ebbe? “How did you get here last night?”
“Joseph guided me, my lady. Did you not see him? He left just before we arrived here.”
The young man who had met her in The Labyrinth? She shook her head. “I only saw you once we left the room.”
“It was not so, on my honor it was not. He was outside as well.” He sounded distressed and as strange as the story was, he did not appear to be lying.
She set the spoon down with a heavy heart. Nothing made sense. However, if she could believe she was in 1580, she might as well believe there wasn’t an easy way back. No longer hungry, she pushed her plate away. “What’s the plan today?”
He looked relieved. “We ride out to meet the Duke of Culberton, Lukas’s father. We will make a few stops along the way. Our journey should take a good number of days.”
She didn’t answer. The eggs and pancakes churned in her stomach. Days of riding with Lukas, the end of which would be meeting with his father. Perfect.
****
Lukas stood outside holding two horses when Lexy and Ebbe joined him a short time later. He wore black again. Once more, he was the
arrogant nobleman, all traces of the caged animal gone. But he could not hide the bags under his eyes. It had not been a restful night for either one of them.
Ebbe took a horse from Lukas and led it to where she stood.
Lexy kept her voice low to keep her concern hidden from Lukas. “I’m supposed to ride sidesaddle? I don’t know how to ride sidesaddle.”
“You cannot think it proper for a lady to ride astride?” Ebbe sounded flabbergasted, but kept his voice low as well.
“If you expect me to ride, I do. I don’t ride sidesaddle, I ride astride.” Was everything to be an argument?
The determination she’d witnessed in Ebbe the night before had returned. “You also roamed around who-knows-where half-dressed. What is done in the future is not done here. I know this is difficult for you, but it is something you will have to accept. This is 1580, and you must act as such.”
Highhanded men! The place was filled with them. “What if I refuse?”
“You will not.” Ebbe looked convinced, and she had no choice other than to concede he was right. Where Ebbe went, she went. At least for the moment. Sidesaddle it was.
She reached for the horse. “Don’t expect me to like it.”
“I will not.” He smiled and helped her onto the horse. After she sat precariously in the saddle, he talked to Lukas, or rather Lukas’s back. “Princess Lexy has granted us leave to call her ‘my lady.’ There is no need to address her otherwise for now.”
Lukas, who had been fiddling with his saddle and saddlebags during the exchange between Lexy and Ebbe, nodded in reply.
“Lukas?” Lexy called to the man who still had his back to her. “It is Lukas, isn’t it? Is the second son of a duke called ‘Lord?’ You must forgive my lack of knowledge in such matters.”
He turned to face her, his jaw clenched, an unreadable look in his eyes. “Lukas is fine.” His gaze swept over her modest outfit, and he smirked. “My lady.”
She shivered and sat straighter in her saddle. “Since my nickname was so humorous to you last night, you may call me by my full name–Alexia.”
He bowed. Whether from deference or sarcasm, she couldn’t tell. But if she had to guess, she’d go with sarcasm.
“I trust you have no dogs named Alexia?” she asked.
The smirk disappeared. “No, my lady.”
“Perfect.”
****
According to Lexy’s watch when they stopped for a midday meal, the foursome had been riding for over four hours. She had, by that time, discovered her error. When Ebbe asked if she could ride, the correct answer would have been “No.” It didn’t take her long to determine that the handful of times she’d gone trail riding for an hour at a time in no way prepared her for her current task. In fact, she wasn’t certain her legs would work after she dismounted.
The travel itself had been uneventful and the country they rode through breathtaking. By all accounts, 1580 existed somewhat parallel with the time Lexy came from, as it appeared to be spring in Dresdonia. She could see evidence of the emerging season everywhere, from the budding flower trees to the sweet call of nesting birds. Ebbe had been a most informative travel guide, pointing out local landmarks along with the flora to be found.
Lukas rode alone at the front of the group, and Margaret followed behind. Lexy had been surprised to learn Margaret would travel with them, but had not found a chance to speak with the older lady.
The large clearing they stopped at had a stream running nearby if the melodic sound making its way to Lexy’s ears was right. She yearned to dismount and wash, no matter what condition her legs were in. However, when Ebbe took her reins and helped her dismount, she fell to her knees.
Margaret rushed to her side. “Are you all right, my lady?”
“Yes, of course I’m all right. Thank you, Margaret.” Lexy brushed off the front of her dress and glanced to where Lukas stood.
“I thought you could ride.” His voice held a trace of sarcasm.
Lexy ignored him and made her way past his horse to where the sound of running water grew louder. Her outfit was heavy and cumbersome as she cleaned her hands the best she could and splashed water on her face. Her feet ached in the uncomfortable new shoes.
She took a few minutes to prepare herself for the return to the group. She didn’t mind showing weakness in front of Ebbe and Margaret, but she wasn’t about to give Lukas the satisfaction of seeing her suffer.
When she made her way back to where the others waited, she found an inviting picnic spread out. She took her seat and waited for Margaret and the men to join her. Once seated, she watched in shock as her three companions started to eat.
“Isn’t anyone going to bless this food?” She looked from face to face and saw blank expressions. She took a deep breath. “I guess it falls to me then.”
With head bowed and hands clasped in front of her, she began. “Dear Lord Jesus, I love You. Thank You for this beautiful day and the pleasant weather You sent our way. Lord, there are times I don’t understand You and if I’m truthful, this is one of them. You know this is not at all how I envisioned today going. Help me not to worry, but to rest in Your Lordship. Keep us safe as we travel. Bless each person here. Thank You for the food provided for us and for the hands that prepared it. Help it to nourish our bodies and strengthen them to Your service. In Your blessed name we pray. Amen.”
She opened her eyes to see six others looking at her in shock. “Let’s eat, I’m starved.” She ate a few bites before looking up and realizing she ate alone. She put her slice of cheese down. “What? What’s the problem?”
Ebbe and Margaret looked at each other. Moments later, he broke the silence. “Do you do that often, my lady?”
“Do I do what?”
“Talk to the Son of God as if He’s sitting beside you?” Ebbe asked.
Margaret nodded as if to approve of his question. Lukas, who had been watching the exchange, reached for the bread, broke off a piece and began to eat. He might have been acting as if he didn’t care about her response, but Lexy had a feeling he was as interested as the other two.
“Always. Why wouldn’t I? He is beside me after all.” Lexy noticed Margaret looking around as if expecting Jesus to materialize beside her.
Ebbe talked in low tones, not unlike a father explaining something complicated to a child. “Yes, my lady, we understand the Lord to be omnipresent, but isn’t it presumptuous to talk to Him in such a manner? Are not such things better left to the priests and not meant for common man?”
She met Ebbe’s gaze. “But we’re told to pray without ceasing. It’s part of having a relationship with Jesus. So yes, I do talk to Him. And I do it often.”
“Mmm.” Ebbe nodded, but she could tell he didn’t understand.
A hush fell over the group. Lexy considered resuming the conversation, but knew the journey ahead would offer time. She looked from face to face and prayed that when the time came, God would give her the words. Margaret caught her eye and smiled shyly.
A few minutes later, the older lady began to gather the picnic items. Lexy stood and groaned as her legs threatened to give way again. She’d been so caught up in her thoughts, she’d forgotten the half-day ride before her.
Margaret shook her head at Lexy’s attempt to help. Dejected, she walked to the bay mare grazing nearby. They all probably thought her crazy. They acted as if they’d never heard a woman pray before. Then when she’d reached for the saddlebag to help put the remainder of lunch away, Margaret had seemed to take offense.
The mare lifted her head and gave a warning snicker at her approach. Great. The horse thought her crazy as well. She ran her hand over the bay’s soft nose, shushing her. The unwelcome sensation of being watched came over her, and she turned sharply.
Lukas stood with arms crossed, studying her. He didn’t even have the decency to act embarrassed, but continued his bold assessment. And she didn’t need to be a mind reader to know what his conclusion would be. His cold expression told her all she nee
ded to know.
She found herself riding beside Margaret after the group mounted and continued on their way. It was not an unpleasant situation. Margaret had proven herself to be sweet and companionable. Lexy knew the older woman’s voice would fill the silence and Margaret did not disappoint, launching into a running commentary almost at once.
Within a few minutes, Lexy learned the reason Margaret joined the journey. Apparently, it would have been “entirely inappropriate” for Lexy to travel throughout the country as a single woman with two men as her only companions. In addition, Margaret would serve as a lady’s maid. Her irritation at the suggestion she could not take care of herself fled when she recalled the ordeal of dressing. Perhaps the decision had merit after all.
Margaret steered clear of the conversation started at lunch, surprising since she had been the one most shocked. In her line of work at the shelter, Lexy learned one could not bring people to Christ by force. It would be better to wait until Margaret asked, living her faith in the meantime.
She stared ahead at Lukas’s back knowing she’d not lived her faith for Lukas to see. What kind of witness could she be after being so snippy to him? Margaret rambled on. Lexy silently prayed, asking forgiveness for the way she’d failed and for strength to resist the temptation to act rashly when dealing with Lukas.
She caught the tail end of what Margaret said. “What was that again?”
“I said, I’m so proud of my brother for his determination. This has been something he’s worked toward the last five and twenty years.” Her expression grew distant. “Almost since the day the king and queen disappeared.”
“Ebbe is your brother?”
“Why yes, my lady.” Margaret gave a shy smile. “A prouder sister you’ll not find anywhere.”
The Peculiar Princess Page 3